(May 28, 2020) – Clean water utilities have operated resource recovery systems at their treatment plants for many years without clear direction from U.S. EPA as to the status of the recovered materials. NACWA has continued to work with EPA to provide more regulatory clarity around these innovative practices and wrote Dave Ross, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water, on May 26 to request a meeting to discuss how EPA can help ensure that ongoing innovation in the water sector can continue while fully meeting the goals of the Clean Water Act.

As more utilities look to create and use beneficial products recovered from wastewater, NACWA’s letter stressed that “EPA must ensure its regulations provide greater certainty for the investments being made.”

EPA made some progress on this issue by releasing a policy statement in early 2017, but NACWA’s  letter highlighted that more certainty is needed to further spur resource recovery and encourage innovation at clean water utilities. 

NACWA looks forward to continuing the discussion with EPA. For questions on this matter, please contact NACWA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chris Hornback.