NEWSROOM

New England EFC Source Water Protection Webinar Next Week

October 19, 2018   Deirdre Mason   Source Water     

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On Thursday, October 25th from 2:00 – 3:00 pm (eastern), the New England Environmental Finance Center (EFC) is hosting a webinar entitled “Working Together to Protect Your Drinking Water Source. During the webinar, participants will hear about a model for collaboration that the EFC has been developing based on lessons learned from water utilities working with land conservation groups to protect source waters. Then, a panel of experts from the Portland Water District will share their stories about the benefits of collaboration as well as how they overcame some challenges along the way. Register for the webinar here.

Major Water Bill Awaiting President’s Signature

October 19, 2018   Alan Roberson   National Drinking Water Headlines     

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Last week, Congress passed S 3021 by an overwhelming majority (99-1) and the bill is currently awaiting the President’s signature. The bill is supposed to be signed soon, but it’s challenging to predict exactly when soon will be, even with the current rumor being Monday.

This bill has 27 sections that impact drinking water, and there’s lots of good news with some potential regulatory streamlining and several authorizations for new funding or increased funding. For the state drinking water programs, authorizations have been increased for both the Public Water Supply Supervision Program (PWSS) Program and the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF). Now, the next step is ensuring that the appropriations match the increased authorizations, and there’s no guarantee of that happening in the current political/budgetary environment.

A detailed section-by-section breakdown of the bill is below.

America’s Water Infrastructure Act (S 3021) Section by Section

AWWA Releases Report on the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund  

October 19, 2018   Wendi Wilkes   National Drinking Water Headlines     

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After 20 successful years of the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund Program AWWA has released a report identifying innovative ways for state agencies and utilities to use and implement the DWSRF as well as evaluate remaining barriers to participation in the program. ASDWA members and staff and multiple water utilities participated in a survey, interviews, and an in-person expert meeting that led to the recommendations in the report. The report will be presented at the 2018 ASDWA Annual Conference in Des Moines, Iowa next week.

OIRA Published Fall 2018 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions – Three Drinking Water Rules are Included

October 18, 2018   Bridget O'Grady   National Drinking Water Headlines     

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The Federal Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has published the Fall Unified Agenda.  EPA’s Office of Water has numerous items on the agenda.  Three are of particular interest to state drinking water programs:  lead and copper revisions; perchlorate; and use of lead-free pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder, and flux for drinking water.

Lead and Copper Rule Revisions:  There is no change to the February 2019 final rule date.  However, this is likely an optimistic promulgation date.

Perchlorate:  There has been no change to the two court-imposed deadlines (10/31/18 and 12/19/2019).  However, EPA has requested a six month extension but the court has not yet ruled on the request.

Use of Lead Free Pipes, Fittings, Fixtures, Solder and Flux for Drinking Water:  There is no change to the anticipated June 2019 final rule date.

As noted in OIRA’s publication statement, “The Agenda represents ongoing progress toward the goals of more effective and less burdensome regulation. This Fall Agenda update reflects the following broad regulatory reform priorities:

• Advancing Regulatory Reform. In this Fall Agenda, agencies continue to identify ineffective regulations for revision and repeal across a variety of sectors. Consistent with Administration priorities, agencies have proposed actions that streamline infrastructure development, promote emerging technologies, and provide relief for small businesses.
• Public Notice of Regulatory Development. In order to provide timely and accurate notice to the public of upcoming deregulatory and regulatory actions, agencies have targeted actions likely to occur in the next 12 months and have withdrawn or delayed other actions. A clear and accurate Agenda helps avoid unfair surprise and achieves greater predictability of upcoming actions.
• Transparency. In support of the Administration’s commitment to transparency, the Fall Agenda has enhanced search capabilities and functionality. Agencies have also provided consistent and unique identifiers that will allow the public to track regulatory policy from beginning to end.

• Consistent Practice across the Federal Government. The Agenda reflects core Administration priorities for reducing regulatory burdens across administrative agencies, including in the anticipated deregulatory and regulatory actions from the historically independent agencies.”

You may read more about the full Unified Agenda at this link.

