Washington Report

The organizers of Water Week 2020 will present complimentary webinar sessions on April 22 and 29 to discuss the water sector’s key issues and talking points, as well tools and tips for engaging with congressional representatives. Live conference events for Water Week 2020, originally scheduled forRead More

Congress released a massive stimulus package last week that was signed by President Donald Trump amid the COVID-19 pandemic that could have serious economic ramifications both in the United States and around the globe. The bill included significant funding for a variety of private industries, butRead More

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to governors in all 50 states, territories and Washington, D.C. on Friday, urging them to ensure that drinking water and wastewater employees are considered essential workers by state authorities when enacting restrictions such as shelter inRead More

Michael Deane, former associate assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water, announced he has returned to the agency to lead the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program, effective March 16. Deane most recently served as the executive director ofRead More

While Congress debated the specifics of a major stimulus package last week, public clean water utilities continue to provide essential water services to their communities around the country despite the financial uncertainties. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) said in a press release thatRead More

As the global COVID-19 crisis continues to develop and reports of bottled water shortages make headlines, the National Association of Water Companies, the American Water Works Association and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies issued a joint statement last week on the safety of tapRead More

A group of Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives has written to congressional leaders recommending the federal government impose a nationwide moratorium on water service disconnections until the COVID-19 crisis has subsided. The request came in the form of a March 11 letter sent toRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a Coronavirus guidance for drinking water and wastewater for the public, reiterating that Americans can continue to use and drink water from their tap. The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies and based on currentRead More

Bipartisan legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last week to establish and fund a federal Advanced Research Projects Agency – Water (ARPA-H2O) to provide funding assistance to drinking water and clean water systems, private sector entities, academic research institutions, and nonprofit organizations.Read More

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James last week announced a new, clear definition for “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.  According to EPA and the Department ofRead More