We run a major
multi-million dollar capital improvement and utility rehabilitation
program – a compilation of infrastructure and major maintenance projects
designed to enhance, expand, and preserve the infrastructure so that
you receive reliable utility services daily.
In any given fiscal year, EU is managing dozens of projects, which
includes planning studies, condition assessments, and engineering design
as well as construction of new facilities and rehabilitation or
replacement of existing City-owned infrastructure across all three
utility services.
We prioritize these projects based on meeting public safety objectives,
preventing extensive and costly maintenance requirements, replacing
infrastructure that has gone beyond its useful life, and refurbishing or
improving utility systems to maintain reliable services. This proactive
approach keeps the integrity of our utility systems high and your
utility rates low.
How we fund capital improvement projects
One of the biggest challenges with programs like these is funding. We fund these projects using a variety of sources, including:
- A portion of your monthly utility bill for rehabilitation of existing infrastructure
- Developer impact fees that increase capacity for new development and new service demands
- Grants and long-term debt financing to either offset other funding sources or finance large improvement projects over time
By planning and budgeting for these long- term projects over a 10-plus
year horizon, we can create a savings account and secure grant funding
to pay for many of the projects without having to borrow money with
interest.
Our planning starts early
We contemplate projects years or decades before we need to implement
them. We do this because many of these projects can be costly and we
want to pay for them over a period of years. As part of this effort, we
also identify needed infrastructure improvements, based on a condition
assessment, to ensure that rehabilitation projects mitigate against
un-disrupted service and expansion projects are completed just in time
for increased service demands.