Guest Columns

In late July, the Senate released its Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) appropriations bill. Its release came with some anticipation in the water sector following a recent House version – a draft and final proposal – that would slash EPA’s budgetRead More

The House of Representatives has released a draft of the FY26 Interior-Environment appropriations bill, which includes proposals for federal water infrastructure appropriations in 2026. Of note, the draft bill calls for a 20% reduction to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) and a 26%Read More

The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) applauded the reintroduction of a bipartisan bill that the association said will make it easier for U.S. drinking water systems to finance the replacement of lead service lines with tax-exempt bonds. The legislation is the Financing Lead OutRead More

By David Cole The challenges those of us in the drinking water sector face in 2025 are many of the same issues that have faced utility engineers and operators for years now; namely how best to deliver clean, safe drinking water using the highest qualityRead More

A decision by the United States Supreme Court in a Clean Water Act case in March drew mixed reactions, with some saying the ruling could have implications for the future quality of U.S. water bodies. The Supreme Court ruling of mention was the case, City andRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will keep the current National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), which set nationwide limits for these “forever chemicals” in drinking water. The agency is committed to addressing PFOA andRead More

By John Ryan Like it or not, the U.S. federal government is in the middle of a major upheaval. Everything and anything, no matter how well established by time or precedent, can be questioned. It’s unlikely that the policy parameters of federal finance for waterRead More

Last week the White House released its FY2026 Budget Request that proposed significant cuts across the federal government including a 55% reduction in annual spending at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In total, the administration’s budget proposal looks to cut $163 billion in federalRead More

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin recently provided some details on upcoming agency action to address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Zeldin announced a long list that included, in part, the designation of an agency lead for PFAS, the creation of effluent limitationsRead More

The American Water Works Association has thrown its support behind new legislation that would create a collaborative approach to cybersecurity in the water sector. The Water Risk and Resilience Organization (WRRO) Establishment Act (H.R. 2594), introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 2, authorizes anRead More