AMSA Member Update (MU05-06)

Action Please By:
June 15, 2005

2005 Financial Survey Charts Wastewater Treatment Trends
AMSA is pleased to launch the ninth triennial Financial Survey: A National Survey of Municipal Wastewater Management Financing and Trends with the distribution of the attached 2005 Financial Survey questionnaire. A hard copy of the 2005 Financial Survey questionnaire, which included each agency’s 2002 responses, was mailed to all members on April 14, 2005. In the very near future, an online response form will also be available on the Cleanwater Central™ website (http://cleanwatercentral.org/). Online participation is encouraged. Your completed survey form is requested by June 15, 2005.

Since its inception in 1981, the AMSA Financial Survey has been designed to provide a comprehensive snapshot of public wastewater treatment utilities financing and management trends in an effort to aid wastewater agencies in identifying agencies of similar size and type to assist in determining performance benchmarking and goal setting. As national attention is increasingly focused on wastewater infrastructure funding issues and security, the answers to the questions found in the 2005 survey will be an important resource to help policy makers identify and respond to financing and management trends impacting utilities across the country. By participating in this survey, your agency has the opportunity to help AMSA chart the trends of water quality community.

The Financial Survey addresses a variety of questions regarding budgetary challenges at all levels of government that continue to impact the financial resources required to control water pollution, such as:

• What user charges are the nation's major wastewater treatment facilities assessing their customers?

• What percentage of funds are allocated to the operation and maintenance of our treatment facilities?

• What is the level of outstanding debt service for our publicly owned treatment works?

• How have rates, operation and maintenance costs and debt service changed in recent years?

• How do your employees' salaries compare with facilities nationwide?

In addition to these questions, the 2005 AMSA Financial Survey requests utility specific information on member service areas, operation and staffing, as well as financial information such as revenue, expenses and capital improvement needs. This year’s survey also contains questions on asset management, security financing needs and utility staffing levels.

Online Survey Available to Member Agencies
To facilitate survey participation, an online response form has been developed for you to submit your survey responses electronically. You may complete this survey via the Cleanwater Central™ website at http://cleanwatercentral.org. To enter the website, you will need your agency’s user id and password (same as AMSA website user id and password), which can be obtained by contacting Mark Hoeke at mhoeke@bluewin.ch, or 202/361-7446.

Responses via hardcopy are also welcomed. To do this, you may print out and complete the attached blank survey form (or the hard copy you received in the mail) and return it via U.S. mail or fax by the June 15, 2005 deadline to:

Will Pettit
AMSA National Office
1816 Jefferson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202/833-3280
Fax: 202/833-4657

If you have any questions, or would like to request a copy of your agency’s specific survey form, please contact Mark Hoeke at 202/361-7446 or mhoeke@bluewin.ch.

Thank you in advance for your participation!

*Please note: The completion of the survey questionnaire is intended for AMSA Public Agency and Public Affiliate Members only. Member Update 05-06 and survey form are provided to AMSA Private Affiliate Members for information purposes only.

ATTACHMENT:

• Blank 2005 Financial Survey Questionnaire (PDF)