Construction?s positive employment continued in July as the industry?s jobless rate declined to 7.5 percent from June?s 8.2 percent and the industry gained 22,000 jobs, the Labor Dept. has reported.

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee released the fiscal year 2015 Chairman?s recommendation and explanatory statement for the Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

Last week, U.S. Senators and Representatives from California and Oregon introduced ?W21: Water in the 21st Century,? legislation that would help communities nationwide better prepare for future water management needs.

Some states are not maximizing the use of Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, resulting in ?missed opportunities? to improve water system infrastructure, according to the U.S. EPA.

As many urgent updates to the United States? infrastructure continue to be derailed by a lack of funding, the use of public-private partnerships, also called P3s or PPPs, is providing a viable path to completion for an increasing number of these projects.

Across the country, cities and towns are giving green infrastructure techniques a hard look, but evaluating their very different benefits can be daunting. While traditional gray infrastructure is proven and dependable, it is usually expensive and rarely adds beauty to the landscape.

Walking through the exhibit halls at industry trade shows such as the AWWA?s Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE), it doesn?t take long to realize the municipal water utility industry is up to speed on its technological innovation. From condition assessment AMA data analytics to filtration systems, the technology is expanding so quickly it?s often difficult to keep up.

In June, President Obama signed into law the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, which includes the new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority (WIFIA). Supported by AWWA and other water organizations, WIFIA is a new finance tool to help communities address essential water and wastewater infrastructure projects at a lower cost, saving consumers money on their water bills.

In June, more than 230 mayors from across the United States convened in Dallas, Texas for the U.S. Conference of Mayors? (USCM) 82nd annual meeting. The issue of water was a critical topic of discussion this year for the Mayors Water Council and for the USCM within sessions involving discussions on energy and environment.

Under a House spending bill released last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would get 9 percent less funding in 2015 from 2014, and would see its staffing level capped at 1989 levels.The bill, the 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, released by the House Appropriations Committee, includes funding for the Department of the Interior, EPA, the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service and various independent and related agencies.