(Sonoma, California) – The winners of the 2023 National Environmental Achievement Awards (NEAA) were honored last night at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies’ (NACWA) Winter Conference, held in Sonoma, CA at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn.

NACWA sent a letter to Capitol Hill on February 1 outlining the top legislative priorities the Association looks to work with Congress on over the next two years during the 118th session of Congress.

The “Water Coalition Against PFAS” – which includes the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, American Water Works Association, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Rural Water Association, and Water Environment Federation - sent a letter February 3 to Congressional offices to formally introduce the Coalition and provide additional information about our collective policy priorities.

NACWA joined with other water, state, and environmental organizations on a February 2 letter to the Biden Administration urging full funding for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) in the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Proposal. The President’s Budget Proposal is anticipated to be released in early March and will help guide Congressional spending negotiations.

NACWA submitted comments to EPA on February 3 supporting the Agency’s proposed rulemaking to change the reporting requirement for PFAS under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). The proposed rule will add certain PFAS to the list of Chemicals of Special Concern and will eliminate the de minimis exemption that allowed some manufacturers, processors, and users of PFAS to escape reporting if PFAS concentrations were below 1% in mixtures or other products imported, processed, or used.

EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management hosted an informational webinar on January 18 for wastewater utilities about the $1 billion in federal funding made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for clean water agencies to address emerging contaminants.

One of the most transformative technologies in the water industry today centers around planning and implementing Digital Twins. Benefits of this technology include increased speed of delivery, improved compliance, better allocation of resources, and...

Over objections from NACWA as well as numerous water sector and municipal organizations, EPA finalized its revised Financial Capability Assessment (FCA) Guidance on February 1. The pre-publication version of the document is available on EPA’s website, and NACWA issued a strong press release in response.