In November 25 comments on EPA’s Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 14, NACWA asked EPA to broaden its study of industries that may discharge PFAS.

Members of NACWA’s Pretreatment & Pollution Prevention Committee met on November 21 to discuss the implementation of the Dental Amalgam Rule. The 2017 rule requires that dental offices install dental amalgam separators and follow best management practices (BMPs) by July 2020. Dental offices must submit a one-time compliance report to their wastewater utility by October 12, 2020.

In 2017, the City of Prineville (OR) completed an innovative natural wastewater treatment system project by establishing a 120-acre wetlands complex along the Crooked River. While the complex incorporates effective wastewater treatment, it also serves as an interactive community asset with hiking trails, wildlife observation, and educational kiosks. The City received a National Environmental Achievement Award in the Operations & Environmental Performance category from NACWA in 2019 for the project.

NACWA is pleased to release a new document, A Clean Water Utility’s Guide to Considering Source Identification, Pretreatment, and Sampling Protocols for PFAS, designed to provide helpful information to utilities that are dealing with growing questions around PFAS chemicals in wastewater or biosolids.