Despite sagging revenue at state and local levels, numerous environmental projects in the U.S. are moving ahead, driven by continued regulatory demands and a growing interest in sustainability. In the water and wastewater market, funding sources began to stabilize this spring as money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act helped prop up some plans and financing started to flow through the bond market again.
“We all saw a slowdown in the fourth quarter of 2008, when the capital markets froze up and impacted investment,” says Alan Krause, president and chief operating officer of MWH, Broomfield, Colo. “We saw that loosen up a lot in the first quarter, primarily with the municipal markets. We still worry about the states that have overall budget problems, but in general things have stayed steady.”