As Congress returns from its July 4th Recess, the U.S. House of Representatives has increased its focus on PFAS, including legislative language that has potential serious consequences for public clean water utilities. Immediate NACWA utility action to contact Members of the House is critical to address these concerns.

The US Supreme Court has announced it will hear oral arguments November 6 in a closely watched case over whether pollutants that travel via groundwater can be regulated under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

NACWA submitted comments to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week on EPA’s Study of Oil and Gas Extraction Wastewater Management, which considered the current management practices for wastewater generated by both conventional and unconventional (“fracking”) oil and gas extraction from onshore facilities.

NACWA sent a letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on July 2, requesting assistance in clarifying influent and effluent sampling requirements for pretreatment programs of publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).

A new report by the Northeast-Midwest Institute assesses the implementation of a federally funded conservation program, with a particular concentration on its potential to improve water quality, focusing on a set of locations across the Upper Mississippi River Basin.

As NACWA plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2020, the Association is also honoring its founders—and the many incredible people that helped to make the Association what it is today. One such individual was Charles V. “Tom” Gibbs, the first president of the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA)—now known as NACWA.

To inform the public on the consequences of fats, oils and grease (FOG) in the wastewater collection system, the Department of Environmental Services, City and County of Honolulu hit the television airwaves with The F.O.G. Zone. Using the television series The Twilight Zone as inspiration, this 30-second educational video informs residents that the proper disposal of grease and other FOG-related foods is in the trash can, rather than down the kitchen sink.

A major bipartisan effort to address PFAS chemicals advanced last week, as a package of bills that had been passed by the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee was successfully attached to the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act. The Defense bill passed the Senate on an 86-8 vote.

The US House of Representatives passed a Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) spending package on June 25, which includes significant increases for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies. The bill (H.R. 3055) would provide $9.5 billion to EPA in FY20, a roughly $1.5 billion increase over current (FY19) spending. This spending would be the second-highest EPA budget in history.

NACWA presented at a workshop last week in Los Angeles hosted by member utility LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) to discuss how integrated planning (IP) has the potential to more strategically help Los Angeles, and communities across the country, better manage costs and prioritize their clean water investments.

NACWA member utility the Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) released the first ever water equity roadmap for the metropolitan Louisville area on June 27.

NACWA joined the WateReuse Association, the American Water Works Association, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the Water Environment Federation and the Water Research Foundation to submit comments to EPA on July 1 to inform EPA as it develops its Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP). Through this joint sector effort, comprehensive input was compiled and prioritized.

Just this past Saturday, June 22, marked the 50th anniversary of the now famous Cuyahoga River fire. Though it was not the first time the river was ablaze, the 1969 fire proved to be a turning point for water quality in the United States and a major impetus for today’s Clean Water Act.

After months of consideration and bipartisan negotiation, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee last week marked up and unanimously passed via bipartisan agreement a comprehensive PFAS legislative package, the PFAS Release Disclosure and Protection Act of 2019 (S. 1507), to respond to growing public concerns about PFAS.