Clean Water Current

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) held a webinar August 12 in coordination with NACWA and the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition on the rollout of the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) – the program being stood up by HHS to implement the $1.138 Billion in federal assistance provided for water and wastewater customers through the federal COVID-19 relief packages.

NACWA member Charleston Water System (CWS) recently filed an amended class action complaint against multiple manufacturers and distributers of so-called “flushable” wipes in federal district court seeking to have the court enjoin them from labeling their products as “flushable” in light of the damage they cause to sewer systems.

NACWA has received over 50 responses so far to its most recent survey on COVID-19 and encourages utility members to complete the survey before it closes on Monday, August 23.

After nearly two months of ongoing bipartisan infrastructure negotiations between the White House and a group of 22 Senators (G22) led by Senators Portman (R-OH) and Sinema (D-AZ), the Senate on Tuesday passed the first major comprehensive infrastructure package in decades - the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - with true bipartisan support on a vote of 69-30.

NACWA is encouraging its utility members to complete this brief survey on their current policies regarding COVID-19 vaccination, return to work plans and related issues.

Just prior to the start of August recess, the House passed its Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, which provides annual funding for U.S. EPA and its core clean water programs, through an omnibus package, H.R. 4502.

Illinois’ Wipes Labeling Act was signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker on August 6, making Illinois the third state to require “Do Not Flush” labeling on non-flushable wipes.

NACWA’s Board of Directors approved a new environmental justice statement for the Association as part of its meeting in late July.

Your people are the heart, the core, and the future of the clean water sector. Now you have a path for investing in that future: Core Leadership.

NACWA and the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) are collecting information from utilities to support changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program’s classification of fuel produced through co-digestion of biosolids and food waste.

Earlier this year, EPA and the Department of the Army announced their intent to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Biden Administration with the goal of developing a new rule that is durable and supports human health, environmental protection, and the economy.

Early this week the bipartisan group of 22 Senators who have been negotiating with President Biden and the White House on a bipartisan infrastructure bill released legislative text and quickly began to advance it through the Senate with the support of leadership.

NACWA congratulates Kishia Powell, Chief Operating Officer for DC Water, as she takes the helm of the Association as NACWA’s newly elected President for 2021-2022.

NACWA is pleased to announce the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its Report to Congress on Integrated Plans to Comply with the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) of 2019 on July 12. The Report was sent to both the Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and is also now publicly available on EPA’s Integrated Planning website.

The U.S. House of Representatives advanced legislation this week, The PFAS Action Act of 2021 (H.R. 2467), that directs EPA to list certain PFAS substances as hazardous materials under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) – also knows as the Superfund law. Unfortunately, the legislation did not include important exemptions and protections for the municipal water sector that would protect utilities from costly PFAS cleanups

Senators this week are continuing to work out the final details and ways to pay for the bipartisan infrastructure legislative package they hope to bring to the full chamber for a vote before the August recess.

On Wednesday, July 21st, bipartisan legislation led by Reps. Lowenthal (D-CA) and McClain (R-MI) was introduced to help address the problem of non-flushable wipes in sewer systems. The Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety Act (WIPPES) would direct the Federal Trade Commission, in consultation with U.S. EPA, to issue regulations requiring wipes manufacturers to include Do Not Flush labeling on non-flushable wet wipes packaging.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Community Services has set a new date for a webinar for water and wastewater utilities to learn more about the emergency Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP): Thursday, August 12th from 3:00-4:00 PM Eastern. We expect a registration link from HHS within the week, which NACWA will include in the next Current.

NACWA’s 2021 Utility Leadership Virtual Event took place this past Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the Annual Association Business Meeting and Awards Presentation.

As the Senate focuses its work on turning the high level bipartisan infrastructure framework released in late June into actual comprehensive legislation, NACWA sent a letter to Congressional Leadership last week urging that the highest level of funding for clean water infrastructure be provided in the form of direct investment.