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May 2024

Publications, News and Opportunities

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Publishes Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water. This FDA rule replaces the previous pre-harvest water microbial quality criteria and testing requirements for covered produce (other than sprouts) with requirements for systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessments for hazard identification and risk management decision-making. These requirements apply to all sources of water (including treated reuse and similar sources of agricultural water), as long as the crop being grown is covered by the Produce Safety Rule and is grown using covered activities.

The EPA Releases Clean Watershed Needs Survey (CWNS) Highlighting Wastewater Infrastructure Needs. Through the CWNS, states and U.S. territories report on future capital costs or investment needs to maintain and modernize publicly owned wastewater treatment works, stormwater infrastructure, nonpoint source control and decentralized wastewater treatment systems. With survey results, the EPA outlined clean water infrastructure investments that are needed over the next 20 years for projects and associated capital costs. The survey data dashboard provides a visual summary of the data presented in the 2022 CWNS report. Water reuse needs were identified by 31 states and were found to comprise $7.7 billion of the $630 billion estimated to be needed over the next 20 years to protect our nation’s water bodies. Compared to the 2012 survey, six additional states identified needs for water reuse. Explore the results, learn about the CWNS and compare past surveys here.

The EPA Offers Free Climate Change Risk Assessment Technical Assistance. Drinking water, wastewater, water reuse and stormwater utilities, along with other water sector stakeholders, are eligible to receive free climate change risk assessment technical assistance from EPA’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative. Through this technical assistance process, CRWU will assist approximately 75 water sector utilities/communities in identifying long-term climate change adaptation strategies, as well as potential funding options to implement adaptive measures. CRWU supports utilities concerned with climate threats including drought, ecosystem changes, floods, service demand and use and water quality degradation. Please indicate your interest to receive this free technical assistance opportunity by emailing to Aliza Furneaux (furneaux.aliza@epa.gov) no later than Friday, August 15, 2024. EPA will notify the utilities chosen to receive technical assistance by early September. Visit EPA CRWU’s Adaptation Case Studies Map to see what other utilities have already done related to water reuse, such as the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (CA), City of San Diego (CA) and Pueblo of Laguna Utility Authority (NM).

Biden-Harris Administration Seeks Input on Groundwater Challenges. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology is collecting public input to address questions related to total groundwater use, storage and recharge to support the development of a report that will advance government-wide action. They have requested input on several areas related to groundwater, including strategies to limit groundwater overuse and ways to efficiently scale groundwater recharge. Please send written submissions to pcast@ostp.eop.gov by July 1 with “Groundwater” in the subject line. 

Water Reuse Funding

The Bureau of Reclamation Awards $179 Million for Large-Scale Water Recycling Projects. Five recipients received a total of $179 million through Reclamation’s Large-Scale Water Recycling Projects Competitive Grants Program. The recipients, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Ventura, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Los Angeles Sanitation and Washington County Water Conservancy District, are the first-ever to receive this award. (Action 6.5: Develop Reclamation’s Large-Scale Water Reuse Funding Opportunity)

The EPA Releases Proposed Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Funding Topics. The EPA issued an annual solicitation for proposals from U.S. small businesses to develop and commercialize innovative technologies that address the Agency's mission. A proposed 2024-2025 SBIR topic under the Clean and Safe Water category is nature-based solutions for water reuse; this opportunity is expected to open in June and close in August. Since 2020, the SBIR program has awarded $3.4 million for reuse research. (Action 7.5: Coordinate and Promote Water Reuse Technology in Federal SBIR Programs)

The EPA Announces $39 Million to Modernize Infrastructure in Illinois with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law from the Biden-Harris Administration. The EPA announced a $39 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to Bloomington and Normal Water Reclamation District in central Illinois. This WIFIA loan will help finance the district’s Wastewater System Modernization and Rehabilitation Program, which will provide essential public health and environmental protections while supporting economic growth. With this loan, the district expects to save $10 million and create about 250 jobs. It is the first WIFIA loan under a WIFIA master agreement that will commit $157 million to accelerate rehabilitating the district’s wastewater system. (Action 6.2B: Support and Communicate WIFIA Funding)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $41 Million in Available Grants to Upgrade Stormwater and Sewer Infrastructure. There is $41 million in new funding available through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. The EPA’s grant funding is available to states to support projects in cities and towns that will make their stormwater collection systems more resilient against increasingly intense rain events, which are made worse by the climate crisis.