News
Federal Shutdown Continues
The federal shutdown continues as Congressional Democrats and Republicans remain entrenched in their positions. This week, the Senate again rejected competing proposals to fund the government for the remainder of FY 26. Both measures failed. The Senate is now in recess until October 14th. The House of Representatives has not been in session since late September. The timeline for resolving the impasse remains uncertain
Exchange Network Applications Due October 22, 2025
The Exchange Network Grant Program initially published its FY25 Solicitation Notice (SN) in January of 2025; however, this competition was extended and then paused in April 2025, to allow for mandatory Solicitation Notice updates in alignment with new Agency priorities and strategic alignment. The revised FY25 SN has now been re-published, with an application due date of Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025, by 11:59 PM ET: see https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/358164. Applicants are encouraged to revise any draft applications to align with the new guidance: ‘FY25 Exchange Network Solicitation Notice’.
The purpose of the Exchange Network (EN) grant program is to foster better environmental management and decision-making through increased access to timely, high quality, environmental information. EPA expects to award 25-30 grants of up to $600,000 each, totaling approximately $9,200,000 in FY25. The exact number of grants awarded will depend on the number of applications submitted to EPA by the application deadline, the amounts of proposed project budgets, and the quality of proposals. Please be aware: award funding thresholds have increased from prior competition years by $100,000. Individual applicants can now request up to $400,000 and eligible EN partnerships can request up to $600,000. For grant application questions please contact ENGrantProgram@epa.gov.
Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT)
EPA’s SWIFT initiative works directly with drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, technical assistance providers, and other water sector stakeholders to increase system resilience to natural hazards and disasters. Specifically, SWIFT provides location-specific natural hazard data and practical risk assessment tools to help identify and evaluate resilient strategies. With this technical assistance support, SWIFT helps promote a better understanding of natural hazard threats and their impacts on vulnerable assets, providing the guidance needed to make risk-informed infrastructure and investment decisions. SWIFT also offers approaches to infrastructure financing, making necessary connections that help utilities fund the implementation of their disaster resilience projects. More details can be found here.
2025 American Relief Act Disaster Supplemental Appropriation
In September EPA released a memorandum announcing $60 million in disaster relief supplemental funding to address water emergencies in states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and all impacted Tribes. This funding comes from the American Relief Act, and is appropriated as Safe Drinking Water Act Section 1442(b) and Clean Water Emergency allocations for grants and technical assistance. More details can be found here.
Source Water Collaborative – Request for Case Studies
The Source Water Collaborative (SWC) Groundwater Discussion Group is seeking additional content for webinars, and to consider for inclusion on a new SWC groundwater page on the Resources and Webinars page of the SWC website. We are interested in including Clean Water Act section 319 or CWSRF examples where groundwater resources were protected or improved by using funding and/or leveraging NRCS funding to address stormwater, transportation, land conservation, green infrastructure, or abandoned oil and gas and water wells. The Discussion Group is currently seeking case studies from states to share about watershed projects with a source water protection or drinking water focus.
The goal of sharing this information is to encourage partnerships at the state, watershed, and local levels to advance achieving mutual goals of water quality improvement and protection for areas that provide community drinking water supplies.
Background: For a map that shows the diversity of issues considered for protecting drinking water sources, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water Mapping Application. To find your state’s source water contact, please visit this link from the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators: https://www.asdwa.org/sourcewatercontacts/
Note: While our focus is on groundwater for this effort, we would also welcome success stories or case examples of efforts that include protecting or improving surface water sources of drinking water.
If you or your state has a case study or success story available to share on a future SWC webinar or on the SWC website, please reach out to Lexy Bailey (abailey@acwa-us.org) and Sylvia Malm, Senior Advisor for Source Water Protection at the Ground Water Protection Council (smalm@gwpc.org). Please submit responses by October 31, 2025.
Association Updates
Notice – No Wrap the Week of October 13, 2025
In observance of the holiday, ACWA will not publish a Weekly Wrap the week of June 30, 2025. Look out for our next edition the week of October 13, 2025.
