In the second installment of the VACCINE webinar series, Schroeder Law Office presents “What to Do When There is No Water: Drought Tools Explained.”  This webinar took place on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, from noon to 1:00 PM, Pacific time. A recording is now posted.

Laura Schroeder and Caitlin Skulan will discuss drought tools in Oregon, Nevada, and Idaho.  The discussion will include the requirements for a declaration of drought in each jurisdiction, tools available to water managers and users during drought, and priorities of use during water shortages.

Can’t make it on June 22^nd?  Afterwards, webinars are available here.  Schroeder Law Offices gives you free “on demand” access to educational content while maintaining social distance! Also check out our “Where is the Water?” articles in the WaterSPOT (Nevada) and the upcoming issues of the Water Gram (Idaho), and H2Oregon. 

Stay tuned to the Schroeder Law Offices blog for announcements about the upcoming webinars.  The third installment of the VACCINE series, “What Terms to Include in a Well Share Agreement” was presented Tuesday, July 13, 2021.  You can find a recording of that webinar here.

If you have any issues viewing, please contact Scott Borison at scott@water-law.com.    

(Image credit:  https://www.cnbc.com/2014/09/16/droughts-predictions-are-difficult-on-when-theyll-end.html; https://www.kunr.org/post/drought-fires-and-heat-look-nevadas-climate-earth-day-2021#stream/0)

The Carson Water Subconservancy District has launched their second video in their, I am Carson River Watershed Campaign series, titled “Water Connects Us All” click the link below to watch:

http://iamcarsonriver.org/

For those of us in northern Nevada, the Carson River plays an important part in our communities by supporting our watershed’s environment, economy, and quality of life.  Regardless of where we live, we can all do our part in our daily lives to protect the watersheds around us. 

Here are some easy ways to help your community today:

• Recycle motor oil
• Using, storing, and disposing of chemical oils
• Inspecting and maintaining septic systems
• Cleaning up after pets
• Keep fertilizers, paint products, etc. out of the water supply

This post is one of a series highlighting the ways in which water users have adapted to life in the time of COVID-19.

Shelley Roberts is the CEO of the Idaho Rural Water Association (“IRWA”). IRWA is a resource for small water systems in the State of Idaho that offers training for drinking water and wastewater operators and aids those systems in times of need. Their objective is “to ensure Idaho’s rural communities are safe while still maintaining the high quality of life we hold so dear.”

For Shelley, the best part of working with IRWA has been the same since day one. As someone with a business background, she loves being able to utilize her education by running a non-profit corporation benefiting others. “I’ve never met such salt of the earth people as I have in the water industry,” she says. “They are all so genuine, caring, and kind.”

COVID-19’s impact on IRWA started during its Spring Conference in March, 2020, which concluded on Friday, March 13- the same day the Federal Government declared a state of emergency. The following Monday, all of IRWA’s administrative staff were directed to stay home. The week after, IRWA organized a work from home policy that allowed employees to perform their duties remotely. For IRWA’s circuit riders, though, it was a different story.

Drinking water and wastewater are essential services, and adjustments had to be made to ensure they continued to run smoothly. IRWA employs numerous circuit riders and field staff whose jobs require in-person and onsite contact with water system operators. However, thanks to video conferencing technology, much of their communications with the operators could be conducted remotely, limiting potential exposure. When site visits were required, field staff practiced social distancing as much as possible, including staying 6 feet apart and wearing face masks.

An unexpected benefit of remote work was an increased ability not only to contact the systems but for internal communication between IRWA’s employees, office and field staff alike. “We learned how to use Teams and started having weekly video conferences,” Shelly told us. “We weren’t able to do that before. It was nice for everyone [at IRWA] to have more contact with each other.”

According to Shelley, one of the biggest impacts COVID-19 had was fear of “what ifs.” The ability to communicate with water systems in remote locations without having to travel allowed the circuit riders to discuss those concerns quickly and determine what steps were needed to resolve any issues.

