News
Large Coalition Writes in Support of FY2027 CWA Funding
This week ACWA signed on to a coalition letter to Congressional Appropriations Committee Chairs and Ranking Members, in support of meaningful funding for water infrastructure priorities and programs as they advanced the Fiscal Year 2027 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations legislation. A copy of the letter can be found here: FY2027 CWA Funding Letter: Coalition to Appropriations
House Appropriators Advance EPA’s FY27 Spending Bill
This week, the House Appropriations Committee issued its FY27 Interior and Environment spending bill, providing $7.02 billion for EPA, a 20 percent cut from FY26 levels. The bill proposes providing a total of $3.7 billion for state and tribal assistance grants, $1.2 billion of which is directed toward the clean water state revolving fund (SRF) and $910 million of which is directed for the drinking water SRF.
While these are a significant increase from the cuts sought by the Trump administration’s FY27 budget request, they still mark a decrease from FY26 levels that funded the CWSRF at $1.6 billion and the DWSRF at $1.1 billion.
View the FY27 Interior and Environment spending bill here.
EPA Announces Two Proposed Rules on PFAS
On May 18th, EPA announced a comprehensive strategy on PFAS treatment and regulation which included two proposed drinking water rules for public comment. Following publication in the Federal Register, EPA is accepting written public comments on the two proposed rules for 60 days.
The first proposed rule upholds the federal drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) while strengthening practical implementation by providing an option for drinking water systems to request two additional years to comply with the enforceable limits. The second proposal rescinds regulatory determinations and regulations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and Hazard Index Mixtures.
EPA will be holding a virtual public hearing for both proposed rules on July 7, 2026. Please note there are two separate rulemaking dockets, and comments pertaining to a specific proposed rule must be submitted to the appropriate docket for EPA’s consideration. For information on the two proposed rules, including the Federal Register Notices, please see their respective proposed rule websites at: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/proposed-pfoa-and-pfos-compliance-extension-rule and https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/proposed-pfas-rescission-rule.
EPA also highlighted innovative PFAS technologies, announcing nearly $1 billion in new funding to states to address PFAS in drinking water. The agency is also announcing nearly $1 billion in grant funding to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water through the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant. EPA will ensure that funding is available to communities that need it to identify and address PFAS and reduce exposure through drinking water. More information is available on EPA’s website.
$9.75 Million to Monitor Beaches
This week EPA announced $9.75 million in grant funding to monitor water quality at beaches and to notify the public if elevated levels of bacteria make swimming unsafe. This funding is authorized by the BEACH Act. To be eligible for BEACH Act grants, states, Tribes, and territories must have coastal or Great Lakes recreational waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access used by the public. They must also have a water quality standards program and EPA-approved numeric recreational water quality standards for coastal waters. Additionally, eligible entities must meet 11 performance criteria for implementing the monitoring, assessment, and notification components of their beach program. Each grantee receives an amount based on the length of the beach season, the number of miles of shoreline and the populations of coastal counties. Learn more about BEACH Act grants. A copy of the press release and list of proposed grant recipients can be found here.
Proposed Updates to Steam Electric ELG
EPA has formally published in the Federal Register. See summary in last week’s ACWA Wrap. Comments must be received on or before June 17, 2026.
Association Updates
Notice – No Wrap the Week of May 25, 2026
In observance of the holiday week, ACWA will not publish a Weekly Wrap the week of May 25, 2026. Look out for our next edition the week of June 1, 2026.
ACWA 2026 Annual Meeting – Draft Agenda Now Available
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
Creating the Water Workforce of the Future Webinar: WaterNow Alliance’s Project Accelerator, Emerging Leader Awards, and Community Partnerships
Date and Time: May 26, 2026, 12 – 1:30 pm ET
REGISTER HERE
Water and wastewater utilities across the country are working to recruit, develop, and retain the staff they need to deliver safe, reliable service. WaterNow Alliance works directly with utilities in these efforts, providing technical assistance, professional development for rising leaders, and tools for strengthening community relationships. This work is funded through EPA’s Innovative Water Workforce grant program.
In this webinar, WaterNow will walk through:
- The Project Accelerator — up to 250 hours of pro-bono technical assistance to help utilities design and launch specific workforce, community engagement, or water management projects.
- The Emerging Leader Awards — recognition, a $1,500 professional development stipend, and a
peer cohort for mid-career utility staff (roughly 3–10 years in) who are moving toward leadership roles. - Community partnership resources — tools and examples from WaterNow’s work helping utilities build durable relationships with the communities they serve, including through the Building Blocks of Trust initiative with River Network.
Presenters will share examples of how utilities have used these programs, what makes for a good fit,
and how to get involved. There will also be time for questions.
This webinar is part of an ongoing webinar series hosted by EPA, in partnership with leading water
sector organizations around the country.
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
- June 3: Federal award compliance, part 2
Drinking Water and Wastewater Utility Resilience Pre-Drill Informational Session
When: June 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET
In preparation for the 2026 Virtual National Cyber Drill, EPA will host an informational session for drinking water and wastewater utilities who are interested in participating in the drill.
What you’ll learn:
- Strategies for testing the transition from automated to manual operations.
- Best practices for maintaining operational continuity under degraded system conditions.
- Open Q&A with subject matter experts.
Virtual National Cyber Drill
When: July 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
The drill is designed to test the ability of drinking water and wastewater utilities to maintain critical functions during a temporary loss of telecommunications and internet services.
What you’ll do:
- Operate in a “disconnected” environment (limited/no SCADA remote access, cloud, email, Voice over IP, or other digital communications tools).
- Test preparedness by practicing manual operations at your system or joining a tabletop exercise.
Objectives:
- Assess your ability to sustain essential water/wastewater operations without telecom/internet.
- Exercise cyber incident response plans and manual workarounds.
- Identify gaps, resource needs, and resilience improvements.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs): will be provided in most states.
Job Opportunities
Environmental Analyst – Mohawk River Basin Program
Location: Albany, NY
Closing Date: May 25, 2026
To apply, submit your cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org by May 25, 2026. Please reference #26-NYS-SW-DEC-003 in the email subject line. Accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description and benefits listing may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Forestry Policy Lead (Environmental Planner 5)
Location: Thurston County – Lacey, WA
Closing Date: May 25, 2026
For more information and to apply, visit Ecology Job Opportunities.
Engineer Senior – Solid Waste Permit Engineer
Location: Duluth, Brainerd, Detroit Lakes, St. Paul, Rochester, Mankato, Marshall, MN
Closing Date: May 26, 2026
For more information and to apply, visit Minnesota Careers.
Water Supply Operations Supervisor
Location: Des Moines, IA
Closing Date: May 28, 2026
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking a collaborative and visionary leader to serve as the front-line supervisor of the Water Supply Operations section within the Water Quality Bureau. In this critical leadership position, you will provide strategic oversight and operational direction for the section’s environmental programs, analyzing organizational problems and developing timely, economical solutions. You will be tasked with establishing program objectives, assessing progress toward their achievement, and ensuring all operations are aligned with the Department’s broader strategic plan. You will also be responsible for managing an operating budget of $1M.
For specific job duties, requirements, and application information, visit: Water Supply Operations Supervisor | Job Details tab | Career Pages
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.