ACWA 2026 Mid-Year Meeting – Lodging & Draft Agenda Now Available!
Dates: March 25-26, 2026
Location: Alexandria, VA
Reserve your room now by calling 1-800-Hiltons (1-800-445-8668) and using group code 92N, or click here.
Group Rate: $276/night
View the draft agenda here.
Check our event webpage for more information.
2026 National Industrial Permitting Workshop – Save the Date
Dates: April 7-9, 2026
Location: Washington, DC
Purpose: The 2026 National Industrial Permitting Workshop supports implementation of federal and state industrial permitting programs nationwide by sharing best management practices, showcasing innovative federal and state programs, highlighting new approaches and technologies, facilitating discussion on national program enhancements and improvements, identifying state resource needs including tools, training and guidance, and proposing solutions to challenges and barriers faced by the regulators and other stakeholders. More information can be found on ACWA’s event page.
2026 Water Quality Standards Workshop – Registration is Open!
Dates: April 21-23, 2026
Location: Little Rock, AR
Registration is open for the 2026 Water Quality Standards Workshop! This workshop will take place April 21-23, in Little Rock, AR. This workshop is a national meeting organized by ACWA for state staff involved in state water quality standards programs, as well as for both Regional and Headquarters-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency managers and staff. The workshop will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Little Rock.
You may register here!
The workshop will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Little Rock. Reserve your hotel room here. ACWA does anticipate having travel support for state staff.
When available, more information can be found on ACWA’s events page.
ACWA 2026 Annual Meeting – Save The Date!
Dates: August 5, 2026 at 8:00 am – August 7, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Board of Directors will meet August 4, 2026.
Venue: The Eldorado Hotel and Spa, Santa Fe, NM
Check back here for more information regarding registration, lodging, and agenda.
Meetings and Webinars
SERA-46 Lunch and Learn Series – Basin Breakthrough: Early Career Leaders in Mississippi River Basin Water Quality Research
Monday, October 20, 2025, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
This three-part virtual seminar series will feature early career leaders in Mississippi River Basin water quality research to illuminate innovative solutions for improving agricultural water quality across the watershed. Each date will feature talks from three up-and-coming scientists across the upper, middle, and lower basins. Upcoming webinars will take place on October 20 and November 3. Click here for more information about SERA-46 events.
SERA-46 is Southern Extension and Research Activities committee number 46. It is one of a group of formal USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and land-grant university funded committees designed to promote multi-state research and extension activities. SERA-46 brings together researchers and extension specialists who share a common interest and expertise related to the environmental, social, and economic factors that contribute to nutrient loss from agricultural lands and hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.
ITRC: Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) Identification Framework Training
Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 1:00PM-3:00PM EDT
REGISTER HERE
In 2023, the ITRC Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) Framework was published to help environmental regulatory agencies and other stakeholders identify, evaluate, and manage CEC’s while acknowledging uncertainties in their environmental fate and transport, receptor exposure, and/or toxicity. Such an approach can be conducive to improved allocation of regulatory response resources and provide a foundation for communicating potential risk to stakeholders.
The ITRC framework is comprised of a white paper and four associated fact sheets. In the white paper, CEC are defined as: “substances and microorganisms including physical, chemical, biological, or radiological materials known or anticipated in the environment, that may pose newly identified risks to human health or the environment.” The framework is meant to help environmental regulatory agencies and other stakeholders by providing examples of CEC monitoring programs and guiding the user through the process of identifying CEC key characteristics, how to communicate real and perceived risk from CEC to the public, and how laboratory analytical methods can be used in the identification process. Participants are encouraged to review the ITRC CEC Framework prior to the class.
EPA Webinar: PFAS Destruction using a Hazardous Waste Incinerator
Date: 10/15/2025
Time: 3:00pm – 4:00pm eastern
Register: Webinar Registration – Zoom
U.S. EPA will hold a webinar to discuss the destruction of PFAS in hazardous waste incinerators. Presenters will discuss new EPA report PFAS Destruction by a Hazardous Waste Incinerator: Testing Results, as well as the use of Appendix A of EPA’s 2024 Interim Guidance on the Destruction and Disposal of PFAS and Materials Containing PFAS, to evaluate thermal treatment technologies.
