Comprehensive Technical assistance

To the Water Finance Exchange, Technical Assistance means flexible capacity support and expertise that can meet a communities’ needs to advance sustainable infrastructure solutions. For example, in more resourced communities this technical assistance may be of deep expertise in regulatory and compliance practices, while in less-resourced communities, this support can range from finding an engineer to provide cost estimates to completing funding applications.

While the process and timeline are unique for each community, WFX’s comprehensive technical assistance is structured to include:

Governance, Compliance, and Asset Review

WFX works with the community to review its goals, regional collaboration opportunities, existing assets, compliance needs, political support, technical and financial capacity, and early planning priorities.

Project Development and Regional Opportunities

WFX works with community leadership to develop a project prioritization list, while matching these projects with funding and financing sources. WFX works with communities to build regional collaborations, as well as to address regulatory and compliance needs.

Financial Assessment and Capital Improvement Project Analysis

WFX conducts a comprehensive review of financial and rate information in conjunction with proposed projects to provide a financial overview of the rate burden, debt capacity, and future rate needs.

Application Submission and Project Management Support

WFX supports application development for funding and financing opportunities to meet community priorities, which can include writing and managing funding applications.

Sustainability Assessment and Recommendations

As funds are successfully received, WFX works with the community to develop governance and sustainability guidelines for continued financial health, as well as meeting climate resiliency goals.

Technical Assistance in Practice

WFX’s efforts with Presidio County exemplify the potential for this approach, as the County is working to implement a regional water and wastewater infrastructure strategy that addresses water conservation, climate resiliency, and water connection needs for a group of communities sharing watershed resources. WFX organized a capital plan with input from a 38-member steering committee representing all 9 communities in Presidio County. This regional collaboration has received preliminary funding of $12.6 million, of which 70% is grant funding.

WFX continues to help Presidio County advance funding for traditional water infrastructure projects, such as first-time access for nearby colonias, while pursuing funding for groundwater monitoring, rainwater catchment programs, river restoration, and aquifer storage recovery. These regionals solutions allow for efficient and cost-effective centralized management of decentralized facilities, creating economies of scale with continued community ownership and agency.

Read the full Presidio Community Profile here.

WFX’s activities are supported by philanthropic donations.
The organization defrays the cost of its activities with small success fees on successfully funded projects.

G‐17 Notice:The Water Finance Exchange is acting as a technical assistance provider and not as a municipal advisor, financial advisor or fiduciary to the Issuer or any other person or entity in connection with the issuance of municipal securities by the Issuer. The information provided is not intended to be and should not be construed as “advice” within the meaning of Section 15B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Issuer should consult with its own financial and/or municipal, legal, accounting, tax and other advisors, as applicable, to the extent it deems appropriate. If the Issuer would like a municipal advisor that has legal fiduciary duties to the Issuer, then the Issuer is free to engage a municipal advisor to serve in that capacity.