» Clean Water Current Archive

May 23, 2014

WRRDA Passes in Congress, Overhauls the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in Line with Utility of the Future Priorities

By a vote of 412-4 in the U.S. House of Representatives and 91-7 in the U.S. Senate, Congress passed the Water Resources Reform & Development Act (WRRDA) this week. The legislation reauthorizes flood control projects around the country and includes a major overhaul to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program. The changes to the CWSRF were the result of intense advocacy by NACWA and the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN), urging Congress to demonstrate its commitment to the CWSRF as a core investment tool for municipal wastewater agencies.

Modifications to the CWSRF include: 1) extending the CWSRF loan repayment period to up to 30 years; 2) codifying additional subsidization provisions enabling economically distressed communities to receive more affordable financing; 3) incentivizing investments in energy efficiency, water efficiency and reuse;
4) incentivizing partnerships between municipal wastewater utilities and upstream property owners to collaboratively tackle non-point source pollution and improve water quality; and, 5) incentivizing wastewater utilities to undertake practices to ensure increased resiliency against man-made and/or natural disasters. (See Advocacy Alert 14-10 distributed earlier this week.) These changes are very much aligned with the collaborative Water Resources Utility of the Future (UOTF) initiative as they recognize the changing wastewater sector landscape and encourage greater investment in more sustainable infrastructure to help communities better – and more affordably – manage their clean water needs. The new CWSRF provisions also mirror many of the ideas NACWA is proposing in its Technology Innovation & Resource Recovery Fund  (TIRRF) legislative proposal, which expands a carve-out in the CWSRF to the suite of UOTF-related innovative technologies, in addition to green infrastructure and energy efficiency. WRRDA’s embrace of these concepts eliminates the need for TIRRF proceeding as a separate proposal. The WRRDA bill also includes a new investment tool for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects known as the Water Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Authority (WIFIA), which is also detailed in Advocacy Alert 14-10. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions on the WRRDA bill.

USDA to Release RCPP Application Next Week; Clean Water Agencies Eligible for Funds

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to release its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) application on Tuesday (May 27) which will solicit proposals from eligible entities, like municipal clean water agencies, to enter into partnerships with local farmers on conservation and water quality activities. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is planning to make the announcement Tuesday at 2:00 pm EST, and all available information will be posted on the RCPP website at that time.

The 2014 Farm Bill established the RCPP which is designed to support partnerships between farmers and non-farming entities to tackle various conservation and environmental issues on a regional scale. The RCPP provides an excellent opportunity for interested utilities to implement innovative nutrient management solutions with agricultural nonpoint sources to improve local water quality. NACWA will provide members with a summary of the application next week. The Association is also planning to host a web seminar to go through the application process and answer any questions interested participants may have. Web seminar details will be available soon and please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions in the meantime.

National Network for Water Quality Trading Convenes for Second Meeting

NACWA, along with representatives from the environmental and agricultural communities, met in Washington, DC this week as part of the National Network on Water Quality Trading (WQT) to continue work on crafting a set of best practice options to assist those developing new WQT programs. Among the topics discussed were options for how to address agricultural baselines; regulatory instruments to support trading; banking for water quality credits; and, the ability to use conservation dollars to generate credits. Other members of the National Network include the World Resources Institute; The Freshwater Trust; Willamette Partnership; Troutman Sanders; Electric Power Research Institute; National Milk Producers Federation; American Farmland Trust; Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Environmental Law & Policy Center; National Association of Conservation Districts; and, Association of Clean Water Administrators. Members of NACWA’s Water Quality Trading Working Group will have an opportunity to review the draft document in late summer before it is released for public comment at the end of the year. If you are interested in joining NACWA’s Water Quality Trading Working Group or would like more information on the National Network and NACWA's engagement, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

National Advocacy Update Provided at Wet Weather Partnership Meeting

NACWA participated in the annual Wet Weather Partnership meeting this week in Memphis, Tenn., providing an update on key national clean water developments. Central to the Association's message was the importance of continued advocacy by the municipal clean water community to achieve key advances, as evidenced by this week's passage of WRRDA (see related story and Advocacy Alert 14-10). NACWA highlighted that the passage of the WRRDA – along with recent positive gains in the Farm Bill and the need to influence upcoming EPA budget discussion – reinforced the importance of continued advocacy and engagement at the national level. The Association also discussed a number of important national regulatory priorities for EPA including integrated planning, affordability, and Clean Water Act jurisdiction. NACWA also promoted the recent release of the Association's Wet Weather Consent Decree Handbook and related online Consent Decree e-Library as important new resources for municipal utilities on wet weather enforcement issues.

NACWA Offers May 28 Triclosan Web Seminar

NACWA is presenting a free informational webinar, Safer Soaps: The FDA’s Proposed Action on Triclosan, on Wednesday, May 28, 1:00 - 2:00 pm EST. Triclosan is widely used as an anti-bacterial agent in soaps, toothpaste, dishwashing liquids, and many other personal care and cleaning products. NACWA has long been concerned about the environmental impacts of triclosan and its potential to harm the wastewater treatment process, contribute to failure of toxicity tests, and prevent the beneficial reuse of biosolids. The Association has consistently advocated for reducing the use of triclosan. Forty years after originally drafting a regulation that would limit triclosan use, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has released a proposal that, if finalized, would essentially eliminate the use of triclosan from hand soaps.

Dr. Rolf Halden from Arizona State University and Mae Wu from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) will provide presentations during the web seminar about the environmental and human health impacts of triclosan and the current FDA action on the chemical. Wastewater utilities will learn why they should be concerned about triclosan and other antimicrobial agents, and what they can do about it. Please register for the webinar to receive complete instructions for logging in.

NACWA Blog of the Week:
Washing Away Triclosan with Legislation and Regulation

This week’s blog post also focuses on the recent legislation adopted in Minnesota to ban the use of triclosan in most consumer products.  After years of efforts by many different groups (including NACWA), state legislation, federal regulation, and voluntary action by product manufacturers may finally be coalescing to result in large-scale removal of triclosan and triclocarbon from consumer products.  Is this going to be a trend we see throughout the country?  Read on to learn more or subscribe today to The Water Voice and never miss a post!

Input Sought on Utility Impacts from Microbeads

Plastic microbeads, which are found in many personal care products, continue to be a hot topic among mainstream media outlets as regions take action to prevent them from entering their waterways. NACWA is tracking various state-level efforts to study microbeads in Minnesota, and ban the sale of cosmetic products containing microbeads in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, and California.

Stiv Wilson, Associate Director of The 5 Gyres Institute, provided information about the microbeads issue at NACWA’s annual Pretreatment & Pollution Prevention Workshop in Minneapolis, MN last week. 5 Gyres began its “Beat the Micro Bead” campaign to encourage retailers to stop using plastic microbeads in their products and to support legislation to ban microbeads in consumer products. If your utility is fielding inquiries about these microbeads, or has experienced their impact on treatment plant operations, please contact Brenna Mannion at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .The Association plans to coordinate with 5 Gyres to support as appropriate state legislative efforts on microbeads.