Another of IRWA’s major concerns was operator availability. Many of the small systems IRWA works with are operated by volunteers who have other commitments to day jobs and families. Should those operators fall ill or otherwise become unable to perform their duties, it can be difficult to find other operators to fill in.

IRWA has long worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to locally administer the water/wastewater agency response network, otherwise known as WARN. In response, through WARN, IRWA was able to put together a list of volunteers who could assist if a system’s regular operator was not available.

Shelley says that IRWA’s response to COVID-19 did not greatly differ from their response to other emergencies in which the first step is typically outreach and communication with the systems IRWA works with. For example, on March 21, 2020, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck central Idaho. Circuit riders needed immediate contact with water systems to assess any potential damage caused by the quake. Luckily, the remote communication procedures implemented in response to COVID-19 allowed IRWA’s circuit riders to easily check in with system operators.

While the pandemic continues to impact daily life and operations for IRWA in general and Shelley personally, she looks forward to life after COVID-19. Professionally, she awaits opening up the new training center in Boise, Idaho IRWA constructed just prior to the shutdown. The center will host hands-on trainings for water and wastewater operators in addition to traditional classroom training. As for her personally? Being able to hug her friends and extended family.

Shelley participated in a panel discussion on the pandemic’s impact on the Idaho water sector as a part of the Idaho Association of Cities’ 2020 virtual conference, which you can watch in full here. For more information about IRWA, including details for upcoming trainings, check out their website here. And stay tuned to Schroeder Law Offices’ blog for more posts in this series and other water-related issues!

The State of the Water Industry Survey

In the June 2020 issue of Opflow, the American Water Works Association published a survey of 3,351 water industry professionals. The State of the Water Industry (SOTWI) survey identifies challenges to the water industry and seeks to understand their causes.

Several issues regarding water resource management made the top ten concerns of the industry professionals surveyed. “Long-term water supply availability” was the third-highest ranked issue on the list at #3, followed closely by “watershed/source water protection” (#5) and “groundwater management and over-use’ (#10).

Water Demand

Specifically, 57 percent of surveyed respondents indicated that their utilities could meet anticipated long-term water demand. However, about 12 percent of respondents claim that it will be challenging to meet future supply needs. This uncertainty creates reverberating effects throughout the industry. Uncertainty affects many other aspects of water resource management and quality, including the other issues mentioned in the survey. Future supply shortfalls will lead to increased price and competition as well as the potential for more frequent litigation over water rights.

Source Water Protection

In addition, source water protection was another critical issue for water resource managers. 76 percent of utility respondents to the survey said that they had implemented or were implementing a source water protection program. When considering only large utility respondents, that share increased to 89 percent. Clearly, utilities focus on strong source water protection programs. These programs are often cost-effective ways to protect and improve both water quality and quantity. Further, states are generally responsible for implementing water quality standards under the Safe Drinking Water and Clean Water Acts for drinking water. Recently, the AWIA, America’s Water Infrastructure Act amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, signed into law in 2018.

Groundwater

Finally, this was the second consecutive year that groundwater issues were front and center in the survey. 2019 California drought and wildfire conditions stressed groundwater resources, bringing those issues to the front of many survey respondents’ minds. Those issues show no signs of abating, as drought and wildfires continue to ravage the West.

In conclusion, many of the challenges highlighted by survey respondents are similar to those faced by water resource managers throughout the years. While there may be some cause for concern in certain areas, overall the survey shows a positive outlook for the future. Utilities are using existing water resources more efficiently as they comply with the AWIA, protect their water sources, and engage in asset management planning. The water industry has poised itself to meet its challenges with resilience.

This blog was drafted with the assistance of Drew Hancherick, a current law student attending Lewis and Clark Law School.

April 22, 2020 is the 50^th anniversary of the first Earth Day, a global holiday that unites citizens of the Earth to take better care of our planet.

