» Clean Water Current Archive

August 29, 2014

NACWA Provides EPA Comments on CWSRF Interpretive Guidance

The Water Resources Reform & Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA), signed into law on June 10, adds a number of new provisions and modifies several existing elements of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The provisions will take effect on October 1, 2014 and an initial interpretative guidance  for these provisions was recently released. NACWA, and several Member Agency representatives, met with EPA on August 20 to discuss the guidance and provided written comments  this week.

The changes to the CWSRF contained in WRRDA are significant. Specifically, WRRDA: 1) extends loan repayment periods from up to 20 to up to 30 years; 2) codifies additional subsidization provisions enabling economically distressed communities to receive more affordable financing; 3) incentivizes investments through additional subsidization eligibility for projects related to energy efficiency, water efficiency, reuse, and sustainable infrastructure practices – in line with the Water Resources Utility of the Future initiative; 4) incentivizes partnerships between municipal wastewater utilities and upstream property owners to collaboratively tackle nonpoint source pollution and improve water quality; 5) incentivizes wastewater utilities to undertake practices to ensure increased resiliency against man-made and/or natural disasters; and, 6) requires EPA to conduct a report by the end of 2015 to update the allotment formula for CWSRF funds.

The guidance also sets up several new eligibility requirements for CWSRF funding including the development of fiscal sustainability plans and energy/water efficiency plans that NACWA is seeking to ensure are not overly burdensome. These new technical requirements are the focus of NACWA’s comments. NACWA will update members as developments occur thanks those who provided input into the comment effort.

NACWA, Milk Producers to Sign Landmark MOU on Improving Water Quality

NACWA and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding  (MOU) September 9, to promote increased cooperation and communication between the two organizations in their efforts to make watershed-level water quality improvements. The signing ceremony will take place at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. at 12:00 pm Eastern. Space is limited so please e-mail Chris Hornback at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in participating.

The goal of the agreement is to encourage clean water agencies and nearby dairy farms to work together to improve water quality and reduce runoff associated with livestock manure. Potential projects include cooperation on building anaerobic digesters, which can use manure to generate electricity and reduce methane emissions; and, controlling nutrient discharges through the use of nutrient separation technologies and land management practices. Increased collaboration among the clean water and dairy sectors offers a host of mutually-beneficial and cost-effective opportunities, especially as the cost to meet increasingly stringent discharge limits for nutrients continues to rise. In addition to encouraging clean water agencies and dairy farms to work together, NACWA and NMPF are committing to work together to educate federal policymakers on the value of such watershed-level collaboration.

There’s Thunder on the Horizon!  Join the Thunderclap for Water Works!

On September 10, 2014, water leaders will be in Washington, DC, for a series of events co-hosted by members of The Value of Water Coalition, including NACWA, along with the American Society of Civil Engineers, Building America’s Future, the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.  The goal of these events is to raise both the federal and nationwide awareness of how investment in our nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure puts people to work, spurs economic development, and builds a stronger America.  To add your voice to this effort, join the Thunderclap (a tool that lets a message be heard when you and your friends say it together through social media, primarily through Twitter and Facebook).  Think of it as an "online flash mob."  Join this important effort through the Thunderclap today!

NACWA Meets with EPA STORET Team – Identifies Tools

NACWA met this week with staff from EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds’ (OWOW) STORET team to discuss the various tools the Agency uses for water data sharing.  STORET stands for STOrage and RETrieval, and enables communities to access water quality data to better manage their water resources.  The EPA staff realizes that communities are seeking watershed-based approaches and to do so need better ways to find water quality data, identify methods for sharing this data, and improve overall communication among water partners.  The Agency’s Water Quality Portal has extensive capabilities, and can be a valuable tool for utilities exploring watershed approaches to water quality.  NACWA and the STORET team want to ensure that utilities fully understand the water quality data tools available to them.  EPA has also offered to hold a web seminar to walk NACWA members through the tools and how to use them. Interested Member Agencies should contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Ken Kopocis Confirmed for Hot Topics Breakfast at WEFTEC14

