Tools

We suggest using these tools for your projects when applicable.

Financial Dashboard

Knowing the current and future financial status of your water system is an integral part of responsible management.

The Environmental Finance Center at Boise State University has a new tool, the Financial Dashboard, which gives a clear and powerful picture of how your municipal system is currently performing, areas where you can improve and what the future financial outlook is. After inputting information for each of the dashboards, you will be given a fully interactive tool that will allow for a limitless number of different scenarios.

Go to http://efc.boisestate.edu/efc/ and click on "Register or log in to create your Dashboard Model".

A Guidebook of Financial Tools

A Guidebook of Financial Tools is a reference work intended to provide an overview of a range of ways and means that are useful for paying for sustainable environmental systems.

It is divided into ten sections, presenting outline information on approximately 340 financial tools that include traditional means of raising revenue, borrowing capital, enhancing credit, creating public-private partnerships, and providing technical assistance as well as financing tools that are, or might soon be, available to address significant environmental priorities.

The Guidebook is the product of a collaborative effort among members of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB), the Directors and staff of nine university-based Environmental Finance Centers, the staff of EPA's Environmental Finance Program, and numerous other contributors.

To view the Guidebook, click here. 

Plan2Fund

Plan2Fundtm V 3.0 is a web based Watershed Planning Tool developed by the Environmental Finance Center at Boise State University that helps organizations determine their funding needs to meet the goals and objectives of their Watershed Program Plan. Users walk through estimating the costs of their Watershed Program Plan’s Goals and Objectives, assessing any local matches, and determining funding needs to meet your Goals and Objectives. The results from Plan2Fundtm can be used to search for funding sources utilizing the Environmental Finance Center’s web based Directory of Watershed Resources.

Plan2Fundtm V. 3.0 can also be used in conjunction with Plan2Fund OPTtm for a complete financial decision-making package. Since both are web based applications, you will only need to load information once, and it will transition seamlessly between the two.

The Directory of Watershed Resources is an on-line, searchable database for watershed restoration funding. The database includes information on federal, state, private, and other funding sources and assistance. Users can query the information in a variety of ways including agency sponsor, keyword, or by a detailed search.  Please call toll free, (866) 627-9847 for information and assistance.

CapFinance

CapFinanceTM is an integrated capital asset inventory and reinvestment analysis software program for drinking water and wastewater systems.

To download CapFinance, please go to the Boise State EFC website and login or register in the upper right corner of the page.

Rate Checkup

UtilityRate Design with Rate CheckupTM   is a powerful, easy-to-use rate-setting and financial planning software for water utilities. The program automatically generates rate schedules, and prepares a three-year budget and financial forecast.
Developing user rates has never been easier! Rate CheckupTM  will:
Lead you through the input of your customer, facility, and budget data, lead you through the rate design process, develop a three-year budget forecast, develop a Base Charge and a Volume Rate for each customer group

Provide design options, including:
- Multiple customer groups
- Optional Seasonal Rate
- Optional Lifeline Rate

Computer Must Have:
- IBM - Compatible PC
- CD Drive
- Microsoft Windows 98 or later
- Microsoft Excel 2000 or later
- Operate integrally with CAPFinanceTM

To download Rate Checkup, please go to the Boise State EFC website and login or register in the upper right corner of the page.

Financially Sustainable Water Infrastructure Initiative

Financially Sustainable Water Infrastructure Initiative - A joint initiative by members of the Environmental Finance Center Network

Is your community water/wastewater system financially sustainable? One of the greatest challenges of water and wastewater system management is ensuring the system’s financial health. The purpose of this initiative is to equip system managers, operators and staff with the tools to evaluate system financial health, to educate the utility board and the public and to overcome political barriers to making the system financially sustainable. To utilize these tools and learn more, click here.

Climate Resilience Evaluation & Awareness Tool (CREAT)

The CREAT tool developed by the EPA allows users to evaluate potential impacts of climate change on their utility and to evaluate adaptation options to address these impacts using both traditional risk assessment and scenario-based decision making. CREAT provides libraries of drinking water and wastewater utility assets (e.g., water resources, treatment plants, pump stations) that could be impacted by climate change, possible climate change-related threats (e.g., flooding, drought, water quality), and adaptive measures that can be implemented to reduce the impacts of climate change. To access this tool, click here.

NEPAssist

NEPAssist is a tool that facilitates the environmental review process and project planning in relation to environmental considerations. The web-based application draws environmental data dynamically from EPA Geographic Information System databases and web services and provides immediate screening of environmental assessment indicators for a user-defined area of interest. These features contribute to a streamlined review process that potentially raises important environmental issues at the earliest stages of project development. To acess this tool, click here.

Get More Green - Green Roof Calculator

Get More Green by American Rivers is an interactive tool that let's you virtually "green" a roof in your own community to find out how much money you'll save in heating and cooling costs as well as how much polluted water you'll keep out of your local river! To use the tool, click here.

CUPSS: Check Up Program for Small Systems

CUPSS is asset management software developed by the EPA for small and medium-size water and wastewater utilities. CUPSS was developed in response to a clear need from communities and trainers to consolidate and package asset management materials in an easy-to-use, clear and update-to-date fashion. To access CUPSS Version 1.3.7, click here.