Clean Water Current

The U.S. Supreme Court decided on April 3 to continue hearing litigation over the Obama administration's Clean Water Rule, also known as the “Waters of the United States (WOTUS)” rule.

NACWA recently joined with a broad coalition of organizations—concerned about preserving tax-exempt municipal bonds—in a letter to Congress organized by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

The NACWA Facility & Collection System Committee will have a web meeting on Thursday, April 27, to discuss blending and wet weather treatment.

NACWA and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) are prominently featured in the cover story in this week’s TIME magazine titled Dear Washington, We Need to Rebuild. Can You Get Your Act Together – 25 Smart Ways to Fix Our Infrastructure.

NACWA is finalizing the details for a mid-April meeting with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and key staff to discuss the Association’s priority issues.

The Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing last Tuesday on S. 692, the Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD).

NACWA submitted comments March 29 on EPA’s proposed updates for the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), which was published as part of the Agency’s required residual risk and technology review.

A federal judge in New York ruled on February 24 that litigation against three manufacturers alleging that the companies sell wipes falsely marketed as "flushable" can proceed as a class action.

The NACWA Energy Workgroup held a web meeting on March 28 to hear presentations about U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) programs that benefit clean water utilities, and case studies from NACWA members that have participated in these programs.

NACWA submitted comments on March 30 regarding EPA’s draft document Community Solutions for Stormwater Management: Guide for Voluntary Long-Term Planning.

A bi-partisan letter was sent to the House Interior & Environment Appropriations Subcommittee on March 27 requesting a doubling of the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) in FY18, relative to FY16-enacted levels.

There’s still time! EPA Office of Water would like to remind prospective borrowers that the deadline for submitting a letter of interest (LOI) for Water Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act (WIFIA) credit assistance is imminent.

NACWA joined with an array of water sector association partners last week to celebrate Water Week 2017 in Washington, DC, bringing hundreds of clean water professionals from around the country to the nation’s capital to elevate water as a national priority.

Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Ben Cardin (D-MD), along with Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Rob Portman (R-OH), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Cory Booker (D-NJ), have introduced the Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act (S. 692).

NACWA Board Members and committee leaders stayed in Washington, DC after the National Water Policy Fly-In and Rally for Water to meet with key stakeholders on the growing nutrient pollution challenge.

During Water Week 2017, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and John Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), long-time champions for the creation of a water infrastructure Trust Fund, introduced H.R. 1647, The Water Infrastructure Trust Fund Act of 2017.

NACWA submitted two comment letters March 20, on EPA rule proposals related to chemical risk evaluations required by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, passed in 2016 to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) is seeking input for a new survey on water affordability as per a congressional request.

The Trump Administration released its preliminary Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget numbers on March 16 for all federal agencies, including EPA. The EPA proposal slashes the Agency’s funding by 31% - the biggest cut of any federal department – but also would fully fund the State Revolving Funds (SRFs).

NACWA submitted comments on March 14 on EPA’s proposed Public Notification Requirements for Combined Sewer Overflows to the Great Lakes Basin, recommending that EPA make the requirements more practical for utilities to implement.