Clean Water Current

A recent US Geological Survey (USGS) report published in a peer-reviewed journal, Science of the Total Environment, analyzes trends in nutrient and sediment loading from rivers and streams that flow into coastal waters.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $1.5 million for Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) on November 15. These funds will be distributed to approximately 50 community-based organizations nationwide that will work to address environmental justice issues in local communities.

A diverse set of stakeholders from across the water sector and the federal government, as well as key experts from other sectors, gathered in Alexandria, VA on November 14-15 to discuss and provide input on an action agenda intended to guide work on addressing water workforce challenges...

Clean water professionals from around the country gathered in San Diego last week for NACWA’s 2018 National Clean Water Law & Enforcement Seminar. Expert clean water attorneys, utility leaders, and federal/state regulators discussed critical Clean Water Act (CWA) legal and enforcement developments, covering timely issues such as holistic clean water and drinking water regulation opportunities/challenges...

Fifty years after the Cuyahoga River fire and the birth of the Clean Water Act (CWA), NACWA’s upcoming 2019 Winter Conference will take a deep look into the progress of the CWA, it’s nexus with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and will ask whether the intersection between these foundational statutes is breeding long-term conflict or presenting opportunities for collaboration for the entire water sector. The Conference is scheduled to convene February 5-8, 2019, in Albuquerque, NM.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) is raising new concerns over the practice of land applying biosolids, issuing a report criticizing the biosolids program office for failing to adequately assess and communicate the potential risks associated with the pollutants the OIG has found in biosolids.

After a long mid-term election season, last week’s election results produced what most polling had predicted: a takeover of the House of Representatives by Democrats and a strengthening of Republican control of the Senate. This outcome will present the first time that there will be a party split between the two congressional chambers since 2014.

Does the release of a pollutant that reaches groundwater and thereafter enters a Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdictional surface water constitute a “point source” discharge, thus triggering the requirement for a CWA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit? On November 30, the U.S. Supreme Court will determine if it should weigh in on this issue.

NACWA’s Water Quality Committee held a conference call on November 9 to discuss new issues and updates on a variety of key water quality issues around the country. The Committee highlighted one issue in particular — California’s statewide toxicity provisions and the 2018 Draft Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries; and Toxicity Provisions. The California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is proposing to adopt statewide numeric water quality objectives for acute and chronic toxicity that would apply to all inland surface waters.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized 30 clean water infrastructure projects last week for excellence and innovation within the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program, and NACWA members were among the honorees.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo last week setting specific new parameters on how the federal government may enter into consent decrees with local governments. While the memo has sparked some controversy, it also provides an important new document that publicly owned clean water utilities should be aware of when discussing enforcement issues with the federal government.

During its quarterly meeting with water sector partners, EPA’s Water Security Division outlined the risk assessment and emergency response plans required of drinking water utilities in the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which was signed by President Trump on October 23. The comprehensive Act includes funding stipulations for the state revolving funds and extends the authorization for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA).

NACWA presented at the Water Environment Horizon Conference, co-sponsored by Water Environment Association of Texas and Texas Association of Clean Water Agencies, in Austin, Texas on November 8. The Association provided a national update on NACWA’s legislative, regulatory, and legal advocacy efforts, including recent work on affordability, integrated planning, blending, and Clean Water Act liability for discharges into groundwater.

NACWA provided written comments to EPA on October 31 regarding the Agency’s development of a proposed rule on peak wet weather flow blending. The comments emphasized the public health and environmental benefits of treating all wet weather flows at the treatment plant with blending and reducing upstream overflows and basement backups.

The Low-Income Water Customer Assistance Programs Act (S.3564) was formally unveiled October 31 at a press conference in Baltimore by Sen. Cardin (D-MD). Baltimore Director of Public Works Rudy Chow, a NACWA Board Member, spoke at the event alongside Sen. Cardin, Baltimore Mayor Catherine E. Pugh, and other local officials and stakeholders. Sen. Cardin and his Republican cosponsor, Sen. Wicker (R-MS) issued a joint press release to mark the occasion.

The National Council for Public-Private Partnerships (NCPPP) teamed up with EPA on November 1 to hold a one-day symposium tailored to understanding how public-private partnerships (P3s) can be an effective means of leveraging resources and funding opportunities for municipal stormwater infrastructure.

Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry kicked off the 2018 American Water Summit on October 25 by announcing a “grand challenge” to spur innovation in the water-energy nexus space through competition. Though few details were provided, NACWA was expecting the announcement and had worked with its water sector partners for weeks to help craft the component of the grand challenge that applies to wastewater.

NACWA spearheaded a letter sent Oct. 29 to Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) in support of their recent bipartisan legislation to pilot a federal low-income water assistance program. The letter was signed by a broad coalition of municipal, water sector and engineering organizations.

NACWA, the American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) held a one-day facilitated stakeholder meeting October 29 on the important and ongoing national discussion on water affordability. The meeting, held at Alexandria Renew Enterprises, attracted over thirty individuals representing a variety of stakeholder perspectives including community advocates, consumer advocates, financial experts, environmental groups, and federal regulators from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

NACWA participated last week in the Fall Workshop of the Connecticut Association of Water Pollution Control Authorities (CAWPCA), which is an association organized to develop, improve and enhance the knowledge and understanding of publicly owned or operated water pollution control and wastewater management entities in the State of Connecticut, and to improve the quality of the services provided to the public.