Sewage sludge that is treated and meets federal and state regulations is often termed . In FY19, the federal government invited more than a dozen wastewater and water reuse projects to apply for over $2.3 billion in loans. Adapted from Arkansas Watershed Advisory Group. We are happy to help. At municipal wastewater treatment plants in the United States, raw municipal wastewater undergoes preliminary, primary, secondary, and in some cases, additional treatment to yield treated effluent and a concentrated stream of solids in liquid, called sludge. r06X05p ;hbC@Ujef20yK^ Most wastewater treatment plants. DATA.NY.GOV. In addition, sewage overflows can be caused by other problems such as blockages, equipment failures, broken pipes, or vandalism. stream However, this method can have higher maintenance, energy and capital costs. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Septic Systems, Why Maintain Your Septic System. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date In addition, much of the existing wastewater infrastructure, including collection systems, treatment plants, and equipment, has deteriorated and is in need of repair or replacement. "Primary treatment" removes about 60 percent of suspended solids from wastewater. Summary statistics of concentration data are also reported for the 484 chemicals found in the three national sewage sludge surveys. Estimates indicate that utilities spent over $3 billion in 2019, or more than $18 per wastewater customer to replace the almost 4,700 miles of pipeline nationwide. Waterech of Amarica Inc. 6. While wastewater utilities are responsible for covering the majority of their expenses, many also look to federal financing mechanisms, particularly for large capital projects. After a wastewater utility in San Antonio, Texas, implemented in-pipe sensors, data was collected to optimize the networks cleaning schedule, saving thousands of dollars in each location a sensor was installed. y 2032 it is expected that 56 million more people will connect to centralized treatment plants, rather than private septic systems - a 23% increase in demand. This is a Non-Federal dataset covered by different Terms of Use than Data.gov. RECREATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE: Water is agreat playgroundfor us all. ',Y^0?YMVa1 (bLSzpRr(e8_uHAX|dEppv})=Q/aE9k)/~=xZ@$i:R*aIEg2@m":FG@kAHO!5]Ic,Sz|{vIWTVR4UQTbbqA#+,oQ8H&=)#4?BYlrF)/*`sr3`kYVi< T3sArz2gou<5R 4F@^0ASu>WUfF$qw1=6|=w*\(uwC(aE'a{F. Steps in the wastewater treatment process. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. U.S. EPA (2017) eGRID 2014 Summary Tables. Please do not hesitate to contact me. dispose of wastewater.3 Failing septic systems may contaminate surface and groundwater.4 Treatment of Municipal Wastewater An estimated 14,748 POTWs provide wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal service to more than 238 million people.6 Use of reclaimed water for consumption is becoming more common, particularly in regions prone to into wastewater infrastructure planning and long-term funding decisions. OR-TEC - Blend Polymer Dosing System According to the Congressional Research Service, the federal governments share of capital investment has fallen from 63% in 1977 to 9% in 2017. are designed with an average lifespan. Tabuchi H, New York Times, $300 Billion War Beneath the Street: Fighting to Replace Americas Water Pipes, November 10, 2017. WILDLIFE HABITATS: Our rivers and ocean waters teem with life that depends on shoreline, beaches and marshes. Please click here to see any active alerts. However, with little to no instruction or oversight from state regulatory agencies, if O&M goes unaddressed, systems may fail, costing homeowners between $3,000 and $7,000. The United States Conference of Mayors, $125.5 Billion Record Spending on Municipal Water and Sewer by Cities in 2017, November 1, 2019. U.S. EPA (2012) 2012 Guidelines for Water Reuse. endstream endobj 226 0 obj <>stream English; Espaol; Italiano; Franais; ; In 2013, energy-related emissions resulting from POTW operations, excluding organic sludge degradation, were 15.5 teragrams (Tg) CO. Population growth and urban sprawl increase the collection (sewer) infrastructure needed. As all wastewater systems face multiple and increasing natural threats, Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. Since 2017, EGLE has sampled 56 municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and 41 industrial dischargers (industries including airports, landfills, paper plants, and groundwater clean-up sites for other contaminants) for a total of 161 samples collected. Please click here to see any active alerts. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Hilton, S., G. Keoliean, et al. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection is an alternative to chlorination that does not add chemicals to the water. It's a matter of caring for our environment and for our own health. Learn more about the wastewater treatment process and theuses of reclaimed wastewater. Congressional Research Service, Federally Supported Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Programs, May 3, 2019. Pure Aqua, Inc. 13. Black & Veatch Management Consulting, LLC, 2018-2019 50 Largest Cities Water & Wastewater Rate Survey, 2019. Official websites use .govA Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA bJ1ht8D 4s9djDJ`(&Ma6&Il.