Articles by: WFM Staff

EPA designates microplastics, pharmaceuticals as priority contaminants

EPA designates microplastics, pharmaceuticals as priority contaminants

Water Management April 8, 2026 at 11:15 am

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released for public comment a draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) that includes microplastics and pharmaceuticals for the first time. The draft list was announced at an event by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin along with a setRead More

AMWA breaks down White House budget request with more SRF cuts

AMWA breaks down White House budget request with more SRF cuts

The White House recently released its budget request for fiscal year 2027 (FY2027), which, similar to its FY2026 request, included more proposed cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State Revolving Loan Funds (SRFs). According to an analysis in the Association of MetropolitanRead More

Bluefield: U.S. water, sewer bills rising, outpacing inflation

Bluefield: U.S. water, sewer bills rising, outpacing inflation

Rates & Affordability, Water Finance April 7, 2026 at 10:05 am

Global water market data and insights provider Bluefield Research has released an annual report showing that U.S. household water and sewer bills hit a five-year high in 2025, rising 5.1% and outpacing inflation. Bluefield’s annual U.S. Municipal Water & Sewer Rate Index benchmarks utilities in 50 citiesRead More

AWWA report: Persistent, growing funding gap to test customer affordability

AWWA report: Persistent, growing funding gap to test customer affordability

Rates & Affordability, Water Finance April 6, 2026 at 10:45 am

A report released in March by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) finds that addressing U.S. drinking water infrastructure and other critical needs will require $2.1 to $2.4 trillion over the next 25 years. The report is titled Beyond the Replacement Era: Balancing Compounding Infrastructure Needs with HouseholdRead More

Tampa developing milestone drinking water treatment upgrade

Tampa developing milestone drinking water treatment upgrade

Water Management April 2, 2026 at 9:05 am

The Tampa City Council has approved funding for the design of Suspended Ion Exchange (SIX®) technology at its David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility. Lead designer Carollo Engineers said the project will mark a historic milestone in water treatment innovation as the largest SIX® installationRead More

The AMI Project Planning Illusion

The AMI Project Planning Illusion

AMR/AMI, Water Management March 30, 2026 at 4:31 pm

Financing & Procuring Advanced Metering as a Lifecycle, Not a Line Item. AMI is often described as a technical project, but the technical components rarely determine success. The harder, more consequential work happens in structuring how the project is funded, procured and governed. Download andRead More

Report: SRF funding could lose $19.4 billion to earmarks over 20 years

Report: SRF funding could lose $19.4 billion to earmarks over 20 years

Water Finance March 30, 2026 at 11:15 am

The Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) has released a new report titled, Revolving No More: How Earmarks Are Draining America’s Water Funds, detailing how congressional earmarks are weakening the State Revolving Funds (SRFs). For decades, SRFs have been one of the nation’s most successful infrastructureRead More

Arvin, Veolia unveil solar project to power wastewater treatment plant

Arvin, Veolia unveil solar project to power wastewater treatment plant

Water Management March 30, 2026 at 9:45 am

The City of Arvin, California, and Veolia recently unveiled a new solar energy installation that will power the city’s wastewater treatment plant, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and providing financial and environmental benefits to the community. The 1-megawatt solar array at the City of Arvin, whichRead More

Research team awarded grant to test AI tools at WSSC Water

Research team awarded grant to test AI tools at WSSC Water

Water Management March 30, 2026 at 7:17 am

A project team has been awarded a $150,000 research grant from the Water Research Foundation (WRF) to develop and test new artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed to enhance operations at water resource recovery facilities. The team includes engineering firm Stantec, WSSC Water and Prince William Water, along with EAOS, a firm that specializes inRead More

EPA seeking input on CWA Financial Capability Guidance

EPA seeking input on CWA Financial Capability Guidance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input on its Clean Water Act Financial Capability Assessment (FCA) guidance. This non-regulatory guidance is an important resource that helps local water bills remain affordable as wastewater systems plan for needed infrastructure upgrades, including for theirRead More