EPA Webinar: Cybersecurity Procurement Checklist Webinar
Date: October 15, 2025
Time: 1:00pm eastern
Registration: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Join EPA for an informative webinar introducing the newly released Cybersecurity Procurement Checklist—a practical tool designed to help water and wastewater utilities integrate cybersecurity into their procurement processes. This session will guide participants through the checklist, demonstrate its application when acquiring new technologies and services, and explain how it supports broader resilience goals.
Michigan: Microplastics Virtual Conference
Date: October 22, 2025
Time: 8:30am – 5:00pm eastern
Register: Great Lakes Microplastics Summit – Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
Michigan is hosting a free virtual summit on microplastics. The Great Lakes Microplastics Summit is sure to be of interest beyond the Great Lakes states, as the agenda focuses on microplastics fate and transport, microplastics analysis methods, human and ecosystem impacts, and interactions with other contaminants. From cutting-edge research to real-world challenges, this summit dives into the latest knowledge on microplastics in surface water and drinking water. Through engaging presentations and interactive discussions, we’ll explore four key areas:
- Where Do Microplastics Go? Understanding Their Movement in the Environment
- How Do We Detect Them? Advances in Microplastic Research Methods
- What Are the Risks? Impacts on Human and Environmental Health
- How Do They Interact? Microplastics and Other Contaminants
Whether you’re a researcher, environmental advocate, policymaker, or simply curious about the health of our waters, this summit offers a valuable opportunity to learn, connect, and collaborate. Join us as we advance the conversation on microplastics in the Great Lakes.
Lift Station Operation and Maintenance
Date: Tue, Oct 28, 2025 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT
REGISTER HERE
This webinar covers operation, maintenance, and inspection tasks for wastewater lift stations. Attendees will achieve the following learning objectives:
- Discuss maintenance and inspection tasks for wastewater lift stations
- Describe the main components of lift stations
- Explain how lift station control systems function
- Evaluate pumps and motors used in lift stations
- Apply safety principles related to lift station O&M
Join for an hour of practical tips and expert guidance to keep your lift stations running safely and efficiently.
Presenters: Gregory Pearson, Water & Wastewater Trainer, Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center
EPA Webinar: Quarterly Cybersecurity Vulnerability Snapshot Webinar
Date: October 30, 2025
Time: 1:00pm eastern
Registration: Meeting Registration – Zoom
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will provide the third quarterly overview of the most common cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified at water and wastewater systems via CISA’s Free Cyber Vulnerability Scanning for Water Utilities and EPA’s Proactive Vulnerability Identification Program for Water and Wastewater Systems. EPA and CISA will share cybersecurity best practices for water and wastewater systems to limit exposure to these common vulnerabilities. Participants may ask questions and will learn about the free cybersecurity tools and technical resources offered by both agencies to improve cyber defenses.
ITRC: PFAS Introductory Training
Thursday, November 6, 2025, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST
REGISTER HERE
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large and complex class of anthropogenic compounds whose prevalence in the environment are an emerging, worldwide priority in environmental and human health. The ITRC PFAS Team, formed in 2017, has prepared readily accessible materials to present PFAS information to stakeholders, regulators, and policy makers. The PFAS team represents a diverse cross-section of expertise and experience working on PFAS.
This training will include emerging science on PFAS, including topics such as Properties of PFAS, Fate and Transport, Sampling and Analysis, and Treatment Technologies. The technical presentations will be focused on those who are relatively new to PFAS. The training will last approximately 90 minutes and include time for questions.
Ask Me Anything SRF Office Hours
This initiative will expand your knowledge and enhance your ability to navigate the SRFs. These sessions are tailored for state agencies, utility operators, and stakeholders who support water infrastructure projects. Each session will open with a specific theme, providing clarity, strategies, and practical insights for preparing and managing an SRF-funded project. The remainder of the session will be devoted to ‘Ask Me Anything’. Participants can attend all sessions or select those that best meet their needs. Submit your questions in advance or bring them to the session for real-time support from our experts.
