News
ACWA Submits Written Comments on Upcoming Efforts to Revise the Definition of Waters of the United States
On May 15, ACWA submitted written comments to EPA and USACE in response to a federalism consultation and coordination meeting to discuss the agencies’ upcoming efforts to revise the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS). Please click here to read ACWA’s letter.
On March 12, 2025, the EPA and USACE announced their intent to undertake a rulemaking to revise the definition of WOTUS in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. Environment Protection Agency. On April 3, the agencies hosted a federalism consultation kick-off meeting with state and local partners to discuss their experiences and views on implementation of the WOTUS definition on key topics, including “continuous surface connection,” “relatively permanent” waters, and ditches.
EPA Announces It Will Keep Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA, PFOS
EPA announced the agency will keep the current National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), which set nationwide limits for these “forever chemicals” in drinking water. As part of this action, EPA is announcing its intent to extend compliance deadlines for PFOA and PFOS, establish a federal exemption framework, and initiate enhanced outreach to water systems, especially in rural and small communities, through EPA’s new PFAS OUTreach Initiative (PFAS OUT). EPA is also announcing its intent to rescind the regulations and reconsider the regulatory determinations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (commonly known as GenX), and the Hazard Index mixture of these three plus PFBS to ensure that the determinations and any resulting drinking water regulation follow the legal process laid out in the Safe Drinking Water Act.
FY2025 SUDC Grant Program
This week EPA announced release of allotments of $24.9 million available for the Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Grant Program. This program provides grants to states and territories to support water infrastructure improvements and compliance with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs). Total allotment amounts for each of the 56 eligible states and territories can be found on the SUDC website. Tribal allotments for this program will be released separately. More information on the EPA’s Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Grant Program can be found here.
Sean Donahue Confirmed as EPA’s General Counsel
This week the Senate confirmed Mr. Sean Donahue as General Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA’s General Counsel is the chief legal advisor to EPA and leads the Office of General Counsel (OGC) in providing legal counsel to EPA policymakers, providing critical input to rules, regulations, and guidance documents that are promulgated and issued to implement the agency’s statutory obligations. In addition, the General Counsel provides assistance to Congress on national legislation affecting the environment and address international law issues. Mr. Donahue returns to EPA after having served as a Special Advisor in the Administrator’s Office and Office of Land & Emergency Management from 2018 to 2021. Mr. Donahue earned his Juris Doctor from Florida State University College of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida.
Clean Water & Drinking Water SRF Updates from EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making $8.9 billion in Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund funding opportunities for Fiscal Year 2025. Additionally, EPA is reallotting about $5 million in Clean Water State Revolving Fund Emerging Contaminant funding. This amount does not include $3B funding specifically for lead service line replacement under IIJA, but EPA intends to announce the allocation of that funding later this year. Specific allocations for each state are provided on EPA’s websites https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf and https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf.
FY2025-joint-srf-allotments-memorandum-may-2025_0.pdf
FY2025 SRF Allotments May 2025
SRF Back to Basics Memo May 2025
Association Updates
ACWA’s 64th Annual Meeting in Madison, WI – Registration is now open!
Dates: August 13-15th, 2025
Board of Directors will meet August 12th, 2025.
Member Rate – $550
Non-Member Rate – $570
(email Lexy at abailey@acwa-us.org for assistance with registration)
View the updated draft agenda here.
Lodging is now open for reservation!
Venue:
The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club
One West Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53703
Room rate: $138 per night
Registration and more information will be coming soon. Check back here for more details.
Seeking Presenters: 2025 ACWA Annual Meeting
ACWA is seeking presenters for our upcoming Annual Meeting in Madison, WI, August 13-15, 2025. Specifically, we are seeking presenters who have a great story to tell or lessons learned in communicating with the public. August 13, 9:30-10:30 AM:
EDUCATING THE PUBLIC: AGENCY COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES. Effective communication is at the heart of building public trust, promoting transparency, and driving informed action. Strategies for communicating with a public that is skeptical of science, data and government. In this session, we’ll explore how agencies are developing and implementing impactful communication strategies that educate, engage, and empower the public and stakeholders.
