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<br />Stratus Consulting <br /> <br />Executive Summary <br /> <br /> <br />in setting up reserve accounts to keep up with repair and replacement and being prepared for <br />emergency expenses. Third, it is often difficult to find a licensed operator and to keep paying that <br />operator. Some systems do not have the financial resources to commit to maintaining a licensed <br />operator. <br /> <br />One approach to funding that holds some promise is to require that water systems demonstrate or <br />gain TMF capacity as a condition of the loan. SDWRF takes this approach, and CDPHE <br />developed a list of TMF questions approved by EP A that will allow a system to demonstrate <br />TMF capacity or agree to gain capacity in any deficient areas as a condition of the loan. This <br />approach could help reduce some of the risk associated with loaning to PNPWSs. <br /> <br />Numerous technical assistance providers can help systems achieve TMF capacity. RCAC, <br />Colorado Rural Water, the Department of Local Affairs, CDPHE, and other organizations <br />provide technical assistance designed to help systems gain capabilities. CDPHE's capacity <br />development program includes individualized training for water systems and group TMF training <br />workshops for the smallest systems. CDPHE also is hiring capacity development "coaches" to <br />make TMF assistance available to systems, as well as training water boards and managers about <br />what is needed to sustainably run and maintain a water system. These efforts and more will be <br />needed to help PNPWSs understand the planning needed to sustainably run a water system, and <br />to provide tools and training to make planning possible. <br /> <br />Conclusions <br /> <br />This study has identified a short-term funding need of approximately $40 million for PNPWSs <br />by combining CDPHE's Drinking Water Grant Program eligibility list with a new survey of <br />short-term funding needs. The $40 million short-term need estimate comes only from systems <br />contacted by CDPHE and this study. Many systems were not contacted, and, as a result, this <br />estimate only represents a lower-bound estimate of total PNPWS funding need in Colorado. The <br />survey of long-term funding need shows that distribution system investment and treated water <br />storage are the highest projected long-term funding needs for PNPWSs, but that all categories of <br />water system functions will have significant long-term funding needs. Restrictions on eligibility <br />ofPNPWSs for some of the largest sources of long-term financing mean that PNPWSs still lack <br />a lower cost source for funds to meet existing and future water system repair, replacement, and <br />upgrades. <br /> <br />Page S-5 <br />SCll199 <br />