Wed., 11/5, 11-1 EST: What is an Intended Use Plan?
Meeting Registration – Zoom
Mon., 11/17, 2-4 EST: Summary of what was covered over the AMA sessions
Meeting Registration – Zoom
ITRC: Microplastics Training
Thursday, November 13, 2025, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST
REGISTER HERE
In response to one of the biggest emerging environmental concerns, ITRC formed the Microplastics Team in 2021 to develop the Microplastics Guidance Document. Plastics have become pervasive in modern life and are now used in a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Microplastics may result from the degradation and fragmentation of larger plastics, or they may be intentionally produced for specific applications and products. Regardless of their origin, microplastics are now ubiquitous in our environment. Because of their small size and pervasiveness in the environment, microplastics, along with any other contaminants which are adhered to the microplastics, may be inadvertently consumed by humans and other organisms. The target audience for the guidance and this training course includes state regulators and environmental consultants, as well as community and tribal stakeholders.
The guidance and this associated training course uses a conceptual site model to navigate microplastics in the environment and explore the following general areas. Prior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC Microplastics Guidance Document.
EPA Webinars: Wastewater Math
- Dates & Times:
- Part 1: November 19, 1-3 PM (Eastern Time)
- Part 2: November 20, 1-3 PM (Eastern Time)
- Registration: Register Here
- Flyer: Webinar Flyer_Q1 Nov2025_Wastewater Math.pdf
Overview: Join EPA for a comprehensive webinar focused on the essential math skills needed to accurately complete facility discharge monitoring reports (DMRs). This session will provide step-by-step guidance on translating lab reports and field measurements into DMR entries. To ensure a solid understanding of these concepts, we will work through a variety of wastewater problems live.
About the Presenter: Cornell Gayle, U.S. EPA HQ, Atlanta, GA is a Professional Civil Engineer who works with the Environmental Protection Agency providing support to states and local municipalities ensuring compliance with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System requirements.
ACWA / EPA Water Reuse Webinar
Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
ACWA and EPA will host a second Water Reuse Webinar on December 3, 2025 at 2:00 pm ET. This second webinar for state regulators will focus on water reuse issues surrounding data centers. Presentations and discussions will include considerations for permitting, treatment and cooling technologies. Participation in this event will be limited to state and federal regulators.
Job Opportunities
Science Communicator – Long Island Sound Partnership
Location: Lowell, MA
Closing Date: October 5, 2025
To apply, submit cover letter, resume, and two writing samples by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org by October 5, 2025. Please reference #25-LIS-Lowell-001 in the email subject line. Accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description and benefits may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers. Additional information about LIS Partnership can be found at: https://lispartnership.org/.
Environmental Specialist III (TMDL Developer)
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Closing Date: October 13, 2025
For more information and to apply, click here.
Remediation Project Coordinator – Environmental Specialist 4
Location: Duluth, Brainerd, St. Paul, Rochester, Detroit Lakes, Marshall or Mankato, MN
Closing Date: October 7, 2025
For more information and to apply, visit Minnesota Careers.
Environmental Specialist 1 or 2 – Inspector
Location: Mankato and Brainerd, MN
Closing Date: October 7, 2025
Please note that this posting will be used to fill 2 vacancies. Visit Minnesota Careers for more information and to apply.
Environmental Hydrogeologist 1-2
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Closing Date: Open until filled
The Watershed Improvement Unit in the Water Quality Division is looking for a Hydrogeologist to remediate abandoned hardrock mines that are polluting rivers and streams. The Hydrogeologist will be responsible for reviewing and evaluating remedial designs, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, and providing technical expertise to address the environmental and public health risks associated with abandoned hardrock mines. The Hydrogeologist will work with a multidisciplinary team to assess, plan, and execute remediation projects. This role plays a key part in protecting and enhancing Arizona’s waterbodies for the enjoyment of people and wildlife.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Be sure to check out other opportunities on ACWA’s Job Opportunities page.
