Last week, the WateReuse Association partnered with the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), Water Environment Federation (WEF), American Water Works Association (AWWA), Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and several other organizations to cohost a congressional briefing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The briefing addressed the concerns of water and wastewater utilities that function as the “passive receivers” of PFAS which are created by chemical companies and end up in municipal water and wastewater.
Amanda Waters and Jason Dadakis of WateReuse members AlexRenew (Virginia) and Orange County Water District (California) testified about the role their utilities play in managing the PFAS substances that end up in their systems. The designation of PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA hazardous substances, in the absence of a liability shield for utilities, could impact utilities' ability to provide essential public services.
WateReuse continues to advocate with Congress and the Administration for the creation of a liability shield for water recycling utilities. The Trump Administration has expressed its intent to ensure polluters, not utilities, are held liable for PFAS contamination; however, it has yet to outline how it will do so. On the legislative front, WateReuse continues to urge Congress to enact the Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act (H.R. 1260). |