Earth Day was initially proposed by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson as a way to bring awareness to ongoing ecological issues and concerns. It took place on April 22, 1970 with a series of “teach-ins” on college campuses across America. It then gained national attention and momentum. The first Earth Day inspired the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It also lead to the passage of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts along with numerous other environmental laws and regulations.

The next Earth Day did not take place until April 22, 1990. Numerous corporations and celebrities endorsed the holiday, and over 200 million people worldwide came together to celebrate. Now Earth Day is an annual event observed around the world. It continues to inspire rallies, cleanup projects, and volunteer efforts. It also provides an opportunity to bring awareness to ongoing and ever-evolving environmental issues like climate change, pollution, and deforestation.

Earth Day is often celebrated outdoors in large groups. Community members gather to perform services such as picking up litter or planting trees. Many others participate in marches or protests about ways we can minimize our impact on the planet and improve global environmental health. However, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and need for social distancing, Earth Day 2020 is a little different. The majority of events are taking place online rather than outside. Still, there are plenty of ways to celebrate. 

While outdoor community gatherings are largely cancelled this year, countless digital resources and events are taking place to make the 50^th anniversary memorable and impactful. Earth Day’s official website has an interactive map with links to events happening virtually all around the United States and the globe. This means you can participate in events in your community, on the other side of the country, or anywhere on the planet!

Of course, April 22^nd isn’t the only day to celebrate the Earth. The National Ocean Service has a list of 10 simple things you can do every day to protect and improve our planet in the short- and long-term. These steps are also laid out in their handy infographic below.

At Schroeder Law Offices, we try to celebrate Earth Day every day. To learn more about what we do and about all things water, check out our Schroeder Law Offices blog!

In July, 2020, attorney Laura Schroeder will hit the road and travel to Idaho to teach a series of classes on “Water Law for Utilities.” The classes are put on by the Idaho Rural Water Association (IRWA) and are approved by the State of Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses for 0.6 drinking water or wastewater Continuing Education Units.

Laura regularly presents to small and large groups in and around the Portland metropolitan area. However, this is the first time since 2018 that she will make it to Idaho. Then, she worked with IRWA to teach a series on understanding and managing municipal drinking water rights. This time around, she will focus on water utilities.

In these classes, Laura will provide an overview of water rights in the State of Idaho and how water utilities are impacted by the laws and statutes that govern those rights. She will also address water quality, quantity, and access issues, including a brief discussion of easement law. Finally, she will go over some of Idaho’s public meeting laws and how they pertain to water utilities.

Laura will teach in Twin Falls, Idaho on Monday, July 14, in Pocatello, Idaho on Tuesday, July 15, and in Fruitland, Idaho on Thursday, July 17. For more information or to register, check out the calendar of events on the Idaho Rural Water Association’s website: https://www.idahoruralwater.com/Training/Calendar.aspx. And don’t forget to follow Schroeder Law Offices’ blog for more upcoming events and news on water law developments throughout the northwest!

Starting September 29, 2019, natural gas providers in Oregon will have a new, renewable way of powering their customers’ homes. Governor Kate Brown executed a new law at the end of July, 2019 allowing capture, treatment, and conversion of methane found in wastewater into renewable natural gas (“RNG” or “biogas”), which can then be used to provide power to homes using existing infrastructure.

While converting wastewater to RNG is more expensive than fracking, biogas burns more cleanly than traditionally-obtained natural gas and provides environmental and health benefits by significantly reducing carbon emissions. Additionally, the law requires utility companies to “deliver service as cheaply as possible,” a contingency aimed at preventing a steep increase in price to the consumer.

Lane County, Oregon will begin construction of facilities to produce RNG next year. The biogas will then be sold to public utilities for distribution to their customers as early as 2021. Originally, Lane County planned to use the biogas as an alternative source of fuel for vehicles. Now, the practical potential to use biogas as a renewable resource has expanded.

