April 15, 2024

Demonstrate your expertise, share your findings, and reach new audiences! Two of WateReuse Association’s largest state conferences are currently accepting submissions.

Last week the WateReuse Association, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Water Environment Federation, and The Water Research Foundation hosted the annual Water Week Policy Fly-In, welcoming hundreds of water sector representatives from around the country to Washington, DC. Fly-In participants began their day by meeting with their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill to advocate for funding and policies that support water recycling and other water sector priorities. Participants then came together for panel sessions and presentations by Biden Administration officials and Members of Congress. Talks included a “waterside chat” between Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton and the president elect of WateReuse California, Roger Bailey, who serves as General Manager of Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. For the final session of the day, WateReuse Association President Bart Weiss, the Chief Officer for Innovation and Resiliency at Hillsborough County Public Utilities, moderated a series of presentations from Members of Congress, including Senator Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH).

During the fly-in, WateReuse Association staff and Board members met with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, Bruno Pigott. The team discussed EPA’s work on and support for water recycling and opportunities to increase funding for water recycling projects through federal programs. Throughout the week, WateReuse leadership also held meetings with Members of Congress and congressional staff, including staff for key authorizing and appropriations committees.

On April 10, the EPA finalized its National Primary Drinking Water Standard for five different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and Gen-X. Each chemical is now federally regulated under legally enforceable limits. PFOA and PFOS, the best understood of these chemicals, each have limits of 4 parts per trillion in drinking water. The rule sets limits for PFNA, PFHxS, and Gen-X limits at 10 parts per trillion. EPA will also set a hazard index for combinations of these chemicals, as risks associated with mixtures may be higher than risk from a single chemical. Read the EPA’s announcement here.

Communities that exceed the new limits will have five years to reduce PFAS within their systems. This provides more time than an earlier draft of the rule that featured a three year compliance window. Along with these drinking water standards, EPA has concurrently announced additional grant funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support state, territory, and community public and private water systems in conducting PFAS sampling and treatment. This grant has a particular focus on serving small or disadvantaged communities. Read the allotment memo here.

The EPA will be hosting webinars for target audiences on the new rules, the dates of which are listed below:

• Communities: April 16 | 2pm-3pm ET; Register Here
• Drinking Water Utilities: April 23 | 2pm-3pm ET; Register Here
• Small Drinking Water Systems:  April 30 | 2pm-3pm ET; Register Here

Last week, the EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management released interim guidance on the best methods and technologies for the destruction and disposal of PFAS. It includes three primary destruction and disposal methods: underground injection, landfills, and thermal treatment under certain conditions, including incineration. The guidance notes that storage through underground injection, containerizing, or landfill are temporary solutions rather than long-term strategies, but that these solutions can help limit PFAS migration through water or other media. As for treatment, research suggests that hazardous waste combustors could be a partial solution, though concerns exist about air pollution and public health.

The guidance makes clear that much uncertainty remains about how to effectively store and dispose of PFAS. This scientific and knowledge gap has significant implications for water recycling projects as EPA continues to move forward with rulemakings under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Water recycling projects often use granular activated carbon (GAC) and reverse osmosis membranes to produce highly treated recycled water, including the removal of PFAS. Utilities need viable options for disposing of PFAS-laden treatment residuals, such as spent GAC and membranes, so that critical water recycling projects can continue.

The National Defense Authorization Act requires EPA to update this guidance every three years or as needed. The comment period for this interim guidance is open 180 days from the announcement.

Last week, the EPA, WateReuse Association, and the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems hosted the first Onsite Water Reuse Summit. The two-day event featured ten panels with more than fifty speakers. The first day of the summit was introduced by Mae Wu, Deputy Assistant Administrator for U.S. EPA’s Office of Water, and the second day was kicked off by Bart Weiss, Chief Officer of Innovation and Resiliency at Hillsborough County Public Utilities and the current President of the WateReuse Association. David M. Turk, Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy, also joined the summit to highlight connections between the future of energy and the future of water. Turk also announced a renewed research commitment of $75 million for research into the energy-water nexus through the work of the National Alliance for Water Innovation or NAWI. Summit themes included the importance of research, aligning plumbing codes and standards, and workforce development.

Sacramento’s ABC10 continued a series called “The Future of California’s Water” earlier this month with a feature on water recycling. The story includes interviews with Rupam Soni of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Mike Crooks of the Sacramento Area Sewer District, and Darrin Polhemus of California’s State Water Resources Control Board.