Montana DEQ Sets Alternative Energy Loan Interest Rate at 3.25% for 2014

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Alternative Energy Revolving Loan Program recently set a 3.25 percent interest rate for the remainder of 2014. The revolving loan program has helped local governments, non-profit organizations, small businesses, and homeowners install alternative energy systems for more than a decade. More than $5 million has been loaned over … Read more

Full Cost Pricing – How Do 2013 Rate Survey Respondents Measure Up?

The concept of full cost pricing is generally defined as the recovery of revenues sufficient to meeting operating expenses, maintenance expenses, debt service principal and interest payments, and contributions to reserves adequate to fund renewal of the system. Though somewhat difficult to pinpoint, appropriate funding of system renewal is often described as an annual investment … Read more

2013 Rate Survey Results: The Cost of Water Above “Average” Use

The AE2S North Central Utility Rate Survey provides an annual overview of the cost of residential water use throughout the region consisting of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. For comparison, the survey is based on the assumption that 6,000 gallons per month represents “average” water use. Some systems have noted an increased … Read more

2014 Utility Rate Survey Data Collection is Underway

AE2S Nexus is pleased to announce the 13th annual North Central Utility Rate Survey questionnaire will soon be available. Each year, AE2S Nexus conducts a survey of water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste utility rates throughout the region. Two unique reports are prepared based on community population. One is for communities with populations of 1,000 to … Read more

National Drought Resilience Partnership Announced

The federal government has announced an interagency National Drought Resilience Partnership to help communities better prepare for future droughts and reduce the impact of drought on the economy. The partnership is designed to make it easier to access federal resources, as well as information such as monitoring and forecasts. Outlooks and early warnings with longer-term … Read more

Risk Management Program Reminder

Since 1999, facilities such as water and wastewater treatment plants, propane storage facilities, chemical distributors, and others that store specific amounts of the chemicals listed in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations §68.190 have been required to maintain and follow a Risk Management Program documented in a Risk Management Plan (RMP). The original … Read more