Washington Report

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

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced proposed federal baseline water quality standards for waterbodies on Indian reservations that do not have Clean Water Act standards, ensuring protections for over half a million people living on Indian reservations as well as critical aquatic ecosystems.Read More

Next week, water sector leaders will gather in the nation’s capital for Water Week, an annual week of in-person meetings, events and Capitol Hill visits with lawmakers to discuss the most critical issues facing water. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the WaterRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced more than $6.5 billion for states, tribes and territories for essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades across the nation through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).   Through President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is increasingRead More

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

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