If you have a story to share, please get in touch with Julia Anastasio.
2025 ACWA CWA Cross-Program Workshop – Registration and Draft Agenda
Dates: July 21-23, 2025
Location: Chicago (Rosemont), IL
Registration is now open for the 2025 CWA Cross-Program Workshop on July 21-23, 2025, in Chicago (Rosemont) at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. The theme for this year’s Workshop will be “CWA Cross-Program Coordination to Improve Nutrient Management and Address Nutrient Pollution.” The 2025 Workshop is the third annual Cross-Program Workshop held in cooperation with EPA.
Registration: Please click here to register. There is no registration fee for this event.
Agenda: View the draft agenda here.
Objective: CWA Cross-Program Workshops are intended to bring together state, territorial, and federal CWA program administrators to discuss and share ways in which cross-program coordination and collaboration can be strengthened to more effectively and efficiently protect and restore our waters. The 2025 Workshop will focus on opportunities and challenges for administrators of CWA Sections 303(c), 303(d), and 402 in coordinating nutrient management and responses to nutrient pollution.
State, territorial, and federal clean water leaders will identify cross-program challenges and barriers to CWA implementation in the nutrients space; work toward solutions to cross cutting water quality topics; identify ways to improve technical capabilities; highlight opportunities for cross-program planning, implementation, and co-operation; and clarify linkages, roles, and responsibilities among CWA programs.
Participants: The Workshop target audience will be state/territorial clean water regulators with practical experience and responsibilities in supporting and managing CWA Section 303(c), 303(d), and/or 402 programs, particularly in the nutrients space, as well as EPA representatives for each of the programs. Attendees should come prepared to discuss ways in which cross-program coordination has been an important aspect of successful program and/or restoration plan implementation, as well as cross-program challenges and needs.
Travel Support: ACWA plans to provide limited state/territorial travel support in the form of a post-Workshop reimbursement. Please contact Ward Scott before June 1, if you know you will require travel support to attend the Workshop.
Hotel: Book your hotel room here. The room block will close June 30, 2025.
Website: 2025 Clean Water Cross-Program Workshop – Event Page
Meetings and Webinars
EPA WOTUS Rulemaking – Upcoming Listening Sessions
On March 24, EPA published an announcement in the Federal Register, WOTUS Notice: The Final Response to SCOTUS: Establishment of a Public Docket; Request for Recommendations, in which EPA and the Department of the Army indicated their intention to engage with State and Tribal co-regulators, industry and agricultural stakeholders, environmental and conservation stakeholders, and the public on certain key topics related to the implementation of the definition of “waters of the United States” in light of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sacket v. Environmental Protection Agency.
Register for upcoming listening sessions:
Second Listening Session for the Public: To be Announced (check public outreach/engagement page)
NEW: Listening Session for Small Business Stakeholders: May 19, 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET (Virtual and at EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.)
Technical Assistance Webinar Series
EPA’s Office of Compliance invites you to a free webinar on Thursday, May 22, 2025, as part of EPA’s ongoing Technical Assistance Webinar Series: Improving CWA-NPDES Permit Compliance at Small Wastewater Treatment Systems.
See the attached detailed announcement flyer for our next scheduled webinar on May 22 (1:00-2:30pm ET) titled, Flow Measurement, featuring Cornell Gayle from EPA’s Office of Compliance. This webinar will discuss the principles behind flow measurement and how accurate flow measurement is needed for load and efficiency calculations and future planning. See the attached announcement for a more detailed description and/or CLICK HERE to register.
Our website to announce future webinars and archive past recorded webinars is: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/technical-assistance-webinar-series-improving-cwa-npdes-permit-compliance. It can take several weeks to get the webinars posted, so check back frequently to find the most recent recordings. Please note that certificates are not available for viewing past recorded webinars.
