2005 Annual Report - Erie County Water Authority

Success Continues at ECWAThis past year was one of solid performance and success at the Erie County Water Authority(ECWA). In fact, as you will learn from the “Highlights of the Past Decade” in this report, theECWA is continuing on the course we have charted to achieve more efficient operations and astrong financial position for the future, which has benefited customers.Over the last ten years we have successfully implemented a business strategy based on thecore principal of doing more with less. As a result, we have reduced our number of employees,increased our number of customers and the size of our service district, and have decreased ourdebt - all while keeping increases in our rate structure below the rate of inflation.This consistent level of performance was aptly honored this past year with various awards,including the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ Gold Award for CompetitivenessAchievement and the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement forExcellence in Financial Reporting. These awards recognized our effective business managementpractices that have allowed us to efficiently meet the needs of our growing customer base.None of the ECWA’s success would be possible without the hard work and dedication of ouremployees and the guidance of our professional management team to whom we owe ourappreciation for their performance around the clock, everyday, 365 days a year.It is in celebration of our successful efforts at reliably delivering a product of the highest qualityto our more than 540,000 consumers and our contributions to the quality of life in WesternNew York that we submit the 52nd Annual Report of the Erie County Water Authority.Respectfully,Board of CommissionersFrank E. Swiatek, ChairmanRobert J. Lichtenthal, Jr., Vice-ChairmanAcea Mosey-Pawlowski, Treasurer