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Jeff Hughes John Wright David Graff
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Jeff Hughes Director, Environmental Finance Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(Non Pricing) Practices for Addressing Revenue Resiliency
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• Revenue variability and volatility has become an increasingly common part of utility financial management. This presentation highlights recent research about trends and adaptive practices.
Rationale
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Learning Objectives
• Be able to communicate national revenue trends
• Identify practices that are being employed to address revenue challenges.
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Agenda
• Quick overview of revenue trends
• Brief description of practices
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Water Research Foundation: Revenue Resiliency Applied Research
and Convening • 2009 Surviving or
Thriving in Economic Recession (#4296)
• 2011 Forum on Challenges of Meeting Revenue Gap (#4405)
• 2013 Defining a Resilient Business Model for Water Utilities (#4366)
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Challenge: Uncertain Revenue Changes in water use have had:
Source: Water Research Foundation/Environmental Finance Center, Water Revenues Forum (#4405)
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Defining a Resilient Utility Business Model (Water Research Foundation Project #4366)
• Comprehensive revenue analysis – National and state
Trends
– Factors driving changes
• Identify and analyze best practices
• New business and pricing models
• Revenue variability assessment tool
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Project Resources www.waterrf.org
REPORT TOOLS
SLIDES BLOG POSTS
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Industry Revenue Growth Roller Coaster
Annual change in total operating revenues among the same 485 utilities nationwide
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
2004 to2005
2005 to2006
2006 to2007
2007 to2008
2008 to2009
2009 to2010
2010 to2011
An
nu
al C
han
ge t
o t
he
Tota
l Op
era
tin
g R
even
ue
s B
etw
een
Yea
rs
Interquartilerange (25th to75th percentiles)
Median
Data analyzed by the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. Data Source: Moody's Water and Sewer Municipal Financial Ratio Analysis. The cohort of 485 utilities is consistent across all years.
Rev
enu
es
incr
ease
d
Reven
ues
decreased
High revenue growth
Low revenue growth
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The challenge of driving revenue increases through rate increases:
HH rate versus revenues increases (2004 to 2010)
Data analysis by the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina. Data sources: 2010 and 2004 RFC/AWWA Water and Wastewater Rates Survey Data for 82 Utilities
1 to 1 Line
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Water Use is Declining for Many Utilities
MGD sales in 2012 compared to 2006 among 129 utilities nationwide
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There are things you can do….
Answer Very
effective Somewhat effective
Not effective
at all
Not Applicable/ Not Tested
Communication
techniques 9 7 4 1
Innovative rate
structure/design 10 6 2 2
Demand projection
techniques 3 12 1 4
Board-approved
finance policy 6 5 4 4
Rate stabilization
fund/Reserves 6 7 4 3
Source: Informal Survey of 20 utility leaders – Project #4405. Water Research Foundation/Environmental Finance Center at UNC
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Rethinking Rate Models, Projections, and Cash flow Plans
• More conservative recalibration periods
• Rate models with less (or no) dependence on revenues from high volume or high block sales
• Excess” revenues transferred to reserve funds or used for increased pay as you go cash capital funding
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Internal Financial Performance Targets (E.g. EBMUD)
EBMUD Financial Indicator Target
Working capital reserve ≥ 3x monthly net O&M expenses
Self-insurance reserve 1.25x expected annual costs
Contingency/rate stabilization reserve 20% of annual water volume revenues
Debt service coverage ratio ≥1.6x coverage
Debt-funded capital ≤65% of total CIP spending over 5 year planning period
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Increased Use of Reserves R
atio
of
tota
l res
erv
e fu
nd
s to
th
e su
m o
f to
tal o
per
atin
g ex
pen
ses
and
deb
t se
rvic
e
Ratio of total reserve funds to the sum of total operating expenses and debt service
Aggressive “pay-as-you-go” policy
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Rate Adjustment Approaches
• Cost-Indexed Rate Adjustments • Multi-Year Rate Increases • Pass-Through Charges
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Affordability Programs as Revenue Resiliency Strategy
Options facing payment-troubled customers
Percent N
Payment plan to allow customer to pay amount over time 76% 231
Customer referral to private, nonutility agency 54% 163
Customer referral to a local gov. agency for assistance 49% 149
Education 35% 105
In-home conservation assistance 25% 76
Special billing arrangements 21% 64
Change in the rate customer is charged 8% 24
Other 8% 24
One-time bill credit from utility funds 3% 8
2010, Best Practices in Customer Payment Assistance Programs, Water Research Foundation #4404
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1 2 3 4 5
0%3%
53%
23%20%
On a scale of 1 -5, how well would affordability programs work with your utility or the utilities
you work with?
1. Very well
2. Pretty well
3. Maybe so, maybe not
4. Not well
5. Dreadfully
Source: Informal Survey Administered by EFC/RFC at ACE 2012 Session
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Commercializing new, expanded, or existing services
• Pricing and selling fire protection
• Customer line repair programs
– Self administered
– Third party
• Selling services to other enterprises
– Meter reading and billing
– Project management
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Fire Protection Pricing (e.g. EPCOR – Edmonton)
• Fire Hydrant Service fee charged to the City of Edmonton; the City of Edmonton’s Fire Rescue Service Budget
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A Joke, but…..
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Summary
• The business model is not obsolete, but it is problematic for many utilities.
• Practices do make a difference
• Resources www.efc.unc.edu
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Jeff Hughes John Wright David Graff