Guest Columns

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is proposing the first-ever national drinking water standard for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” The much anticipated announcement is the latest action under President Joe Biden’s plan to combat PFAS pollution andRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced two Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans totaling $115 million to Santa Clara Valley Water District in Santa Clara County, California, to improve resiliency of the system’s water infrastructure. The announcement marks the 99th and 100th loansRead More

By Simon Wick With another year behind us, we are excited about what innovation, collaboration and strategies are trending for non-revenue water (NRW) in 2023. However, five old industry challenges remain certain for the foreseeable future: The industry is slowly moving away from one-time surveysRead More

A group of two dozen Republican-controlled states is suing the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the Biden administration’s Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule that the group is calling an overreach that could end up harming ranchers, farmers and homeowners. On Dec. 30, EPARead More

By Rebecca Zito Effective community engagement has become a crucial part of water utility operations. Because public expectations have changed dramatically, the silent utility provider is an outdated concept. Communities now demand more from their utility. Modern technology and convenience have forever altered the wayRead More

Research centers focused on stormwater infrastructure will be established through federal funding after extensive support from the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance (NMSA). Congress has provided $3 million in initial funding for the establishment of three to five Centers ofRead More

When it comes to drinking water contaminants like per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), many water industry associations, including the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation, do not think that water utilities should be left with the cleanup bill. Instead, they are lobbyingRead More

U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I), U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, and Rep. SamRead More

By Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells October marked five decades since leaders came together to make a monumental change, impacting our daily lives ever since. And no, I’m not talking about the 50 years that my agency, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, has been protecting public healthRead More

By Brian Redder The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to execute actions outlined in its PFAS Strategic Roadmap, released in October 2021, to address issues related to PFAS contamination. Drinking water and wastewater utilities have played no role in producing, using or profiting fromRead More