Category Archives: Current News

July 25, 2022   Current News

$1 Billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released four drinking water health advisories for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The EPA also announced that it is inviting states and territories to apply for $1 billion—the first of $5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant funding—to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water, specifically in small or disadvantaged communities. These actions build on EPA’s progress to safeguard communities from PFAS pollution and scientifically inform upcoming efforts, including EPA’s forthcoming proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which EPA will release in the fall of 2022.

“People on the front lines of PFAS contamination have suffered for far too long. That’s why EPA is taking aggressive action as part of a whole-of-government approach to prevent these chemicals from entering the environment and to help protect concerned families from this pervasive challenge,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “We are also investing $1 billion to reduce PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water.”

“Today’s actions highlight EPA’s commitment to use the best available science to tackle PFAS pollution, protect public health, and provide critical information quickly and transparently,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “The EPA is also demonstrating its commitment to harmonize policies that strengthen public health protections with infrastructure funding to help communities—especially disadvantaged communities—deliver safe water.”

These funds can be used in small or disadvantaged communities to address emerging contaminants, like PFAS, in drinking water through actions such as technical assistance, water quality testing, contractor training, and installation of centralized treatment technologies and systems.

The EPA will be reaching out to states and territories with information on how to submit their letter of intent (due by Aug. 15, 2022) to participate in this new grant program and will also consult with tribes and Alaskan native villages regarding the tribal set-aside for this grant program. This funding complements $3.4 billion in funding that is going through the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and $3.2 billion through the Clean Water SRFs that can also be used to address PFAS in water this year.

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June 23, 2022   Announcements, Current News

Healthy H2O Act introduced in U.S. House

Legislation joins similar bill in U.S. Senate
 
LISLE, Ill. – The Water Quality Association welcomes the introduction of the Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act, also known as the Healthy H2O Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, which has received bipartisan support, aims to improve drinking water in rural communities.
Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and David Rouzer (R-NC) co-sponsored the legislation, which authorizes a new grant program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would cover costs of water quality testing and the purchase, installation and maintenance of POU/POE water filtration products certified by an ANSI-accredited body. Funding would go directly to individuals, licensed child-care facilities, non-profits, and local governments.
“We applaud Representatives Pingree and Rouzer for introducing the Healthy H20 Act that will increase access to safer drinking water in rural communities,” said Pauli Undesser, Executive Director of the Water Quality Association. “This grant program will help Americans who are most vulnerable to contaminants in their water supply – children, the elderly, and households that rely on private wells. By increasing access to testing and water filtration, we can support the health and safety of these communities.”
This is a companion bill to S.4081, which was introduced earlier this year in the U.S. Senate by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The House version of the bill will remain mostly identical; however, it expands eligible rural communities for this grant to those with up to 10,000 in population, an increase from the USDA regulation default of 2,500.
The Healthy H20 Act is the result of a longstanding effort by WQA’s Clean Water for All Taskforce, whose goal is to craft legislation that will help provide clean and safe drinking water to all Americans. In addition to WQA, more than 20 organizations now support the bill, including the National Ground Water Association, The Water Council, NSF International, IAPMO, the American Supply Association, the Water Systems Council, the Water Well Trust and the Groundwater Foundation.
More information on the bill, including the full text of the legislation and a one-page explainer sheet, is available at wqa.org/healthyh2O.
 
WQA is a not-for-profit trade association representing the residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment industry. WQA’s education and professional certification programs have been providing industry-standardized training and credentialing since 1977.  The WQA Gold Seal certification program has been certifying products that contribute to the safe consumption of water since 1959. The WQA Gold Seal program is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). WQA publishes a consumer-friendly website, BetterWaterToday.org.
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