With the passage of this law, biogas can be used to power homes and businesses. However, RNG has long been used throughout the State of Oregon as a source of renewable energy.

Since 1986, the Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant in Portland, Oregon has used biogas produced and captured at the plant to heat the plant itself, along with a nearby industrial roofing facility. Portland is also developing facilities to convert methane to biogas for use as an alternate source of fuel for diesel engine vehicles. The fuel will be sold to the public and used for City vehicles. Production is expected to begin in early 2020.

Threemile Canyon Farms near Boardman, Oregon started converting cow manure into electricity in 2009, and has expanded its facilities multiple times in the past decade. Currently, the dairy is the largest manure digester in the western United States. In 2017, it announced its plan to begin converting wastewater into RNG. In April, 2019, the Department of Environmental Quality approved Threemile’s application for a modified air quality permit, allowing it to move forward with the project.

The Durham Water Resource Recovery Facility in Washington County, Oregon repurposes wastewater in a variety of ways. The facility has captured phosphorus in wastewater and converted it to fertilizer since 2009. The fertilizer is then sold commercially around the Pacific Northwest. Since 2016, it has also converted wastewater and food grease into electricity that provides 60% of the plant’s power. 

In these ways, Oregonians have been meeting Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act requirements through innovations that also provide additional revenue streams. We are excited to continue watching these industries move forward and spread to larger applications.

Stay tuned to Schroeder Law Offices’ blog for updates on these and other projects!

Since 1991, the Stockholm International Water Institute (“SIWI”) has organized and hosted World Water Week. This annual event is designed to bring awareness to water issues and developments around the world. This year, World Water Week takes place at the Tele2 Arena in Johanneshov, Sweden from August 25 through August 30.

Throughout the week, seminars and events will be hosted by individuals and organizations from every corner of the globe. The theme for 2019 is “Water for Society- Including All.” Topics include climate change and sustainability, sanitation and health, equal representation in water-related industries, the impact of modern technology on water consumption and monitoring, and the evolving use of water in farming and industrial practices, among others. These events provide opportunities for discussion of ongoing water issues between industry leaders and students alike.

World Water Week also provides an opportunity to honor achievements in conservation, preservation of resources, and water management. The Stockholm Water Prize and the Stockholm Junior Water Prize are awarded annually to major contributors and innovators in the water world. Anyone who has made “extraordinary water-related achievements” is eligible for nomination, and past winners have hailed from Denver, Colorado to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and everywhere in between.

Of course, not everyone can make it to Sweden. However, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate World Water Week! SIWI’s website has a wealth of information about global water issues, including blog posts, news articles, and information on areas SIWA considers priorities in terms of water conservation and development. There are also organizations around the United States similarly dedicated to encouraging knowledge of and involvement in water issues on a local level. A list of organizations participating in World Water Week can be found here.

World Water Week provides a great opportunity to promote awareness of water usage and conservation around the world. Still, water issues persist year-round. Stay tuned to Schroeder Law Offices’ blog for water law and water new updates all year long!

As most of us are aware, Earth Day has become a global occurrence for which communities host events throughout the week of the holiday. This year, Earth Day fell on Monday, April 22, and communities around the world hosted festivities such as community clean-ups, tree-plantings, and educational events that focused on climate literacy and bringing awareness to climate science for the purpose of encouraging individuals to participate in the preservation of our communities.

Though celebrated annually, Schroeder Law Offices’ (“SLO”) mission includes providing services to those that feed our communities and we consider environmental preservation on a day-to-day basis. SLO works daily with clients such as municipal water users and districts, corporations, and both individual and family farmers to maximize production and efficiency of water use. As we like to say, we do EVERYTHING water!

For ideas on how you can take action for making every day an Earth Day, visit the Earth Day Network’s website for ideas and to learn about “A Billion Acts of Green,” the campaign to reach 3 billion acts of green for the Earth Day holiday’s 50th anniversary in 2020.

