Clean Water Current

The Small & Medium Utility Workgroup had its first call of the New Year on Jan. 25. Composed of utility executives from NACWA small and mid-size Public Agency members, this group was formed to provide input on how the Association can increase the value of membership for current small and medium-size utilities.

After starting the work week on January 22 under a cloud of uncertainty as Congressional negotiators failed to end the federal government shutdown over the weekend, Congress was able to reach an agreement by the end of the day to fund the government through February 8th. EPA was not directly impacted by the brief, three day shutdown as the Agency had previously announced it had enough funds to operate until January 26 absent a funding agreement.

NACWA members were briefed by EPA staff January 19 on the latest draft of an Agency screener questionnaire on nutrient removal. Since 2016, EPA has been developing a multi-year study to evaluate the removal of nutrients by conventional secondary treatment plants.

A document reportedly outlining the White House’s infrastructure plan was leaked to the press this week. Although the authenticity of the document is still unclear, it purports to show a level of detail that has not previously been shared publicly regarding the Trump Administration’s infrastructure plan.

NACWA met with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on January 17 to assess the Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI program on water reuse and recycling projects, along with their implementation.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) v. EPA on January 22, finding that litigation over the 2015 Clean Water Rule should proceed in the federal district courts, rather than in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources Subcommittee have held hearings over the last several weeks to discuss ways to improve, modernize, and make more efficient the delivery of Army Corps’ water infrastructure projects.

NACWA’s annual Cost of Clean Water Index Survey is one of the Association’s most-used resources, but we need your help to make this year’s results more meaningful!

The House Problem Solvers Caucus Infrastructure Working Group has released its bipartisan proposal to improve our nation’s infrastructure--including several key NACWA priorities. The Association has been working closely with the Caucus in recent months to ensure it reflects NACWA’s top advocacy issues.

Last week, NACWA joined the Water Environment Federation (WEF), Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), and American Water Works Association (AWWA) in a letter of support for legislation introduced in the House of Representatives to reauthorize the EPA’s WIFIA Program, and jump-start the U.S. Army Corps’ implementation of its own WIFIA Program.

Mike Conaway (R-TX), Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, announced last week that he is working to get the Farm Bill passed through Committee and subsequently the House of Representatives by the end of March.

Congress is expected to take up another short-term funding bill this week to keep the Federal Government open, with details still being worked out before government funding expires on January 19.

The International Water Services Flushability Group (IWSFG) has published a second draft of its flushability standard, with a public comment period open until March 1. The IWSFG is an international group of wastewater utilities and the associations representing them that share a common goal of reducing the problems caused by the inappropriate flushing of consumer products, including wipes.

NACWA was invited to participate in a meeting last week hosted by the Water Research Foundation (WRF) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) to examine existing research needs around utility governance issues, including utility partnerships, regionalization, and consolidation.

President Trump and key members of Congress have made clear in recent days that passage of a comprehensive infrastructure package will be a top priority in 2018. The White House is planning to release a document outlining its “infrastructure principles” later this month, and Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chairman of the powerful House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, has announced his plans to retire from Congress at the end of this year and his commitment to focus his efforts for the remainder of his term on passing an infrastructure bill.

Just before closing out the 2017 calendar year, the 115th Congress and President Trump secured their first major legislative achievement by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law on December 22.

NACWA met with Andrew Sawyers, Director of the Office of Wastewater Management, and key staff December 19, to discuss a range of issues including many that will top NACWA’s advocacy agenda in 2018.

A judge with the federal District of Columbia (DC) District Court granted a Motion for Preliminary Injunction filed by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation to prohibit implementation of the District’s wipes labeling law, the Nonwoven Disposable Products Act of 2016.

David Ross officially began his tenure as EPA’s new Office of Water, Assistant Administrator on January 8, though his confirmation by the Senate took place in December of last year.

The final rule with public notification requirements for utilities discharging combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the Great Lakes and other bodies of water in the Great Lakes basin was published in the Federal Register on January 8.