News
ACWA Submits Written Testimony on FY 27 Appropriations
ACWA submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies urging Congress to maintain FY 2026 funding levels for key Clean Water Act programs in FY 2027. The testimony pushes back on the President’s proposed EPA budget, which would cut the agency’s discretionary funding by roughly 52% including eliminating categorical grants that states rely on to run water quality programs and slashing more than $2.5 billion from the State Revolving Funds.
ACWA argues that eliminating these grants wouldn’t free states to manage their own programs — it would effectively convert a cooperative federal-state structure into an unfunded mandate, reducing permit writers, monitoring capacity, and enforcement presence. The letter also calls on Congress to preserve funding for geographic restoration programs like the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. ACWA notes that Congress rejected similar cuts in FY 2026 and urges it to do the same again. The same testimony will be submitted to Senate Appropriators as they begin the appropriations process.
SRF Program Allotments
This week, EPA announced that it is making $7.1 billion in water infrastructure funding available for states through the State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. EPA is providing $3.4 billion in funding for the Clean Water SRF for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment, stormwater runoff, and water reuse. EPA is also providing $3.6 billion in funding for the Drinking Water SRF for a range of drinking water projects, including water system upgrades, and work to address PFOA and PFOS. The funding includes both EPA base appropriation and funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. For more information on DWSRF allotments, visit this website and for CWSRF allotments, visit this site.
EPA Releases WRAP 2.0
EPA launched the Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) 2.0, to harness the power of water reuse for industry, the artificial intelligence (AI) future, and energy development while strengthening public health protections and safeguarding the nation’s water resources. The plan highlights water reuse strategies already underway, introduces new federal commitments, and charts a course for transformational progress over the next decade. WRAP 2.0 is organized around three high-impact initiatives:
- Supporting Reuse for Resurgent Domestic Industry– Component fabrication (e.g., bottles and batteries), finished products (e.g., food and beverage products, cars, and trucks), and agricultural production.
- Water for the U.S. Technology Revolution– Microchip and memory fabrication and data center cooling.
- Unleashing American Energy Dominance– Electricity generation and energy development.
Water reuse will accelerate American prosperity by lowering costs and improving the predictability of water as an input for sectors that drive the American economy, including microchip fabrication and data centers that are essential to making the U.S. the Artificial Intelligence capital of the world. Similarly, WRAP 2.0 will advance energy dominance by driving down costs and supporting energy development and electricity generation. New actions will focus on opportunities to treat wastewater for beneficial reuse.
EPA Re-Enegizes the Water Workforce Initiative
EPA is kicking off an effort to revitalize the 2020 Water Workforce Initiative. This effort will map out the agency’s efforts to work collaboratively with the water sector to support the nation’s water workforce. By connecting individuals to jobs in the drinking water and wastewater sectors, providing critical training, and expanding public awareness about the benefits of careers providing vital water services, EPA will help the water sector meet current and future needs while creating good-paying jobs. Developing apprenticeship programs, labor standards, education programs, and other resources will ensure a strong pipeline of workers and high-quality jobs. One way EPA supports the water workforce is through the Innovative Water Workforce Development Grant Program. Since the program’s inception in 2018, this grant program has invested more than $13 million in the expansion of public awareness about job opportunities in the water sector. Funding availability for the next round of grants will come later this year.
H.R. 6422 – American Water Stewardship
The American Water Stewardship Act (HR 6422) is a piece of legislation passed by the House of Representatives on March 24, 2026, and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act with the primary aim of extending authorization for a number of EPA regional water programs through fiscal year 2031. At its core, the bill is largely a reauthorization measure. Programs covering several programs with funding authority expiring, including the Great Lakes, Long Island Sound, the Columbia River Basin, San Francisco Bay, and coastal recreation water quality monitoring, would receive updated authorization periods running through 2031. The National Estuary Program would also be extended and expanded to include the Mississippi Sound, though the bill places conditions on when funds can actually flow to that new addition. The bill also makes several substantive changes. The San Francisco Bay Restoration Program would see its funding mechanisms broadened to include a wider range of recipient entities. At the same time, a 75/25 cost-sharing requirement would be codified, limiting federal contributions to 75 percent of any given project’s cost. The coastal water quality monitoring provisions would be updated to reflect modern testing technologies and to expand the definition of waters subject to oversight. Finally, it directs the Government Accountability Office to produce a report within two years assessing how effectively each EPA geographic program is being managed and whether it is meeting its stated goals.
EPA Launches PFAS Out Initiative
This week, U.S. EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer launched PFAS OUTreach (PFAS OUT), a new effort to help communities and water systems reduce exposure to PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.
PFAS OUT connects public drinking water systems with funding, technical assistance, and other resources to address PFAS challenges and protect public health. The initiative offers practical, location-specific support, including webinars and guidance on accessing available resources. EPA plans to engage directly with about 3,000 water systems nationwide with known PFOA and PFOS challenges.
All water systems will be able to access PFASOUT resources and can secure technical assistance through EPA’s Real WaterTA.
