Clean Water Current

The International Water Services Flushability Group (IWSFG) met on March 20-21 to consider comments received on the second draft of the IWSFG flushability standard.

In the wake of the Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) Omnibus legislative package approved last week that provided significant increases for clean water infrastructure, NACWA and the water sector are continuing to build on this momentum through increased advocacy as Congress begins the FY19 appropriations process.

NACWA was invited to speak at the Federal Policy Conference of the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities (CIFA) on March 27, providing a public clean water utility perspective on clean water funding and financing issues, the potential for a federal infrastructure package, and ideas for streamlining the State Revolving Fund (SRF) program.

NACWA hosted a conference call March 22 with Great Lakes utilities and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff to discuss public notification requirements for combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the Great Lakes, as prescribed in a final rule published by EPA on January 8.

NACWA is a member of the National Network for Water Quality Trading, which works to foster a dialogue and improve consistency, innovation, and integrity in water quality trading.

With Congress seeking to increase water infrastructure funding levels in the FY18 Omnibus Spending Package, there seems to be a shift in DC—in awareness, attention and respect for the importance of clean water.

Congress is staring down another critical federal funding deadline this week, with the current Continuing Resolution funding the government expiring on Friday, March 23rd. This means Congress either needs to pass its final Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) omnibus funding package by then or pass yet another short-term Continuing Resolution to avoid a government shutdown.

A bipartisan letter from over 90 Members of Congress was sent to the House Interior & Environment Appropriations Subcommittee last week, requesting a doubling of the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) in Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) over currently enacted levels. This request mirrors asks from NACWA and other water sector groups.

NACWA and a number of members – including representatives from Texas where utilities are facing major permit challenges – met with key EPA staff on March 15 to discuss how the growing trend in surface water salinity impacts the municipal clean water community.

NACWA submitted a letter to Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, Regional Administrator, EPA Region 1, to expand on the issues that were raised during a February 15 meeting with Dunn and several senior EPA staff members.

NACWA and the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities (CIFA) plan to begin a series of discussion on potential policy reform proposals to streamline and simplify the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program.

Bob Winters, a Protective Security Advisor (PSA) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), gave a presentation to NACWA’s Security & Emergency Preparedness Committee during a March 19 web meeting.

NACWA submitted comments on March 15 with recommendations for EPA’s preliminary ecological risk assessment for pyriproxyfen, a pesticide used in pet flea control products.

Speaker confirmations, registration and attendance projections for Water Week 2018 - and its highlight event, the National Water Policy Fly-In (NWPF) on April 17 and 18 - are growing. Don't miss out on your chance to attend the most significant national clean water policy event of the year!

Senate Democrats released their $1 trillion plan for rebuilding America’s infrastructure last week, on the heels of the White House’s infrastructure proposal that was released last month and as Congress begins crafting comprehensive infrastructure legislation.

NACWA is proud to release a valuable new resource to help your clean water utility succeed: The MS4 Stormwater Permitting Guide.

NACWA joined a large group of national and California county, municipal, and water associations to file an amici brief March 8 in support of a Petition for Rehearing en banc that was filed by NACWA Member Agency the Maui County Department of Environmental Management.

NACWA submitted comments on March 9 regarding EPA’s Draft Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2016. The annual Inventory provides nationwide estimates for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission for different sectors, including wastewater treatment, and is intended to be used only for informational purposes.

NACWA and its coalition partners in the Infrastructure Working Group took part in Capitol Hill Day visits with Members of Congress and their staffs last week to discuss the importance of advancing a legislative infrastructure package.

The latest installment of the Hot Topics in Clean Water Law webinar series, hosted on March 7, covered new and developing issues in clean water law and drew more than 130 attendees.