AMSA Member Update (MU03-14)

Member Update 03 – 14 provides an overview of on-going and anticipated projects of the AMSA Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Task Force. The Task Force was convened in May 2002 at the direction of AMSA 2002-2003 President Paul Pinault. The primary objective of the Task Force is to formulate and implement a campaign to identify a new source of federal revenue to fund capital projects and enhance ongoing efforts by AMSA and the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN).

Task Force Budget and Contributions
AMSA’s Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Task Force has received pledges for $473,000 in financial contributions for the 2003 fiscal year and approximately $260,000 toward a goal of $500,000 for 2004. Expenditures to date include $28,000 to the Dewey Square Group for related strategic plan development activities, $52,500 to PA Consulting for the economic review of EPA’s non-funding solutions to the wastewater funding gap, $35,000 to Frank Luntz for a survey and poll, and $12,000 for the recent AMSA brochure entitled, Why Not Water? Future projects include the formation of a joint water and wastewater utility subgroup, additional research by Frank Luntz on the source of revenue for a national trust fund and a grassroots and communications campaign.

In the next few days, all AMSA member utilities and affiliates will receive a letter and contribution form for fiscal year 2004 requesting your financial support of the work of the Task Force.

Task Force Projects
Following is an overview of projects approved by the Task Force.

Message Development ─ Members received the results of a wastewater poll and survey performed by pollster Frank Luntz. Luntz developed and tested a variety of messages on the issue of water and wastewater infrastructure funding with a focus group in Washington, DC. The results of that session were used to develop specific messages that then were tested during interviews with 800 registered voters nationwide. The survey was designed to identify specific words and phrases that were most effective in describing the water and wastewater infrastructure funding gap and to test real support for a new program that would potentially cost additional taxpayer dollars. The messages that worked the best will be used in future grassroots and communications efforts.

The Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) sponsored a Capitol Hill press event in May, featuring Frank Luntz, to release the results of the survey. AMSA has distributed the survey to AMSA members, WIN members, and Washington, DC media contacts. Further distribution of the survey results will be discussed as part of the Task Force’s upcoming grassroots and communications project.

Economic Response to EPA ─ Task Force members reviewed and commented on a draft white paper developed by Dr. Ken Rubin that reviews the economic realities of EPA’s current suggested solutions to close the funding gap. Titled EPA’s Solutions Leave Large Wastewater Funding Gap, the paper dispels some oft-repeated myths about how effectively local communities manage their assets and why public-private partnerships and escalating rate hikes cannot reduce the funding gap. The completed document has been distributed to AMSA members, governors, state pollution control administrators and WIN member organizations. Efforts also will be made to publish the paper in trade magazines.

Trust Fund Research Report ─ Task Force members are reviewing and submitting comments on a report that examines the rationale for a federal trust fund, outlines the criteria that might reasonably be used to evaluate funding sources, and presents the economic bases on which revenues might be raised to capitalize a federal trust fund. The report will be finalized and distributed in August.

Utility Rate Brochure ─ AMSA members received in May 2003 a new report entitled Why Not Water. The publication, a project approved by the Task Force earlier in the year, synthesizes information from the AMSA 2002 Financial Survey. AMSA members received multiple copies of the report to send to local, state and federal elected officials. The report also was distributed to members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Future Task Force Projects
The Task Force is soliciting voluntary contributions to support the following projects that either have been approved or will be submitted for approval in fiscal year 2004.

Joint Water and Wastewater Utility Subgroup – Task Force members agreed to the formation of a subgroup comprised of joint water/wastewater utilities to provide input to the work of the Task Force.

Poll and Survey – A new proposal by Frank Luntz has been approved to conduct additional research on the establishment of a national clean and safe water trust fund. Luntz will conduct two focus group sessions, one instant response session and a national survey.

Grassroots and Communications – AMSA has been meeting with communications and grassroots firms to discuss what kind of campaign AMSA will have to fund to generate public and political support for the establishment of a national clean water trust fund. Broad support from local, state and elected officials and the business community will be essential to the success of AMSA’s efforts. The grassroots/communications effort will utilize the messages developed in the first Luntz poll and survey and the results of the second Luntz research project to clearly define AMSA’s goal and final message. By generating high-profile support for a trust fund and by identifying champions and a national spokesperson, AMSA hopes to raise public and political awareness and support for a clean water trust fund.

If you have any questions or comments on the activities of the Task Force, you can contact Chairman Bill Schatz at (216) 881-7272 or AMSA’s Ken Kirk at (202) 833-3653.