Regionalization

The U.S. has approximately 53,000 community water systems and 16,000 wastewater systems, and 56% of those systems only serve 2% of the population.

What is regionalization?

Regionalization can be as simple as purchasing water or maintenance services from a neighborhing system, or as complex as one utility being fully absorbed by another.

Why is it important?

Regionalization is something that should be done with the good of the residents and all systems involved in mind. Per the 2017 SDWA update, the government has the authority to compel systems to consolidate if they are unable to meet regulations on their own.

What else should be considered?

In many cases, this will be a large undertaking likely requiring construction upfront. We recommend systems bring in a third party consultant to assist with feasibility studies and creating the contract dictating the regionalization. Remember, building a trusting and cooperative relationship takes time.

What are some of the options for regionalization?

Just as each community is unique, the decision to regionalize should be done on an individual basis. Examples include:

  • Total consolidation
  • Water/maintenance service purchase agreements
  • One system provides water while one handles all maintenance
  • Pooled resources, but each system handles a separate geographic location
  • Emergency management agreements
  • Any other mutually beneficial agreement between two or more systems

What are the benefits?

Although there is often a cost associated with any regionalization project, the long-term benefit generally outweighs this initial expenditure.

  • Increased infrastructure resiliency and enhanced local economic growth
  • Savings on chemicals, personnel and equipment maintenance
  • Systems can better meet new water safety standards set by authorities
  • Systems are better positioned to access grants and loans for improvements

 

How can we be successful?

The most important thing is to be open to ideas and maintain good communication with your Ohio EPA district representative. 

Once you've determined what your system's needs are, conduct a feasibility study of systems in nearby regions and their ability to serve an interconnection. It is often helpful to enlist the help of third party consultants such as RCAP or ORWA to identify needs as well as build relationships with nearby systems who may also benefit from regionalization.