The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently submitted two proposals to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for interagency review to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The USEPA provided an Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR 5) proposal. The proposal includes nationwide drinking water monitoring for PFAS under the UCMR 5 utilizing new Read More
WEF Report Determines Low Risk of COVID-19 Infection for Wastewater Professionals
On August 13th, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) Blue Ribbon Panel on Biological Hazards and Safety Precautions published their findings Protecting Wastewater Professionals From Covid-19 and Other Biological Hazards. The publication covers specific findings regarding COVID-19; an update of MOP-1, Safety, Health, and Security in Wastewater Systems; and identifies additional research needs. Through his role Read More
USEPA Declines to Regulate Perchlorate in Drinking Water
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has issued a final action regarding the regulation of perchlorate under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The USEPA has determined that perchlorate does not meet the criteria for regulation as a drinking water contaminant under the SDWA. Therefore, the 2011 regulatory determination is being withdrawn, and USEPA announced Read More
New Water Data Transparency Tool Educates Consumers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has unveiled a new tool that assembles publicly available water quality data into a user-friendly package that provides information on the quality of our nation’s waters at the community, State, and national level. The “How’s My Waterway” tool allows the public to learn about water, explore data, and find out Read More
USEPA Releases Draft Criteria to Protect Lakes and Reservoirs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently issued new, draft ambient water quality criteria recommendations for nutrients in lakes and reservoirs. The criteria recommendations serve as important resources to protect public health, pets, and aquatic life from the adverse effects of excess nutrients in surface waters, including during the summer recreation season. When finalized, these Read More
Future PFAS Legislation One Step Closer
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is closer to implementing an important per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) requirement of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA added 172 PFAS to the list of chemicals required to be reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and established a 100-pound reporting threshold for these substances. The Read More