Guest Columns

By Diane VanDe Hei After years of development, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its long-awaited revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) in the Federal Register on Jan. 15, 2021, beginning the ticking of two simultaneous clocks: 60 days until the newRead More

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) today kicked off a new joint campaign that the two organizations are calling: Affordable Water, Resilient Communities. Local utilities and their customers face financial challenges after years of increasing local costs andRead More

A $1.9 trillion COVID-19 economic stimulus plan outlined by President Joe Biden proposes billions of dollars to help low-income families pay water and other utility bills while also offering additional funds to supplement the budgets of state and local governments. Called the American Rescue Plan, the President-elect’s proposal includesRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the selection of US Water Alliance CEO Radhika Fox as the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water. Fox was a Day One Presidential Appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration. She will serve as the Acting AssistantRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 55 new projects in 20 states are being invited to apply for approximately $5.1 billion in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans. This funding will help finance more than $12 billion in clean water andRead More

Congress recently released the Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Appropriations bill. The legislation contains a provision to create the first ever Low-Income Household Drinking Water and Wastewater Emergency Assistance Program with $638 million in appropriations – an historic win for water accessibility and the first appropriation ofRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December announced the final Lead and Copper Rule. American Water Works Association President Melissa Elliott issued the following statement. “The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is committed to working toward a day when the potential for lead inRead More

Friday evening, Congress released its long-awaited conferenced Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA). Over the past several cycles, this bill has become the vehicle of choice for authorizing essential funding for clean and drinking water infrastructure. While both the House and Senate Committee versions ofRead More

In a letter to President-elect Joe Biden last week, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) urged the incoming administration to prioritize COVID-19 relief for water utilities and investment for the overall water infrastructure sector. The letter, authored by association president Melissa Elliott, cites AWWA research thatRead More

The U.S. EPA’s water infrastructure financing programs would be in line for approximately level funding next year under a plan for FY21 appropriations released by Senate Republicans last week. The funding proposal is detailed in the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ (AMWA) Nov. 16 Monday Morning Briefing. The Republicans’ proposal wouldRead More