Clean Water Current

NACWA supported EPA’s proposed label language for zinc and zinc salts, which are used in swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas, in September 30 comments.

NACWA staff participated last week in a workshop with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) titled Filling the Gaps: Climate and Weather Information for Small- and Medium-size Water Utilities.

NACWA’s Small & Mid-Size Utility Workgroup met via conference call last week for a case study presentation from Association member the City of Lakewood, Ohio on its efforts to utilize integrated planning to meet Clean Water Act obligations.

Congress recessed on Friday, Sept. 27th for two weeks without reaching an agreement on the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) or its PFAS-related amendments.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Interior & Environment Appropriations bill last week, which funds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and key clean water programs.

NACWA continues to work with EPA on a number of issues related to clean water enforcement and consent decrees.

Congress recently passed legislation (S. 1689) to authorize a one-time transfer authority (during the 1-year period following enactment of the bill) for a State to transfer up to 5 percent of its cumulative clean water state revolving fund (CWSRF) federal grant dollars to that State’s DWSRF. Funds transferred must be used by the State to provide additional subsidies to address a public health threat from lead in drinking water.

PA announced a new Water Workforce Initiative on Sept. 24 during WEFTEC2019. The goal of this new initiative is to provide federal leadership, collaborate with partners and increase public awareness to bolster interest in water sector careers.

The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Indiana Chapter invited NACWA to provide an update on PFAS issues to their members during their annual Environmental Business and Funding meeting in Indianapolis.

Debate over how to address PFAS continues to roil Capitol Hill, while time runs out to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Dave Ross, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water, testified last week at a hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources Subcommittee.

NACWA joined with a coalition of other municipal government organizations on a letter last week to EPA asking about the Agency’s progress in implementing the recent landmark integrated planning legislation, which was signed into law earlier this year.

NACWA partnered with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) to jointly host the annual Utility Leaders Morning at WEFTEC2019 on September 24, bring together clean water utility leaders from across the country.

As anticipated, the Maui County Council in Hawaii voted 5-4 last week to accept a settlement agreement from Earthjustice, the lead environmental litigant in the groundwater case currently pending before the US Supreme Court.

NACWA and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) hosted a September 17 webinar, Understanding Resilience, from Concept to Implementation Strategy, which focused on resilience planning for water sector utilities.

NACWA attended the Maine Water Environment Association’s (MEWEA) annual convention and first-time PFAS Summit last week in Northport, Maine.

US EPA is poised to initiate its multi-phase study of nutrient removal at publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), starting with a survey to be distributed to every POTW in the country in mid-October.

NACWA has provided feedback to EPA on the shortcomings and inherent complications of the draft technical support document for the Agency’s December 2018 aquatic life water quality criteria for aluminum in freshwater. The draft technical support document was published to help regulators with the implementation process for the new criteria.

The House Committee on Energy & Commerce held a hearing on September 11 on H.R. 3256, the Protecting and Securing Chemical Facilities from Terrorist Attacks Act of 2019. The Act would reauthorize and improve the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.

NACWA’s Stormwater Management Committee held a conference call September 16 to discuss a variety of current issues for the municipal storm sewer system (MS4) community.