*$d7bN'3aq@S6Ls,HeLnl-k*&De TK'Q)n\mh$RUx2|N/Zp6_1 :0ZS:nb0zw;Bt9i" T(7&sy80`6A 2cz:A{k The 4,000 . U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Office of Water, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual, February 2002. Pew Research Center, Social & Demographic Trends, What Unites and Divides Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities, May 22, 2018. Identify new grant programs and funding mechanisms U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater Management, Office of Water, Primer for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems, September 2004. U.S. EPA (2016) Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2012-Report to Congress. CSS04-14. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports, useful life of water infrastructure components. Develop a federal grant pilot program for publicly owned wastewater treatment plants In 2019, 90% of the nations $104 billion O&M funding need was met, leaving an annual gap of $10.5 billion. When collection systems are overtaxed, sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) can occur. with additional long-term, low-cost funding mechanisms for regionally and nationally significant, large-dollar-value projects. Electric Power Research Institute (2013) Electricity Use and Management in the Municipal Water Supply and Wastewater Industries. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Combined Sewer Overflow Frequent Questions. Resources for overflows and peak flows at treatment plants include: Significant increases in flow at wastewater treatment facilities caused by wet weather conditions can create operational challenges and potentially adversely affect treatment efficiency, reliability, and control of unit process operations at the treatment facility. This information is used in assessing potential risk from pollutants found in biosolids to human health and the environment. (2012) Long-Term Study on Landscape Irrigation Using Household Graywater. Unless they are removed, they could cause problems later in the treatment process. Businesses and industries also contribute their share of used water that must be cleaned. 3. The SPDES database contains the following data on each permit: ownership, effective dates, locations, and receiving waters. Infrastructure owners should engage in asset management practices The Water Research Foundation, Resource Recovery., Georgia, Inland Waterways, National Category, Startup Uses Drone for Cleaning Water, Collecting Data, North Dakota DOT Unveils Autonomous Protection Truck, Massachusetts implements nations 1st clean peak standard, First Gas-Hydrogen Power Plant in the U.S. Makes Waves in Ohio, National Category, North Carolina, Stormwater, Flood-Prone Town Uses Predictive Modeling to Protect Residents, MDOT deploys unique technology to inspect underwater infrastructure, Oregon city generates recoverable energy from underground water pipeline, Digitized shipping program improves efficiency at Port of Los Angeles, Arizonas I-10 Incorporates First-of-its-Kind Dust Detection, District of Columbia, National Category, Rail, Amtraks New Acela Improves Efficiency, Speed, Autonomous shuttle service increases equity in Columbus, Ohio, 2023 ASCE's 2021 Infrastructure Report Card, Website Design & Development by Ironistic. : 0f9x@4oNJ0:t 3C0C:##`l2[M#F*QdO3 @CAc9011T-L:h The new delta plant is being developed under the supervision of the Engineering Authority of the Egyptian Armed Forces. U.S. EPA (2010) Evaluation of Energy Conservation Measures for Wastewater Treatment Facilities. HEALTH CONCERNS:If it is not properly cleaned, water can carry disease. Some WWTPs are recouping savings and generating profits by implementing innovative technologies that reuse water, recover energy, and recycle nutrients. U.S. Census Bureau (2019) American Housing Survey 2019 Summary Tables. An official website of the United States government. control in the United States is wastewater treatment. Wastewater Treatment Plants Metadata Updated: February 17, 2023 Data regarding wastewater treatment plants with permits issued under the New York State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Access & Use Information Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. If the plant is built above the ground level, the wastewater has to be pumped up to the aeration tanks (item 3). Michigan Creative, a unit of the Nationally, a single-family residence pays an average rate of $504 annually for wastewater collection and treatment. CH4, N2O, and CO2 are the main GHGs emitted by agricultural activities. U.S. EPA (2022) Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990 - 2020. Capacity & Condition. Over the last two decades, more than 200 of the nations largest combined sewer systems (those serving > 50,000 people) have been identified and had actions taken to reduce unlawful discharges that degrade water quality. Agriculture was responsible for 9.6% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Graywaterwash water from kitchen sinks, tubs and showers, clothes washers, and laundry tubscan be used for gardening, lawn maintenance, landscaping, and other uses. If wastewater is not properly treated, then the environment and human health can be negatively impacted. For instance, the EPAs Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) provides resources to state agencies enabling them to act as infrastructure banks that grant funds and oversee low-interest loans. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2022) How's My Waterway? 