With the final rule officially taking effect his month, public water suppliers have 3 years to come into compliance with the new requirements of the Revised Lead and Copper Rule. As many suppliers are aware, this has already begun with the selection of new sampling sites, required by MassDEP when a Public Water System makes … Read more
In response to a February cyberattack on a water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Florida, EPA and DEP have offered resources and recommended a state of increased cybersecurity awareness. The cyber attack was prevented from causing serious harm by the quick actions of a water operator (see story: WTP Hack) and this Federal multiagency report: FBI_CISA_EPA_Joint_CSA-AA21-042A_Compromise_of_US_Water_Treatment_Facility. … Read more
from NRWA.org “On Saturday AM (Feb. 27), the House narrowly passed the White House-backed coronavirus relief bill (219-212 vote). Local governments of every size would receive dedicated allotments. Funds would be available until expended, awarded directly from Treasury within 60 days of enactment, and subject to eligible uses including to replace revenue lost, delayed, or … Read more
7/20/2020 ruralwater.org “Senate Water Privatization Bill Splits Environmental Community: The private water organization is using NRDC to advance the bill (S. 2596) they favor in the Senate, while Food & Water Watch has organized a coalition of over 300 advocacy groups and unions to oppose the bill. NRDC and the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) … Read more
7/27/2020 ASDWA.org “House Passes EPA Spending Bill: The bill passed last week includes current funding levels for SRF and an increase in the rural water SDWA & CWA technical assistance programs. Also, the bill includes a special provision of $13 billion for EPA “emergency infrastructure investments” including more than $10 billion for the SRFs. This … Read more
from NRWA.org 7/27/2020 ” In a New Precedent, EPA Publishes Final Decisions Not to Regulate Perchlorate Under SDWA: The EPA has determined that perchlorate does not occur “with a frequency and at levels of public health concern” within the meaning of the SDWA and in the judgment of the EPA Administrator, regulation of perchlorate does … Read more
from ASDWA.org 7/27/2020 “SDWA Reform in House: On Tuesday, the House SDWA subcommittee will hold an oversight hearing on revisions to the Safe Drinking Water Act’s (SDWA) standard-setting process. The title of the hearing is “There’s Something in the Water: Reforming Our Nation’s Drinking Water Standards.” It is likely this hearing is being scheduled in … Read more
A Rule by the Environmental Protection Agency on 07/17/2020 See link for further information. ” . . . on December 20, 2019, Congress provided $5 million in budget authority solely for the cost of direct loans or guaranteed loans to State infrastructure financing authority borrowers for projects described in section 5026(9) of the Water Infrastructure … Read more
July 15, 2020 Deirdre White ASDWA.org Drinking Water Headlines, Source Water see link for full article “House legislators are seeking to attach a bipartisan amendment (Subtitle F – PFAS Action Act) to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes new PFAS requirements for the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Toxic Substances Control … Read more
July 13, 2020 See https://www.courthousenews.com/epa-limits-states-power-to-review-projects-that-affect-water-quality/ for the full article. “The “Clean Water Act 401 Certification Rule” narrows what issues state and tribal governments may consider when determining if a project, such as one that involves discharging pollution into a river or stream, will comply with state water quality standards. State or tribal approval is a … Read more