Association Updates
2026 Water Quality Standards Workshop – View the Final Agenda!
Dates: April 21-23, 2026
Location: Little Rock, AR
This workshop will take place April 21-23, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Little Rock 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.
For those unable to attend in person, we are able to offer a virtual option for State and EPA staff to listen in. Email Lexy Bailey for virtual access information.
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
ACWA has provided a draft agenda for attendee travel approval purposes. View the draft agenda here.
Check here on our website for more information regarding registration, lodging, and agenda updates.
Your Chance to be Featured in ACWA’s 2026 Annual Report!
As we gear up for our annual report, we’re looking to expand our photo library. We invite you to be a part of the Annual Report by sharing your photographs with us!
Here’s how you can participate:
- Select your best high-resolution water photos
- Email them to Lexy Bailey by June 15th, 2026
- Include your name and the location of the photograph
Thank you!
Meetings and Webinars
NNCR Advanced Training: DMR Reporting Violations
Date and Time: April 21, 2026, 2:00-3:00 PM EST
Register for this training on ZoomGov
This training focuses on DMR reporting violations on the quarterly National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Noncompliance Report (NNCR), which provides a comprehensive list of Clean Water Act violations and their resolutions to the public. It will provide an overview of when DMR reporting violations are generated, criteria for assigning Category I versus II noncompliance, resolution of DMR reporting violations, and a demonstration of searching and filtering DMR reporting violations on the quarterly NNCR.
This is an advanced training and assumes you have attended or watched a recording of the quarterly NNCR training before attending.
The Safe Drinking Water and Clean Water Acts: Connecting Water Regulations to Laboratory Practice
Date and Time: April 22, 2026, 2-3 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA) are two landmark federal statutes that protect water supplies from naturally occurring and man-made contaminants. These regulations are essential for safeguarding public health by preventing waterborne illnesses and ensuring communities have access to safe, clean water. Environmental laboratories play a critical role in enforcing the SDWA and CWA to protect communities from contaminated water, as they conduct testing and monitoring required for maintaining water quality standards and detecting pathogens. This webinar will provide information about the history of the SDWA and CWA, associated regulations and the relationship to the work of environmental laboratories.
Contact Nikita Kheni for more information.
Building Coastal Flooding and Hurricane Resilience for Water Sector Utilities: Technical Assistance and Resources from EPA SWIFT
Date and Time: April 22, 2026, 1:00 – 2:00pm ET
REGISTER HERE
Get ahead of hurricane season! Learn how SWIFT’s experts can provide customized technical assistance to help your utility build resilience to coastal flooding and hurricane hazards through risk-informed project planning and investment. Review this year’s hurricane season outlook, learn about the SWIFT technical assistance process, and explore tools that can help your utility better understand and assess system impacts and identify resilient solutions.
Wastewater Treatment Primary Sedimentation and Solids Removal
Date and Time: April 23, 2026, 1-2 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
This session is ideal for wastewater operators and operators in training, municipal and county officials, community leaders, and others interested in understanding primary sedimentation and solids removal operations.
Cybersecurity Procurement Checklist Tool Training
Date and Time: April 29, 2026, 1-2:30 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
EPA’s Office of Water Emergency Response and Cybersecurity (OWERC) will demonstrate how to use EPA’s Cybersecurity Procurement Evaluation Checklist for Drinking Water and Wastewater Systems to assess and compare cybersecurity-related vendors.
EPA FCA Guidance Stakeholder Calls
Date and Time: April 29, 2026, May 7, 2026, 1- 2:30pm ET
EPA invites you to Clean Water Act (CWA) Financial Capability Assessment (FCA) Guidance public stakeholder engagement webinars. These webinars will provide opportunities to contribute or listen to feedback about the FCA Guidance. Interested parties can sign up to give oral comments through the webinar registration links, no later than April 24 and May 1, respectively. Due to anticipated interest, comments will be limited to 3-5 minutes. All public commenters are encouraged to also submit their comments in writing via the Federal eRulemaking portal.
Building Cyber Resilience Using EPA’s Water and Wastewater Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan Template
Date and Time: April 30, 2026, 1-2:30 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
EPA invites water sector professionals to learn about its new Drinking Water and Wastewater Systems Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan Template. This fully customizable template is designed to help all utilities prepare for, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity incidents affecting both information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems.
SWC and SPFW Webinar on Tools and Resources to Advance Landscape Partnerships for Drinking Water Protection
Date and Time: April 30, 2026, 2-3:30 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
On Thursday, April 30, 2026, from 2:00–3:30 pm ET, the Source Water Collaborative (SWC) and Southeastern Partnership for Forests & Water (SPFW) will host a webinar entitled, “Stronger Together: Landscape Partnerships for Drinking Water Protection.” During the webinar, participants will learn about tools and resources to assist new and established collaborations with identifying needs, communicating issues, and finding funding to protect drinking water sources on a landscape scale. Speakers will provide information from the Source Water Collaborative, Southeastern Partnership for Forests & Water, and Northeast Mid-Atlantic Partnership for Forests & Water. Presentations will be followed with a breakout discussion—your chance to connect with peers and explore how these strategies could benefit partnerships in your own region. For more information, view the webinar flyer and register for the webinar here.
