Ryan Graf, MBA 
Depending on who you may ask, the number one expense for utilities is either personnel or capital investment. Personnel costs are something most utilities can plan for as work force requirements are generally consistent from year to year. Capital investment, on the other hand, can be much harder to incorporate into a sustainable financial plan. … Read more
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently released a report on the impacts of climate change on the drinking water and wastewater sectors. The Climate Change in the Drinking Water and Wastewater Sectors and the Impact on Financial Resilience, Insurability, and Credit and Investment Quality report was led by the USEPA Climate Finance Working Group so … Read more
The changeover in workforce in the water and wastewater sector is a growing challenge that will eventually impact almost every system. While there are a number of ways that systems engage and recruit new workers, it’s also important to look at how the system itself is organized to improve recruitment and retention. As the next … Read more
Some signs of inflation are easing in parts of the economy. However, it is not occurring evenly and doesn’t hit all sectors consistently. Those who have projects going out for bid in the spring of 2023 may be hoping for good bid prices. That could happen, but everyone should be cautioned to temper expectations because … Read more
Uncertainty on the inflation front continues. There is probably more uncertainty now than six months ago. As of the end of August, electricity prices were still 15.8% higher than in August 2021. While month-to-month we have seen slight decreases in the Producer Price Index and Consumer Price Index, as well as slowed growth to other … Read more
News about increasing prices seem to be everywhere. When we hear about inflation in the news, we often see the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This is the measure that tracks the prices we see at the grocery store, gas pump, etc. Another significant measure is the Producer Price Index (PPI). The PPI tracks the prices … Read more