Research indicates that planting additional trees may have huge benefits in generating rainfall, thus, consider spending time outside this spring and plant a tree with the goal of bringing freshwater to your community!

Each year during the month of March, the United Nations (“UN”) hosts a “World Water Day.” Friday, March 22nd marks 2019’s World Water Day focusing on sustainable water development goals for everyone by 2030. Annually, the UN hosts World Water Day to bring attention to the world’s water crisis and address reasons why so many people are left without clean drinking water. A series of international events are scheduled to call attention to the world’s water crisis and offer forums to exchange ideas regarding water availability through sustainable development.

As 2019’s theme is “Leaving no one behind,” the UN has made resources available to the public to explore the theme – what the problem is, how it relates to water, what “safe water” means, and why it’s so important as a human right. The UN’s notes that more than 2.1 billion people live without safe water at home, and as many as approximately 4 billion people (nearly two-thirds of the world’s population) experience severe water scarcity at least one month of the year. In effort to combat the possibility of 700 million people worldwide being displaced by intense water scarcity by the year 2030, this year’s theme focuses on what can be done to include all demographics in conversations about water development and recognizing the right to water for all people.

The “Fact Sheet” on World Water Day 2019 shows us how we can be involved, whether it’s sharing resources or through organizing events or activities. There is also a list of events found at their website, both local and international. Though many of the currently scheduled events are taking place internationally, sharing information with those around you is equally important.

The 20th annual National Groundwater Awareness Week will occur between March 10 – March 16, 2019, and this year’s theme for awareness is “Think.” Though a simple theme, through “Think,” the National Groundwater Association (“NGWA”) urges us to “think” about how we impact our groundwater resources in our everyday lives.

For National Groundwater Awareness Week 2019, NGWA encourages us to consider small steps taken to improve the general public’s awareness of groundwater use and its importance in our every day lives, i.e. “Think” about not running the water while you brush your teeth, or, “Think” about fixing the leaking faucet. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that makes the biggest differences!

Taking steps to conserve and protect groundwater is of utmost importance to all as we depend upon groundwater for basic needs. According to NGWA research, approximately 132 million American rely on groundwater for drinking water. Besides drinking water, groundwater consists of a major resource in food and power production, including irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and many other resources. NGWA offers the following facts for consideration:

• Americans use 79.6 billion gallons of groundwater each day.
• Groundwater makes up 20 to 30 times more water than all U.S. lakes, streams, and rivers combined.
• 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply.
• More than 13.2 million households have their own well, representing 34 million people.

“Think” about that!

As a part of 2019’s Groundwater Awareness Week, NGWA will be participating in the Water Resources Congressional Summit to bring federal support for groundwater awareness. Topics for the summit will focus on bringing federal support for detection and remediation regarding PFAS contamination, increasing efforts to promote groundwater recharge, and bolstering support for drinking water infrastructure improvement. More information and educational tools on the 2019 summit topics can be found at the NGWA’s online database.

“Think” about what you might do to bring groundwater awareness to your friends and family!

Written by Alyssa Holland, Lisa Mae Gage, and Lisa Kane

Water Week 2018 is currently underway as water organizations across the country gather in Washington, D.C. to advocate the importance of water protection and conservation with hopes of ultimately elevating water to a national priority. Organizations in the water sector are using Water Week to ramp up their efforts to educate policymakers about the need for funding to benefit water infrastructure. Many organizations are collaborating for Water Week, including National Association of Clean Water Agencies (“NACWA”), Water Environment Federation (“WEF”), American Water Works Association (“AWWA”), and the National Water Resources Association (“NWRA”), for example.

