Washington Report

By John Ryan Congress certainly looks like an exciting place this fall, with plenty of political fireworks and intense drama over spending. But there’s no doubt legislators and their constituents will also want to see progress on some basic things that are clearly beneficial, aren’tRead More

In late August, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) announced a final rule to amend the definition of “waters of the United States” to conform with the recent Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA. The agenciesRead More

In August, 18 water sector organizations including those representing U.S. utility systems, wrote to Congress to reiterate support for funding the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) to the maximum authorization in federal law, $3 billion each, for fiscal year 2024. InRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the availability of nearly $50 million in regular funding through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. States may now apply for grant assistance to fundRead More

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) expressed deep concern last week about the potential for Congress to move forward on massive spending cuts being proposed for the Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. These programs had been previously designated forRead More

In public comments submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week, two water sector associations representing the drinking water sector offered strong recommendations to the agency’s proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for PFAS. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) and AssociationRead More

In a blow to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority over some water bodies, the Supreme Court last week ruled to narrow the scope of the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition and how EPA can regulate wetlands under the Clean Water Act.Read More

Examining EPA’s Proposed Maximum Contaminant Levels for ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water In the world of water utility finance, it’s widely known that ratepayers like residents and businesses represent the primary source of revenue for local water and sewer systems. Therefore, when regulatory mandates comeRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a unilateral administrative order (UAO) to the City of Baltimore to comply with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) safeguards designed to protect public health from “illnesses linked to Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other bacteria from animal waste whichRead More

By Wayne Hofmann An engineer, a contractor and a utility owner walked into a bar. They had just finished a long day reviewing plans at the construction site, and they were all feeling a little drained. They ordered their drinks and saddled up to theRead More