» Update Archive

 
This edition of NACWA’s Legislative Update, current through June 9, 2015, provides information on the activities of the 114th Congress of interest to the nation’s public clean water agencies. For more detailed information regarding NACWA activities, click on the web links in selected news items or visit NACWA’s website. Please contact NACWA’s Patricia Sinicropi at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions or information on the Update topics.

Infrastructure Week

Water Sector Calls for Increased Investment as Part of Infrastructure Week

A diverse group of U.S. water sector organizations joined forces May 11-15 for Infrastructure Week 2015. In its third year, Infrastructure Week brought together thousands of stakeholders, in both Washington and around the country, to highlight the critical importance of investing in America’s infrastructure systems – and the essential role infrastructure plays in our economy.

NACWA joined with nearly 80 partners from the business, labor and public sectors who convened across America to host more than 50 events  and send a strong message to Congress that America cannot wait for long-term solutions to infrastructure investment and revitalization. NACWA Board Member and the General Manager of Johnson County Wastewater in Olathe, Kansas, John O’Neil, discussed on The Water Voice blog why continuing to call upon Congress to maintain core federal programs by fully funding the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) – and maintaining the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds – is essential to both his community and our Nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure.

May 13 was Infrastructure Week Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill during which a broad array of stakeholder organizations met with Members of Congress to urge them to support stronger investment in the nation’s infrastructure, including water and wastewater infrastructure. NACWA joined a diverse team of representatives from Swiss Re, Channel Design Group, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and WateReuse for meetings with several Congressional offices, including the offices of Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Rep. Don Young (R-AK), Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA), Rep. Black Farenthold (R-TX), and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR). In each meeting, NACWA emphasized the importance of investing in water and wastewater infrastructure and urged support for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the Water Infrastructure Funding & Innovations Act, and preserving the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds.

The Value of Water Coalition, of which NACWA is a member, hosted multiple events across the country throughout Infrastructure Week to highlight the importance of water and wastewater infrastructure investment. Three events featured NACWA members: The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District hosted behind-the-scenes tours of its treatment system; Philadelphia Water co-hosted a forum where they highlighted their innovative tools, partnerships and environmental sustainability efforts; and, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission featured how water infrastructure investments are helping the local economy and community at a breakfast event. The Coalition also released a briefing paper, The New Wave of Water Innovation , spotlighting innovative water projects across the country.

Infrastructure Week provided a great platform for NACWA and other water organizations to emphasize the importance of water and wastewater infrastructure within the broader national dialogue on infrastructure.

Water Reuse

Workgroup Considers Draft Reuse Legislation

A dozen utilities participated in a conference call of NACWA’s Water Reuse Workgroup on May 18 to discuss two pieces of draft water reuse legislation. The draft National Water Recycling & Reclamation Act  was developed by the Western Recycled Water Coalition, with whom NACWA collaborates, to create a new competitive federal grant program for water recycling/reuse/reclamation – with no need for individual project authorizations. Another proposal, the RE-Act (Reclamation Efficiency Act) , was developed by the North Bay Water Reuse Program, is modeled after the existing WIFIA program and would create a new low interest loan program for water recycling/reuse/ reclamation – with a maximum loan of 49% of project cost. The Workgroup Chair, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it of Delta Diablo, CA, is seeking Member Agency feedback on these proposals and would be interested in how utilities would answer the question: “What is the federal benefit of funding local reuse projects?”

NACWA staff updated members on two Water Environment Research Foundation projects, one determining a roadmap for pricing reclaimed water and the other to develop technical requirements based on public health standards for On-site Water Systems. The Association would like to highlight water reuse projects on the NACWA blog, and anyone who would like to author a blog may contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Western Drought Examined by Senate Committee

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on June 2 on the ongoing drought conditions in the Western United States. The hearing was the first step toward legislation intended to help alleviate the problem. The committee members and witnesses spoke about their local drought challenges and their approaches to mitigating drought effects and improving water availability, including increased water storage and embracing reuse and desalination technologies. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) stressed the importance of fostering more collaboration at the local level for smaller and more affordable projects, in addition to larger federal projects. Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) asked about the barriers to increased collaboration and what is needed to address them.

Water reuse was a key topic of interest and the committee discussed its potential to help solve drought issues and its cost. Thomas Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, highlighted his state's commitment to reuse technology, citing work by NACWA Member Agency the City of Phoenix Water Services Department to supply 60,000 acre-feet per year of treated wastewater to Arizona's Pal Verde Nuclear Generating Station. The ongoing drought conditions in the West will only further highlight the opportunities for clean water utilities to contribute to sustainable water supplies through reuse. Through ongoing work on the Utility of the Future and the efforts of NACWA’s Water Reuse workgroup, the Association is committed to increasing the feasibility of and funding for water reuse.

NACWA developed a table listing all drought-related legislation introduced to date in Congress which will be periodically updated as additional legislation is introduced.

Emerging Contaminants

Association Weighs in to Support Microbead Legislation

NACWA sent a letter of support  for H.R. 1321, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, which is cosponsored by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI). The proposed bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act to ban the sale or distribution of products containing synthetic plastic microbeads as of January 1, 2018. Plastic microbeads have been found in the Great Lakes and in fish, and are too small to be removed by most typical wastewater treatment processes. The Association’s letter stated that “because plastic microbeads can be easily removed from products and natural alternatives substituted, eliminating plastic microbead pollution at its source, rather than relying on wastewater utilities to remove microbeads, is the best way to protect the water environment”. State legislation banning plastic microbeads has been passed in Illinois, New Jersey, and Colorado, and is being considered in several other states. Many manufacturers have also committed to removing microbeads voluntarily. A hearing on the bill was held on May 1 by the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health and unanimously reported out the legislation on May 14th. The legislation is pending approval by the full House.

Nutrient Management on Agricultural Lands

USDA Announces Second Round of RCPP Funding – July 8 Pre-proposal Deadline Approaches

The USDA announced $235 million available through its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for a second round of projects to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat, and protect agricultural viability. Established in the 2014 Farm Bill, the RCPP funds partnerships among private, public, government, nonprofit, and educational groups to implement innovative local conservation projects. The first round of RCPP awards funded $394 million for 115 high-impact projects and has already enrolled over 500,000 producers on over 400 million acres nationwide. Several NACWA Member Agencies are participating in the first round of RCPP projects including the City of Cedar Rapids; the Madison Metropolitan Sewage District; the City of Columbus, OH; and, the City of Baltimore (see press release). Pre-proposals for the second round of projects are due July 8, 2015 and application information can be found on the RCPP website. NACWA is a strong supporter of collaborating with the agricultural sector to achieve water quality gains and recently released a white paper  highlighting nine examples of successful collaborations. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , NACWA’s Senior Legislative Director, for more information about the program.

Conservation Program Funding Supported by NACWA, Others

NACWA joined 131 organizations to sign a letter  urging appropriators to maintain full funding for conservation programs authorized by the Farm Bill and oppose the Administration’s FY 16 budget request for hundreds of millions of dollars in additional cuts. The President requested a 3 million acre cut to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and a 23 percent cut in funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). USDA’s conservation programs are critical to implementing cost-effective conservation practices including practices that help farmers better manage nutrients and avoid adverse water quality impacts from their operations. The CSP encourages producers to address resource concerns by providing payments based on conservation performance level, and EQIP provides financial and technical assistance for farmers to implement conservation practices. These conservation programs have been particularly important in fostering innovative collaboration between clean water agencies and upstream agricultural partners to improve water quality. NACWA will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders to protect these essential conservation programs.