June 24, 1997

(6/24/97) Urban Water Council Profiles Public/Private Partnerships

Options for Financing Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems Highlighted in Case Studies of Selected Cities

Seventeen cities engaged in public/private partnerships for the operation and management of municipal water and/or wastewater system are highlighted in a new report released today by The U.S. Conference of Mayors at its 65th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The report, entitled Public/Private Partnerships in Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems -- Case Studies of Selected Cities, is designed to help mayors who are considering forming a public/private partnership. It is designed to serve as a quick-reference guide for mayors wanting to take advantage of what other mayors have learned in their partnership efforts.

The provision of high quality water and drinking water services is essential to economic and recreational development in our nation's urban areas. In providing clean water and drinking water services, cities must develop, operate, maintain and improve complex and costly infrastructure to protect public health and the environment. The need for cooperation with the private sector in finding new financing alternatives for water and wastewater infrastructure was underscored recently by Mayor Patrick McManus of Lynn (MA), Co-chair of the Conference's Urban Water Council. "Over the next few years," said McManus, "$140 billion in local investments will be needed due to the mandates of the Clean Water Act. At the local level we've got to work with Congress, the President and the public and private sector." Mayor James Sills of Wilmington (DE) serves with McManus as Co-Chair of the Urban Water Council.

Case study cities in the report include:

• Bridgeport (CT)
• Buffalo (NY)
• Charlotte (NC)
• Cranston (RI)
• Franklin (OH)
• Hawthorne (CA)
• Houston (TX)
• Indianapolis (IN)
• Jersey City (NJ)
• Newark (NJ)
• Oklahoma City (OK)
• Schenectady (NY)
• Seattle (WA)
• Taunton (MA)
• Vancouver (WA)
• West Haven (CT) and
• Wilmington (DE)

Updated versions of these and other case studies will be available on the Conference of Mayors Web Page by late summer.

CONTACT: Michael Gagliardo, (202) 861-6777 or Mike Brown, (202) 861-6708.

The United States Conference of Mayors

J. Thomas Cochran, Executive Director
1620 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006
Telephone (202) 293-7330, FAX (202) 293-2352

Copyright © 1996, US Conference of Mayors, All rights reserved.