Ken Kopocis, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water and President Obama’s nominee to head that office, will keynote the Hot Topics Breakfast on September 30 – part of the NACWA/WEF Utility Leaders Morning at WEFTEC14 in New Orleans. In addition to Kopocis, the Hot Topics Breakfast (8:00 – 9:45 am in the Morial Convention Center - Rooms 275 – 277) will feature remarks from Andrew Sawyers, Director of the Office of Wastewater Management; Betsy Southerland, Director of the Office of Science &Technology; Benita Best-Wong, Director of the Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds; and Peter Grevatt, Director of the Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water. Discussion topics include the recent revisions to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the new Water Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Authority (WIFIA) loan guaranty program; the latest developments on integrated planning and affordability; the Waters of the U.S. rulemaking; water reuse; EPA’s response to the drinking water contamination issue in Toledo; and more. RSVP today at www.nacwa.org/14htb.

In addition, following the success of previous years, the Hot Topics Breakfast will be followed by WEF’s Utility Executives Forum. This year’s Forum will feature rebranding water utilities as resource recovery facilities. Harlan Kelly, Jr, General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Tom Sigmund, Executive Director of NEW Water, will share their personal perspectives and experiences applying similar ideas to branding their utilities. RSVP today at http://www.wefnet.org/rsvp.

NACWA Members Discuss EPA’s Revised Recreational Water Quality Criteria

NACWA members from across the country met Thursday to discuss how states are choosing to implement EPA’s revised recreational water quality criteria.  Members from six different states participated in the conference call – and there were almost as many different approaches being taken with regard to the criteria.  California and New York appear to be moving forward to adopt the criteria, at least in part.  Virginia, Massachusetts, Colorado and Missouri have no immediate plans to amend their standards to incorporate the criteria; but for certain waters, including bathing beaches, state health departments may be looking to the new Beach Action Value (BAV) for beach closure monitoring.  For some, the motivation for incorporating these new provisions will be maintaining eligibility for EPA’s beach grant program to fund their monitoring programs.  As the criteria continue to be rolled out across the country, NACWA plans to hold periodic calls to discuss implementation.  Please contact Chris Hornback at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you would like to participate in those calls.

NACWA Legal Hot Topics Web Seminar – Complimentary & Convenient

Join us for the next Legal Hot Topics Web Seminar on September 17 from 2:00 – 3:15 pm Eastern Time. The web seminar is designed to benefit municipal utility attorneys and managers – whether new to the clean water arena or seasoned professionals. It is offered at no cost to NACWA members and provides an excellent and convenient way to keep current on the latest clean water issues, developments, trends and case law – right from your desk.

Topics and speakers include Urban Environmental Justice – A New Jersey Case Study (Andrew Kricun, P.E., BCEE, Executive Director/Chief Engineer, Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority); and Land Application of Biosolids & Rural Environmental Justice – Litigation Updates & Rural Environmental Justice Issues Associated with Siting (James B. Slaughter, Principal, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.). We invite you to reserve your space for you and your colleagues today.

NACWA Participates at Kansas Water and Wastewater Joint Annual Conference

NACWA participated in the Kansas Water Environment Association and Kansas Section of the American Water Works Association’s Joint Annual Conference this week in Topeka, Kansas, and presented on NACWA’s federal priorities and initiatives.  These included promoting NACWA’s Water Resources Utility of the Future initiative; maintaining federal funding for clean water and drinking water infrastructure; addressing community affordability challenges; promoting EPA’s Integrated Planning Framework; and, helping communities become more resilient to climate change and extreme weather.  The conference was attended by over 800 clean water and drinking water professionals from around the state who met for three days to discuss recent developments, new advances in equipment and controls, and the current regulatory landscape.

NACWA Blog of the Week:
National Toilet Paper Day was August 26 and NACWA blogged “Cause That’s How We Roll!”

National Toilet Paper Day was celebrated on August 26, and we should all take a moment to be grateful for how the pleasant rolls of soft TP make life a little better.  Why is toilet paper the best thing to flush?  Let us count the ways – or better yet, subscribe to The Water Voice and have each week’s blog delivered to your e-mail box.