1. Pollutants contaminate receiving water via many pathways: point sources, non-point sources (e.g., air deposition, agriculture), sanitary sewer overflows, stormwater runoff, combined sewer overflows, and hydrologic modifications (e.g., channelization and dredging). EPA focused on publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) that treat more than one million gallons of wastewater per day and which collectively generate approximately 94% of the wastewater flow in the United States. Water Science School HOMEWater Quality topics Water Use topics . A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 51-8031 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater. 12 Chemical additions of ferric salts and lime enhance coagulation and sedimentation processes for improved solids removal as well as removal of toxic pollutants. doi: 10.17226/10135. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun. The collection and treatment of domestic sewage and wastewater is vital to public health and clean water. The remainder of the population approximately 20% of Americans rely on onsite wastewater systems such as septic tanks. Ecolab 11. Watershed or waterbody- based management of clean water is expected to facilitate establishment of these TMDLs. The East Bay Municipal Utility District has a working water reclamation project that benefits the community in these ways: Conserves drinking water. However, the suite of wastewater infrastructure vulnerabilities varies by geographic location, type of treatment system, age, and ownership status, so there is not a one size fits all solution. Aquatech International 12. Although the lifetime of a sewer system (50 years) is longer than that of treatment equipment (15 to 20 years), renovation needs of a sewer system can be more costly. Wet-weather secondary treatment capacity limited to 3 520 000 m/day. Sewage sludge surveys identify the presence of pollutants in biosolids using samples taken from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Screening Wastewater entering the treatment plant includes items like wood, rocks, and even dead animals. During FY16 and FY17, Congress assigned funding at $1.394 billion, increased that value to $1.694 billion for FY18 and FY19, and then decreased FY20s amount to $1.120 billion. Nationwide, the drinking water and wastewater pipes in the ground are on average 45 years old, while some systems have components more than a century old. With this gap, only 37% of the nations total water infrastructure capital needs were met. State and local authorities generally have not allowed the construction of new combined sewers since the first half of the 20th century. The sludge is treated as required Informing the conversation about your waters.. Also influencing the wastewater sectors future needs are the growing O&M costs that are outpacing available funding. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Global key figures on wastewater generation 2020, U.S. wastewater treatment: revenue 2000-2018, Water and sewerage maintenance: U.S. price index 2000-2018, Leading water and sewer utilities by revenue in the U.S. 2020, Key information on wastewater generation worldwide as of 2020, Global share of wastewater safely treated 2020, by region, Proportion of domestic wastewater flow safely treated worldwide in 2020, by region*, Global share of population with wastewater collection systems by region 2018, Share of population connected to wastewater collection systems worldwide as of 2018, by region, Revenue from U.S. wastewater treatment from 2000 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)*, National price index for water and sewerage maintenance in the U.S. from 2000 to 2018*, Water and wastewater key figures in the U.S. 2017, Water and wastewater key figures in the United States as of 2017, Biggest challenges facing the water industry in the U.S. 2020-2021, Most important challenges of the water, wastewater, and stormwater industry in the United States in 2020 and 2021, Sewage systems used in new single-family houses in the U.S. 2020, by type, Sewage systems used in new single-family houses in the United States in 2020, by water supply source (in 1,000s), U.S. distribution of water treatment industry by channel 2017, Distribution of the water treatment industry in United States in 2017, by channel*, U.S. construction spending: sewage and waste disposal projects 2009-2019, Public construction spending on sewage and waste disposal projects in the U.S. from 2009 to 2019 (in billion U.S. dollars), U.S. water, sewage, and other system utilities' capital expenditure by type 2012-2021, Capital expenditures for water, sewage, and other system utilities in the United States from 2012 to 2021, by type (in million U.S. dollars), U.S. water, sewage, and other system utilities' capital expenditure 2012-2021, Capital expenditures for water, sewage, and other system utilities in the United States from 2012 to 2021 (in million U.S. dollars), U.S. sewage treatment facility establishments by employment size 2018, Number of establishments in sewage treatment facilities sector in the United States in 2018, by employment size, Leading water and sewer utilities companies based on sales revenue in the United States in 2020 (in million U.S. dollars), American Water's wastewater services revenue 2012-2021, American Water's revenue from wastewater services from FY 2012 to FY 2021 (in million U.S. dollars), Essential Utilities operating revenue 2015-2021, Essential Utilities, Inc's operating revenue from FY 2015 to FY 2021 (in million U.S. dollars), American States Water Company operating revenue 2015-2021, American States Water Company's operating revenue from FY 2015 to FY 2021 (in million U.S. dollars). Xylem US Xylem spinoffs from ITT in 2011. the Clean Water Act . Most states do not collect condition data for these smaller systems, so an accurate assessment of the remaining lifespan or current condition is nearly impossible to determine. This list may not reflect recent changes. In 2022, EPA published an article describing the