NNCR Advanced Training: Schedule Violations
Date and Time: April 30, 2026, 1:30-2:30 PM EST
Register for this training on ZoomGov
This training focuses on schedule violations on the quarterly National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Noncompliance Report (NNCR), which provides a comprehensive list of Clean Water Act violations and their resolutions to the public. It will provide an overview of when schedule violations are generated, criteria for assigning Category I versus II noncompliance, resolution of schedule violations, and a demonstration of searching and filtering schedule violations on the quarterly NNCR.
This is an advanced training and assumes you have attended or watched a recording of the quarterly NNCR training before attending.
NNCR Advanced Training: Single Event/Other Violations
Date and Time: May 5, 2026, 3:00-4:00 PM EST
Register for this training on ZoomGov
This training focuses on single event/other violations on the quarterly National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Noncompliance Report (NNCR), which provides a comprehensive list of Clean Water Act violations and their resolutions to the public. It provides an overview of when single event/other violations are generated, criteria for assigning Category I versus II noncompliance, resolution of single event/other violations, and a demonstration of searching and filtering single event/other violations on the quarterly NNCR.
This is an advanced training and assumes you have attended or watched a recording of the quarterly NNCR training before attending.
Water Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (WCAT) Webinar
Date and Time: May 13, 2026, 1-2:30 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
EPA’s Office of Water Emergency Response and Cybersecurity (OWERC) will demonstrate how to use EPA’s Water Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (WCAT) to conduct cybersecurity assessments at water and wastewater systems.
How Water Sector Utilities are Building Resilience to Natural Hazards: Utilities Recount their Engagement with EPA SWIFT Technical Assistance
Date and Time: May 20, 2026, 1-2 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
Join US EPA’s Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) initiative to learn how water sector utilities are benefitting from natural hazard risk assessment technical assistance. The technical assistance provided by SWIFT’s experts is tailored to meet the needs of each utility request, from improving the understanding of natural hazard impacts to their system to quantifying the potential reductions in risk that specific projects can deliver. Hear directly from utility representatives across the country that have engaged in the process to build system resilience to various natural hazards.
State Revolving Fund (SRF) Technical Assistance & Open Office Hours
Environmental Finance Center Network [external with federal funding] provides State Revolving Funds (SRFs) Office Hours. These sessions are designed to help state agencies, utility operators, and stakeholders navigate SRFs with practical insights and strategies. Each session begins with a theme to provide clarity on managing SRF-funded projects, followed by an open “Ask Me Anything” Q&A
- May 6: What is the best way to calculate rates?
- May 18: Federal award compliance, part 1
- June 3: Federal award compliance, part 2
Job Opportunities
Wastewater Enforcement Coordinator – Analyst 3
Location: Boise, ID
Closing Date: April 19, 2026
For more information and to apply, click here.
Environmental Scientist III, Bureau of Water Quality Planning: Standards, Assessment, and Monitoring Branch
Location: Carson City, NV
Closing Date: April 20, 2026
For more information and to apply, visit State of Nevada Job Opportunities.
Environmental Engineer Supervisor
Location: Montgomery, AL
Closing Date: April 22, 2026
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is seeking a qualified individual to serve as Environmental Engineer Supervisor. This career involves advanced professional and technical supervisory work in environmental or public health engineering. To qualify, you will need a bachelor’s degree in engineering, preferably civil, chemical, mechanical, or biosystems, and four years of experience. Other qualifications apply. This is also a great promotional opportunity for those in current Environmental Engineering Specialist, Senior or Environmental Engineer, Licensed classification.
For more information and to apply, visit Alabama Jobs.
Planner Principal State – Environmental Project Coordinator
Location: Duluth, Brainerd, St. Paul, Rochester, Detroit Lakes, Marshall, or Mankato, MN
Closing Date: April 28, 2026
For more information and to apply, visit Minnesota Careers.
Wetlands Section Manager
Location: Lacey, WA
Closing Date: April 29, 2026
For more information and to apply, visit Ecology Job Opportunities.
Petroleum Remediation Project Leader
Location: Duluth, Brainerd, Detroit Lakes, St. Paul, Rochester, Mankato, Marshall, MN
Closing Date: April 29, 2026
For more information and to apply, visit Minnesota Careers.
NPDES Permit Writer (Natural Resource Specialist 3)
Location: Portland, OR
Closing Date: April 30, 2026
For more information and to apply, visit Oregon Job Opportunities.
Environmental Analyst or Engineer – Training and Technical Assistance Specialist
Location: Lowell, MA
Closing Date: Open until filled
To apply, email your cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample to jobs@neiwpcc.org. Please reference #26-Lowell-001 in the email subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description and benefits may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Watershed Management Section Manager
Location: Thurston County – Lacey, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
If you’re interested in applying for this position or reading additional information, please follow this link:
Watershed Management Section Manager (WMS2)
Be sure to check out other opportunities on ACWA’s Job Opportunities page.
