(March 4, 2020) – NACWA, along with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF), met with senior EPA Office of Water (OW) and Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) leadership on February 27 to hear an update on work EPA has underway to potentially revise the Agency’s household affordability and utility financial capability methodologies.

Since sending the Agency their joint report outlining recommended changes to EPA’s financial capability approach last spring, the water sector groups have been meeting with EPA and its experts to discuss how the Agency can better account for impacts on low income households. EPA had indicated that it might issue a Federal Register notice in early 2020, but the Agency is still working to develop recommendations to present to OW and OECA management.

After briefly discussing some of its current thinking, EPA noted that it did not have an estimate for when it will provide details of its revised approach for public comment. NACWA, AWWA and WEF will be following up with EPA senior management to ensure continued progress. Members with questions about EPA’s work on affordability should contact Chris Hornback, NACWA’s Deputy CEO.