Guest Columns

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) this month re-introduced two bipartisan bills to support rural water systems in emergency preparedness and cybersecurity. The Rural Water System Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act, co-led by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), would help rural water and wastewater utilities prepare andRead More

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee held a hearing Tuesday on “Water Infrastructure Financing: WIFIA and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund,” featuring four water sector experts who testified on current challenges and needs with the programs. The four witnesses whoRead More

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), which represents public wastewater and stormwater agencies of all sizes nationwide, said it supports the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that will strike down “vague” language in Clean Water Act permits. The Supreme Court rulingRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under recently confirmed Administrator Lee Zeldin is targeting a 65% reduction in agency spending, according to a White House spokesperson who clarified a remark by President Donald Trump last week after he seemed to suggest the cuts applied toRead More

Jessica Kramer has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the next assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water. Kramer worked in the Office of Water during the first Trump administration and has recently been working for theRead More

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin said his agency under the Trump administration intends to overhaul the WaterSense labeling program for water-efficient products. “The Biden Admin weaponized energy efficiency rules to restrict consumer choice with home appliances,” Zeldin wrote on X on Feb.Read More

The Water Coalition Against PFAS, a coalition of water sector associations whose membership represents all facets of clean and safe water delivery, is strongly supporting the reintroduction legislation that would protect utilities and ratepayers from having to bear the costs of PFAS cleanup. The Water SystemsRead More

The North American construction industry is on high alert following a slate of tariff announcements from President Donald J. Trump and the associations that represent various aspects of the construction are reacting. On Feb. 1, Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on imported goods from CanadaRead More

Funding for water infrastructure programs including for grants and loans like the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and WIFIA appear to not be affected after the Trump administration last week revoked a memorandum that paused a number of federal spending programs. As part of a memorandumRead More

Lee Zeldin was confirmed by the Senate last week as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by a vote of 56-42 as three Democrats crossed the aisle to support President Donald Trump’s pick for environmental chief. Zeldin served as a NewRead More