curation process to produce a complete list of the chemicals found in biosolids based on eight biennial review reports and three national sewage sludge surveys. Since the early 1970s, effluent water quality has been improved at Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) and other point source discharges through major public and private investments prescribed by the Clean Water Act (CWA). Water treatment plants (WTP) producing potable water Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) producing water for disposal or recycle/reuse Facilities producing water for aquifer recharge or aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), which may be WWTPs The information sought is listed in . We consider wastewater treatment as a water use because it is so interconnected with the other uses of water. and 500,000 miles of private lateral sewers. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. To meet ambient water quality standards, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) considering both point and non-point source pollutant loadings can be developed. A number of treatment plants are considering using methane generated from anaerobic digestion of biosolids as an energy resource. ;-.npU1[Z2x;WpUd9 #eh:E`k64ah4@#:wY\VO5]&E:C5 {[gJVVfuY C88Q@8/! An official website of the United States government. Wo-X&N"{o~\ETEN`$BI?oiFh 'KFr,r.UA"?SlApR`# N4||tq|MjaTAV5hCa 2Jc, *~/E Wet-weather secondary treatment (since 1950) capacity limited to 1 821 000 m/day. Interview with Bluefield Research on Underground Infrastructure: U.S. Water & Wastewater Pipe Network Forecast, 2019-2028, published November 2019. ",7O6w6{fu\* FXM[/[gM-D U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Case Study and Information Exchange. As system components near or exceed their expected lifespans, O&M for water infrastructure become costlier. A publicly owned treatment works (POTW) is a term used in the United States for a sewage treatment plant owned, and usually operated, by a government agency. American Society of Civil Engineers, The Economic Benefits of Investing in Water Infrastructure: How a Failure to Act Would Affect the U.S. Economy Recovery. Water reuse can significantly decrease system energy usage and reduce nutrient loads to waterbodies. Sanitary sewers are installed to collect wastewater only and do not provide widespread drainage for the large amounts of runoff from precipitation events. lock ( "U.S. Wastewater Treatment Factsheet." including operations, maintenance, and capital needs; clearly communicate rate increases to the public; and balance local issues of affordability. b. Dober 9. The nations more than 16,000 wastewater treatment plants are functioning, on average, at 81% of their design capacities, while 15% have reached or exceeded it. Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Growing urban environments signal a trend that these facilities will increasingly accommodate a larger portion of the nations wastewater demand. Below are other science topics associated with wastewater treatment water use. whose goal is to eliminate and/or decouple the nations remaining combined sewer systems. An estimated 14,748 POTWs provide wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal service to more than 238 million people. There are a lot of good reasons why keeping our water clean is an important priority: FISHERIES:Clean water is critical to plants and animals that live in water. HRT evaluation studies are currently ongoing wastewater treatment plants. An official website of the General Services Administration. The operator career is a promising and stable field. When these areas experience heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt, the capacity of the combined system is overtaxed and results in combined sewer overflows where large volumes of partially treated or untreated wastewater bypass the treatment process and enter local waterbodies. Sewage treatment plants in the United States, Last edited on 8 September 2017, at 19:56, Wastewater treatment plants in the United States, Category:Public utilities of the United States, Sewage treatment plants in New York (state), Sewage treatment plants in Washington (state), Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chemical Building, Fields Point Sewage Treatment Plant, Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant, Southeast Water Pollution Control Facility, Thomas P. Smith Water Reclamation Facility, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Sewage_treatment_plants_in_the_United_States&oldid=799614312, This page was last edited on 8 September 2017, at 19:56. https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld, https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema, https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json. Sewage sludge that is treated and meets federal and state regulations is often termed biosolids. California EPA, State Water Resources Control Board (2018) Water Quality Control Policy for Recycled Water. The World Bank, Wastewater: A Resource that Can Pay Dividends for People, the Environment, and Economies, Says World Bank, March 19, 2020. Select your home state, and we'll let you know about upcoming legislation. The Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey was conducted from 2006-2007 to obtain national estimates of the concentrations of pollutants identified in sewage sludge for use in assessing their potential risk to human health and the environment. EPA studies state that the PFAS family of chemicals is persistent in both the environment and human bodies, which means they are likely to accumulate over time. Sign In. Suggest