Regarding certificates and CEUs: Webinar attendees receive an emailed Certificate of Attendance approximately one week after the webinar date. This email often gets sent to a junk or spam folder. Please discuss eligibility of continuing education credits with your state’s specific certification authority. EPA does not guarantee credits. Each state has different CEU requirements, so it is up to the individual to apply for credit with their state’s certification authority. Note that sometimes the certification authority requires advanced notice of the webinar to allow credit.
Thank you for your continued interest. If you require special accommodations or have any additional questions regarding the webinar series, please contact webinar organizers at water.compliance@epa.gov.
EPA Cybersecurity Technical Assistance Courses
Cybersecurity Refresher
Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00pm EDT
Register Here
Meet your annual cybersecurity training requirement and gain critical knowledge on the foundational understandings of cybersecurity and how it applies to the Water Sector.
Many states have approved this training for CEU credits. The list of approved states can be found on the registration page.
Cybersecurity 102
Thursday, May 29, 2025, 1:00 – 2:30pm EDT
Register Here
Join us for a free webinar on understanding how Cybersecurity can impact Operational Technology (OT) systems. This webinar is for everyone, not just information technology personnel, as it will equip you with the skills to navigate today’s digital threats.
Many states have approved this training for CEU credits. The list of approved states can be found on the registration page.
Cybersecurity 103
Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 1:00 – 2:30pm EDT
Register Here
Join us to expand your understanding of basic cybersecurity key terms, foundational principles, and a snapshot of incident history in the Water Sector. Attendees will be shown examples of recent cyber incidents as well as cyber-related resources.
Many states have approved this training for CEU credits. The list of approved states can be found on the registration page.
Water Cybersecurity Assessment Tool Information Session
Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 1:00 – 3:30pm EDT
Register Here
Join us to learn more about how to use the Water Cybersecurity Assessment (WCAT) tool. This tool can be utilized to conduct cybersecurity assessments at water and wastewater systems.
Many states have approved this training for CEU credits. The list of approved states can be found on the registration page.
Job Opportunities
Upcoming Announcement: Colorado Water Quality Standards Feasibility Unit – Small Communities Feasibility Coordinator
This position is part of a team that provides scientific analysis, policy and regulatory recommendations, and other technical information to the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC). The unit’s work involves researching and analyzing complex water quality topics to support the development, implementation, and review of water quality standards variances in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act and the Colorado Water Quality Control Act.
Our team’s Small Community Feasibility Coordinator develops economic, technological, and environmental feasibility tools to scale our program’s support for small communities working to improve water quality. This work includes connecting with communities and conducting technical work to support the development of robust policy proposals that maximize feasible water quality progress throughout Colorado. By evaluating cost-effective and practical approaches, the coordinator ensures that small communities have the resources and insights needed to implement sustainable improvements while considering their unique constraints.
An ideal candidate:
- Effectively translates engineering concepts for decision-makers and communities.
- Conducts independent research and develops clear, actionable resources.
- Understands policy, economics, and philosophy and their impact on water quality.
- Solves problems proactively, connecting people, data, and systems.
If you’re interested in this position, enjoy solving difficult problems, and having a meaningful impact, please reach out to blake.beyea@state.co.us with any questions or for more information. The official job announcement is expected to open (Spring 2025).
Onsite Resource Specialist (Natural Resource Specialist 3 – Environmental Health Specialist)
Location: Medford, Eugene, or Coos Bay, Oregon (finalist may choose work location)
Closing Date: May 26, 2025
For more information and to apply, visit Oregon Job Opportunities.
Onsite Program Coordinator (Natural Resource Specialist 4 – Environmental Health Specialist)
Location: Portland, Eugene, Bend, or Salem, Oregon (finalist may choose work location)
Closing Date: June 1, 2025
For more information and to apply, visit Oregon Job Opportunities.
Be sure to check out other opportunities on ACWA’s Job Opportunities page.
