Clean Water Current Archive

The Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force (HTF) issued its second Point Source Progress Report in early October, documenting progress made by HTF states in adopting nutrient monitoring and discharge limits and progress in reducing point source discharges.

NACWA provided an update on national stormwater trends last week at the Southeast Stormwater Association’s (SESWA) annual regional conference in Chattanooga, TN.

The North Carolina Pretreatment Consortium held its annual conference October 14-16 in Asheville, NC, with over 150 attendees from public clean water utilities, regulatory agencies, and private companies.

With Congress home again this week on its October recess, NACWA members are encouraged to continue outreach to their congressional representatives on PFAS.

The NACWA Security & Emergency Preparedness Committee held a web meeting on October 1 to discuss issues with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones.

NACWA supported EPA’s proposed label language for zinc and zinc salts, which are used in swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas, in September 30 comments.

NACWA staff participated last week in a workshop with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) titled Filling the Gaps: Climate and Weather Information for Small- and Medium-size Water Utilities.

NACWA’s Small & Mid-Size Utility Workgroup met via conference call last week for a case study presentation from Association member the City of Lakewood, Ohio on its efforts to utilize integrated planning to meet Clean Water Act obligations.

Congress recessed on Friday, Sept. 27th for two weeks without reaching an agreement on the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) or its PFAS-related amendments.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Interior & Environment Appropriations bill last week, which funds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and key clean water programs.

NACWA continues to work with EPA on a number of issues related to clean water enforcement and consent decrees.

Congress recently passed legislation (S. 1689) to authorize a one-time transfer authority (during the 1-year period following enactment of the bill) for a State to transfer up to 5 percent of its cumulative clean water state revolving fund (CWSRF) federal grant dollars to that State’s DWSRF. Funds transferred must be used by the State to provide additional subsidies to address a public health threat from lead in drinking water.

PA announced a new Water Workforce Initiative on Sept. 24 during WEFTEC2019. The goal of this new initiative is to provide federal leadership, collaborate with partners and increase public awareness to bolster interest in water sector careers.

The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Indiana Chapter invited NACWA to provide an update on PFAS issues to their members during their annual Environmental Business and Funding meeting in Indianapolis.

Debate over how to address PFAS continues to roil Capitol Hill, while time runs out to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Dave Ross, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water, testified last week at a hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources Subcommittee.

NACWA joined with a coalition of other municipal government organizations on a letter last week to EPA asking about the Agency’s progress in implementing the recent landmark integrated planning legislation, which was signed into law earlier this year.

NACWA partnered with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) to jointly host the annual Utility Leaders Morning at WEFTEC2019 on September 24, bring together clean water utility leaders from across the country.

As anticipated, the Maui County Council in Hawaii voted 5-4 last week to accept a settlement agreement from Earthjustice, the lead environmental litigant in the groundwater case currently pending before the US Supreme Court.

NACWA and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) hosted a September 17 webinar, Understanding Resilience, from Concept to Implementation Strategy, which focused on resilience planning for water sector utilities.