The new administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Lee Zeldin, announced the Federal agency will deliver on President Donald Trump’s promise to review several rules. One of the first on the to-do list is revising the definition of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule. The Trump Administration cites the U.S. Supreme Read More
Wastewater Regulatory Changes Planned in Support of Energy Industry
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced plans to modernize the effluent limitations guidelines and standards (ELGs) on oil and gas extraction wastewater discharges to lower energy costs while supporting environmentally sustainable water reuse. The regulatory review will evaluate modern technologies and management strategies to provide flexibility for produced water to be treated for beneficial Read More
Fluoridation: A Complex Issue Without a One-Size-Fits-All Solution
Water fluoridation can be a controversial topic, and it continues to spark discussion in 2025. Utah is the first State to ban fluoridation, as the legislature and Governor Spencer Cox have approved the statewide prohibition of fluoridation in drinking water. The legislation will go into effect May 7, 2025. South Dakota’s Legislature recently considered removing Read More
Organizations Laud Bipartisan Bill to Improve Rural Water Financing Options
The National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) have announced support for a bipartisan bill to provide small and rural water systems access to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Water and Environmental Programs (WEP). The Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2025 aims to help rural communities complete critical Read More
Headline Alert: National Consumer Watchdog Group Highlights Contaminants in Public Water Supplies
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a consumer watchdog organization, published its latest Tap Water Database. The EWG’s latest analysis includes water quality data collected between 2021 and 2023 from nearly 50,000 water systems. It identified 324 contaminants in drinking water across the country, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The release of the database could cause concern from members of Read More
Nine PFAS Added to Toxics Release Inventory
The year began with the addition of nine per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals covered by the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) collects the data annually from facilities in designated industry sectors and Federal facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use TRI-listed chemicals above set quantities. Read More