ITRC Releases New AFFF PFAS Fact Sheet

October 15, 2018   Deirdre Mason   National Drinking Water Headlines     

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The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) has published a new fact sheet on PFAS and Aqueous Firefighting Foam (AFFF) as part of its series of PFAS fact sheets on various topics. This fact sheet is targeted to local, state, and federal regulators in environmental, health, and safety roles as well as AFFF users at municipalities, airports, and industrial facilities. The purpose of the fact sheet is to outline how to properly identify, handle, store, capture, collect, manage, and dispose of AFFF. It includes information about AFFF and its uses; human health and environmental concerns; types of PFAS in AFFF; best management practices for foam selection, storage, use, planning, mitigation, and disposal; investigative actions for cleanup and response to releases; and more. View and download the ITRC AFFF Fact Sheet. For more information and to view all seven ITRC PFAS fact sheets, go to the ITRC website

EPA Webinar on Water Reuse and Reclaimed Water

October 15, 2018   Deirdre Mason   National Drinking Water Headlines     

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On Wednesday, October 31^st from 2:00 to 3:30 pm, EPA will host a webinar on Water Reuse and Reclaimed Water as part of its Water Research Webinar Series. The webinar will include a presentation and a panel discussion on quantitative microbial risks assessment models within the Guidebook for Developing and Implementing Regulations for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems, best approaches for effective monitoring of the systems to ensure safe operation, approaches for monitoring treatment performance for pathogen removal, and more. REGISTER HERE.

Partnerships for Better Preparedness

October 12, 2018   Kevin Letterly   Security     

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EPA’s Water Security Division, in collaboration with the DHS National Information Sharing Consortium, are hosting a webinar next week on Connecting Emergency Management Agencies and Water Utilities.

This webinar is designed to help both water utilities and emergency management agencies improve preparedness and better safeguard drinking water quality during emergencies. It will review opportunities for water utilities and emergency management agencies to coordinate on developing  clear unified messages and cover how they can share their emergency capabilities and issue access cards.

The webinar also will feature case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of synchronization between water utilities and emergency management agencies and highlight how this partnership improved preparedness.

Connecting Emergency Management Agencies and Water Utilities

DATE:              October 18, 2018

TIME:               1:00-2:00PM (Eastern)

REGISTER:      Click here

ASDWA Publishes New PFAS Lab Testing Primer for States and Water Systems

October 12, 2018   Deirdre Mason   National Drinking Water Headlines   PFAS  

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ASDWA has published its new “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Laboratory Testing Primer for State Drinking Water Programs and Public Water Systems.” The primer was developed by the ASDWA PFAS Workgroup with the help of Brandon Kernen from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (who is one of the 27 state workgroup members). The document provides guidance and an overview of options and issues for state drinking water programs that are associated with testing for PFAS in water samples collected from public water systems. The document is divided into eight topics:

1. Selecting an analytical method
2. Finding a qualified laboratory
3. Specifying a list of compounds and the form that each PFAS needs to be reported in
4. Specifying reporting limits
5. Technical issues that cause variability in testing results
6. Sample collection procedures
7. Interpreting results
8. USEPA’s ongoing work to develop new analytical methods

To view and download the primer, go to www.asdwa.org/pfas.

EPA Adds 100 Alternative Testing Methods

October 12, 2018   Bridget O'Grady   National Drinking Water Headlines     

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Today’s Federal Register announces EPA’s approval of alternative testing methods available to measure levels of contaminants in drinking water to determine compliance with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs).  Some of the new methods may be used for E. coli, copper, nickel, uranium, radium, and silver.  The change takes effect today.  This action provides water utilities, labs, and primacy agencies with more timely access to new measurement techniques and greater flexibility that will result in lower monitoring costs.  Click here to view the Notice.

WRF PFAS Briefing Held Last Week

October 12, 2018   Deirdre Mason   National Drinking Water Headlines     

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On October 4th, the Water Research Foundation (WRF) held a congressional briefing entitled, “State of Science and Treatment Technologies for Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water: Public Sector Perspectives.” The agenda for the briefing provided a good general overview on the state of PFAS science, available treatment technologies, and implications for state and local agencies. A few highlights from the briefing included:

• Charles Schaefer of CDM Smith presented information about PFAS treatment challenges, technologies, and approaches where researchers are finding the best results using combined treatments for removing multiple PFAS compounds.
• Brandon Kernen of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services provided state perspectives on the development of PFAS drinking water standards and impacts to drinking water from landfills, wastewater, biosolids application, and air deposition. He also emphasized the need for improved analytical methods; effective and feasible treatment options; a holistic lifecycle approach to protect public health; and more research.
• Chuck Hertz from the Aqua Pennsylvania water company representing water utilities in eight states spoke about the need for a PFAS drinking water standard based on sound science; their extensive monitoring efforts beyond UCMR3; and their community outreach activities.
• Alice Fulmer of WRF shared information about their project with the Department of Defense on PFAS lifecycle cost assessment and their new PFAS research focus area that includes projects and efforts on multiple drinking water topics.

For more information about WRF’s PFAS efforts, visit their website.