The WateReuse Association invites abstract submissions for the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium, taking place Sunday, September 8, through Wednesday, September 11, 2019 in San Diego, California. Submit your proposal for a technical and/or plenary session before February 7, 2019. This year’s theme is “Collaborate to Innovate.” The program will showcase recycled water collaborations among utilities, farmers, and industry; regulators working together at both the state and federal level; sustainability; public/private partnerships; and, for the first time, the latest in reuse research led by the Water Research Foundation. The Annual WateReuse Symposium is the nation’s premier conference on water recycling. The event attracts more than 600 water professionals from around the nation.

On December 22, 2018, many federal agencies shut down as Congress and the President failed to reach a deal to fund the government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. As of January 11, the shutdown has been going on for 21 days, tying an earlier shutdown (1995-96) for the longest in US history.

Several federal departments and agencies are not impacted by the shutdown as the 115^th Congress passed funding bills for each of these departments prior to adjourning, including the Departments of Defense (including the Army Corps of Engineers); Energy; Labor; Health and Human Services; Education; and Veterans Affairs. The Bureau of Reclamation also avoided the shutdown as its appropriations are included with the spending package for the Department of Energy, though other agencies within the Department of Interior remain closed.

Federal agencies caught in the shutdown include the Departments of Homeland Security, State, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is also shut down. Most employees at these agencies are currently furloughed and cannot report to work or work remotely unless they are deemed essential.

While much of our work with EPA is on hold due to the shutdown, WateReuse continued work with the Army Corps of Engineers. Last week, we met with the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army to discuss Section 1164, Local Government Water Management Plans, enacted in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. The provision authorizes the Corps to consult with local governments when planning water resource projects to determine if there is an opportunity to consider additional stormwater management elements, such as stormwater harvesting and water reuse as part of a flood control project the Corps would be undertaking.

On January 3, the 116th Congress was officially sworn in with Democrats taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Republicans expanding their majority in the U.S. Senate. The 116^th Congress includes nine new Senators (seven Republicans, two Democrats) and 89 new members of the House (60 Democrats, 29 Republicans). Though several House and Senate Committees have yet to announce membership, leaders have been named for some key committees that oversee water recycling issues. Below is a list of key House and Senate Committee leadership assignments:

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) – Chair
Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) – Ranking Member

House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA)

House Natural Resources Committee
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) – Chair
Rep. Rob Bishop (D-UT) – Ranking Member

House Water and Power Subcommittee
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) – Chair
(Ranking Member not yet reported)

House Appropriations Committee
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) – Chair
Rep., Kay Granger (R-TX) – Ranking Member

House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) – Chair
(Ranking Member not yet reported)

House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) – Chair
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) – Ranking Member (likely)

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) – Chair
Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) – Ranking Member

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) – Chair
Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-WV) – Ranking Member

Senate Appropriations Committee
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) – Chair
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) – Ranking Member

Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) – Chair
Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) – Ranking Member

Senate Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) – Chair
Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) – Ranking Member

Just before leaving town for the holidays, Congress passed H.R.7279, the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, which codifies integrated water management for clean water resources within the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The bill’s champions included Congressman Bob Gibbs (R-OH), with cosponsors Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Bob Latta (R-OH), Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), and Dave Joyce (R-OH). Senate sponsors were Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Boozman (R-AR), Rob Portman (R-OH), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), James Inhofe (R-OK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN).

The bill amends the Clean Water Act to authorize the incorporation of integrated management plans into NPDES permits. It dictates that an integrated plan may include implementation of projects to reclaim, recycle, or reuse water.

The bill also amends CWA to create a new section on “Green Infrastructure,” which it defines as the range of measures that use plant or soil systems, permeable pavement or other permeable surfaces or substrates, stormwater harvest and reuse, or landscaping to store, infiltrate, or evapotranspirate stormwater and reduce flows to sewer systems or to surface waters. EPA is directed to promote green infrastructure and integrate it into its operations and programs.

Finally, the bill creates a new Office of the Municipal Ombudsman at EPA, and directs the Office to provide municipalities information about the opportunity to develop an integrated plan. The next step for WateReuse will be working with EPA to help guide implementation decisions.

Water Week 2019 is March 31–April 6, and its anchor event, the National Water Policy Fly-In, will convene April 3-4 in Washington, DC. With a new Congress in place, your attendance and engagement are more critical than ever. Mark your calendars now and save the date! WateReuse urges members to join us in Washington DC to ensure that the water reuse message is an integral part of the Water Week message.

Building off the momentum of major advocacy wins in 2018—such as the bipartisan passage of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act that included key provisions beneficial to water recycling —and the significant potential for congressional focus on infrastructure during the next session, it is crucial that policymakers hear directly from you about the specific challenges to your utility and community.

Join us as we call on the Administration and the new Congress to work in partnership with the sector and invest in our nation’s water infrastructure, including drinking water, clean water, and recycled water. With an engaging format and affordable price point, you won’t want to miss the next Fly-In, the most significant water policy event of 2019!

Registration opens mid-January so keep an eye on your inbox. Make plans today to make an impact this year!

Building on last year’s successes in advocacy, education, and engagement, the WateReuse Association is expanding and strengthening its team to support member needs in 2019.

In October 2018, Carrie Capuco joined the WateReuse Association as the Director of Strategic Operations. Immediately prior, she was the Director of Communications for the Water Environment Research Foundation, now the Water Research Foundation after over 23 years as an environmental consultant specializing in capacity building for many new and evolving government programs and non-profit corporations. Capuco began her career as an analyst in the US. EPA working on development of the National Contingency Plan.

Greg Fogel joined the WateReuse Association as Policy Director in January 2019. As Policy Director, Greg leads the association’s federal policy work, including its legislative and regulatory advocacy program. Before joining WateReuse, Greg worked for nearly a decade on agriculture policy issues, including those related to conservation, water quality, and water quantity. Greg is a native of California, and holds a Master of Science degree and Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Angelia Bland is the new Manager of Meetings and Events for the WateReuse Association. Her primary responsibility for the organization is managing the logistics, exhibits, and operations for organizational meetings and events. Prior to joining the WateReuse Association, Angelia was an independent event planning consultant working with non-profits and trade association in the Washington DC metropolitan area. She has been in the meetings industry for more than 20 years overseeing events for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Independent Sector and the American Petroleum Institute. She is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and holds a bachelor’s degree from Howard University.

Lastly, Jean Hwang began as the Association’s Government Affairs Assistant, working with Association’s staff on administrative duties, managing website content and conducting policy research. Jean served as an intern with the Association before being promoted to this current position, and holds a degree in political science and international relations from Kookmin University in Seoul, South Korea.