Guest Columns

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will be waiving fees for small communities who apply for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. EPA said waiving WIFIA application and credit processing fees would clear a “notableRead More

The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) has announced that Dan Hartnett, the association’s chief policy officer, has been appointed to serve as interim chief executive officer, effective July 1, 2026. Hartnett joined AMWA in 2007 as a legislative assistant and has served in severalRead More

In the first comprehensive federal settlement with a major PFAS manufacturer, Chemours has agreed to settle $450 million in federal and state charges over the “forever chemicals” found in its products. The settlement was announced on June 24 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),Read More

By Jason Mumm The numbers that guide affordability policies in the water sector have been with us for decades. They are 2 percent of the median household income for wastewater, 2.5 percent for drinking water, and 4.5 percent combined; most practitioners have treated them asRead More

In early June, the House Appropriations Committee held a full committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY2027) Interior, Environment and Related Agencies spending bill that includes a 16% reduction in State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) spending for water and wastewater projects.   According to a summaryRead More

During Water Week 2026 in April, a press conference at the National Press Club brought together leading water experts, policymakers, financiers, utility leaders and innovators to examine U.S. water infrastructure policy. The event was hosted by BPR, sponsored by ASTERRA and moderated by Paul Gagliardo,Read More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it has accomplished its remediation of the Potomac Interceptor collapse and fully demobilized the federal presence onsite. On March 14, wastewater flow was restored to the Potomac Interceptor a full week ahead of schedule, allowing ongoing work to focus onRead More

On May 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released two new proposals impacting compliance with the agency’s National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The new proposals are the Extending the Compliance Deadline for the PFAS National Primary DrinkingRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the selection of new members to its Science Advisory Board (SAB), which provides expert scientific advice to EPA leadership. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the new selections in April. EPA said the well-qualified experts come from aRead More

Earlier in May, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567), which reauthorizes agricultural, food, and rural development programming for the next five years. According to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), which released some detailRead More