a dataset here. |A[/Exoq|SQ77j#L0ByAPdD(BT Hp :|tI% '@,@2tq5R}NA"5fA?jzs~=| There are more than 16,000 publicly owned wastewater treatment systems of various sizes serving the majority of wastewater needs in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS In 2019, though the annual water infrastructure capital investment gap was $81 billion, the sector has made strides to address current and future needs through resilience-related planning and innovations that produce profitable byproducts or cost savings from wastewater treatment. Toilets, showers, and faucets represent 64% of all indoor water use. Sensors and monitoring innovations are being installed to collect real-time data on the wastewater conveyance networks condition to inform and prioritize the systems O&M schedule. North East Biosolids & Residuals Association (NEBRA) (2007) A National Biosolids Regulation, Quality, End Use & Disposal Survey. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. The wastewater system relies on the force of gravity to move sewage from your home to the treatment plant. Resources for discharge requirements include: Historically, municipalitieshave used two major types of sewer systems. This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total. Nevertheless, in 2020, Bluefield Research estimated that utilities throughout the country will spend more than $3 billion on wastewater pipe repairs and replacements, addressing 4,692 miles of wastewater pipeline. 7\c"6xA 4B=afI;#hHs>|8SD\\7l*Np 1. Between 2012 and 2016, the EPA reports that improvements were made to more than 180 of the nations large sanitary sewer systems, which typically accommodate over 10 million gallons of wastewater per day, and are prone to episodic SSOs. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Cost of Clean Water Index, 2018. endstream endobj 223 0 obj <> endobj 224 0 obj <> endobj 225 0 obj <>stream OR-TEC, Incorporated based in Cleveland, OHIO (USA) Founded in 1980, OR-TEC specializes in the manufacture and sales of wastewater treatment equipment for the municipal and industrial marketplace. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Enforcement and Compliance History Online. liability for the information given being complete or correct. National Association of Clean Water Agencies (2010) Renewable Energy Resources: Banking on Biosolids. But reclaimed wastewater has many uses, with more promise of usage in the future. Additionally, in recent decades, resource recovery has increasingly shifted the traditional wastewater treatment mindset away from generating a product solely for disposal but reconceptualizing this waste as a resource. Innovations such as anaerobic digestors, indirect potable reuse, and biosolids reuse systems can recover water, energy, and nutrients from treated wastewater and may contribute to the resilience of treatment facilities, communities, and entire watersheds. 2006 Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey (TNSSS), Studies Related to the Sewage Sludge Surveys, Curation of a list of chemicals in biosolids from EPA National Sewage Sludge Surveys & Biennial Review Reports, EPA's CompTox Chemicals Dashboard - List of Chemicals Detected in Biosolids, Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey Sampling and Analysis Technical Report, Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey Statistical Analysis Report, TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report AppendicesA-F, Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey (TNSSS): Summary Statistics and Estimates of 95th Percentiles for 84 Additional Analytes, 2001 National Sewage Sludge Survey Report, Statistical Support Documentation for the 40 CFR Part 503 - Volume 1, Statistical Support Documentation for the 40 CFR Part 503 - Volume II, Sampling Procedures and Protocols for the National Sewage Sludge Survey, Technical Resources for Biosolids Managers, EPA Regional and State Biosolids Coordinators. to develop and quickly deploy regulations, systems, public safety education, and policies that address 21st century concerns such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, forever chemicals) or novel biological components. Funding and financing differ through the simple fact that infrastructure financing, like any loan or bond, requires repayment over a 30- to 50-year period. The following information is a partial list of wastewater treatment plants conducting biosolids anaerobic digestion in the United States. Despite the improvement in effluent quality, point source discharges continue to be a significant contributor to the degradation of surface water quality. As solid material decays, it uses up oxygen, which is needed by the plants and animals living in the water. The project added 86 facilities to the Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The country has a vast system of collection sewers, pumping stations, and treatment plants. In rural areas where decentralized systems are common, the responsibility to coordinate and finance O&M activities ranging from $250 to $500 every three to five years falls on homeowners. This estimate includes $197 billion for wastewater treatment and collection systems, which represent 73% of all needs;12 $48 billion for combined sewer overflow corrections; As utilities face the challenges of meeting increasingly stringent water quality regulations, funding significant infrastructure replacements, and/or affordably providing services amid growing public and environmental health risks, the option of merging (utility consolidation) may unlock financial, technical, and managerial resources to meet current needs and adapt to future demands.