The workshop discusses important rate setting questions that should be considered in designing a rate to recover the full cost of operating the system.
- What are the revenue requirements of the system?
- How are these revenue requirements allocated to the basic functions?
- Are these requirements allocated equitably to the classes of customers?
- What are the rates going to be in three to five years?
- How will planned investments in the system affect the rates?
- What will it cost to operate the system on a sustainable basis today and in the future?
- Provides a "hands-on" learning tool which allows each community to design a rate for their system.
- Utilizes American water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, and Environmental Protection Agency recommended methods.
- Automatically generates a base charge and a volume rate for each customer group.
- Allows for up to eight customer groups.
- Provides a three-year budget and rate forecast.
- Describes over 200 financial tools.
- Explains the actual and potential uses of financial methods and their advantages and disadvantages.
- Describes case studies which demonstrate the use of financial tools.
- Provided in a two-disk set as a Microsoft Word document.
The workshop utilizes RATECheckup, a rate design software developed by the Environmental Finance Center.
The workshop also seeks to assist communities with the challenges of how to pay for compliance with environmental regulations. The EFC's Guidebook of Financial Tools is provided to all workshop participants.