MPC Roundtable Let the Dollars Flow: Viable Ways to Finance Water Infrastructure October 15, 2015, Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Planning Council 140 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 1400 Chicago
Our nation’s water service infrastructure is crumbling and in need of reinvestment, to the tune of $1 trillion to repair and upgrade drinking water infrastructure and some $300 billion to improve sewage collection and treatment facilities. While these numbers are hard to wrap our heads around, what’s encouraging is that most Americans—more than 80 percent—believe it is extremely important to invest in strategies to secure our water supplies for today and the future.
So how do we get there? Join us for a roundtable featuring water industry leaders discussing a range of local, state and federal efforts toward workable funding streams for water infrastructure investments. For instance, MPC has partnered with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to improve access to and use of Illinois’ State Revolving Fund, which municipalities can tap to improve drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. New federal funding streams and resources will be highlighted, such as the latest developments with federal WIFIA funding and the Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center. They will also highlight how individual utilities are finding creative ways to finance infrastructure, for instance through green century bonds and credit trading programs.
Speakers include:
George Hawkins, General Manager, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority Lisa Bonnett, Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Jordan Dorfman, Attorney-Advisor, Clean Water State Revolving Fund, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The cost of the event is $15 for MPC donors and $30 for all others. Register here.