A few main events will take place during Water Week:

• On April 17-18, 2018 the National Policy Fly-In:
  An event to provide the public with the opportunity to voice concerns and challenges to their policy makers.
• April 17-19, 2018: Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (“WWEMA”) 45th Washington Forum:
  “Effectively Communicating Change at the National, State, and Local Level,” a discussion regarding changes happening in Washington, D.C. and to the nationwide water infrastructure, environmental and public health protection, and legislative and regulatory changes that will impact the water sector.
• On April 19, 2018 the WateReuse Association Water Week 2018 Congressional Briefing:
  Four (4) different communities across the country will be highlighted for their use of water recycling and the local economic benefits that encourage other communities to do the same.

While each organization has a slightly different mission, each has a goal of advancing education regarding water issues and returning to their communities with the priority of educating the general public on the same issues. One of the main events, the Congressional Briefing, will directly discuss tools used in arid states (such as one of our main states of practice, Nevada) to address water scarcity and a way for communities to better manage their local water resources to help spur economic growth and plan for the future.

Schroeder Law Offices Nevada attorney Therese Ure also attends and hosts local conferences in Nevada to continue education regarding how to support the community’s resource challenges and even more particularly, how to support Northern Nevada’s agriculture industry. Click here to see our coming events for local education on the topic. Although attending these events may not be a possibility for everyone, we should all use Water Week as a time to reflect on how valuable water is to our everyday lives and to look for ways to conserve and protect water within our own communities.

World Water Day is an event hosted annually by the United Nations on March 22nd. Each year the event has a theme, and 2018’s theme is “Nature for Water.” Events surrounding World Water Day will focus on nature and how we can use our natural resources to overcome the water challenges of the 21st century. There are water-related crises occurring around the world caused by both environmental damage and climate change. World Water Day 2018 will explore how nature-based solutions have the potential to solve many of the challenges we currently face as a global society. Click here for a list of events occurring for World Water Day across the globe.

The headline facts for World Water Day this year focus not only on water demand, but water availability and water quality. Here are a few of their headline facts on water demand, availability, and quality:

• Demand: 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services
• Availability: Today, around 1.9 billion people live in potentially severely water-scarce areas. By 2050 this could increase to around 3 billion people.
• Quality: Globally, over 80% of the wastewater generated by society flows back into the environment without being treated or reused.

In the United States, most regions have water districts and agencies that oversee water use as well as its reuse, helping to replenish local resources while monitoring for drought or scarcity issues. While this may be true for our country, United Nation’s Water (“UN Water”) works to bring awareness to those places in which regulations are not as well-monitored or addressed, and also brings awareness to improvements that can be made in developed regions. While World Water Day 2018 will bring focus to these issues, more research is required for solutions that impact all corners of the globe. On March 22nd, expect the World Water Development Report to be released highlighting the performance, impact, and scalability relevant to the nature-based solutions thus far.

The UN Water online database contains resources regarding sustainable development goals for clean water and sanitation for further information.

Like many Portlanders, I enjoy visiting OMSI whenever I get the chance – whether to see my favorites among the permanent exhibits or to be surprised by new attractions. Some years ago, I viewed a temporary installation that showcased a number of low cost, innovative technologies whose aim is to alleviate the burdens of water hauling and purification that often plague remote, disadvantaged communities. In this blog post I would like to highlight two innovations whose simple design belie their powerful impact on providing clean drinking water.

Women and children are often tasked with fetching water in poor rural areas while the men are engaged in gainful employment away from home. It is not unusual for women to balance loads on their heads where the absence of pack animals, back packs or push carts necessitates it. Naturally, this severely limits how much they can carry in a single trip. When children are responsible for fetching water, this can result in their having to miss school, since the journey to and from a water source can sometimes consume the better part of a day.

The Hippo Roller was developed by a South African design team. It’s simple, durable design has won a number of international awards since its creation in 1991. The carrier consists of a 24 gallon polyethylene barrel which can be either pushed or dragged by its metal handle across rough terrain.Since effort is applied to spinning the barrel around its metal axis instead of carrying it, the Hippo’s effective weight is reduced to just 10lbs, even when filled to capacity. A single person, even a child, can therefore carry more water in a single trip, while simultaneously reducing the frequency with which water needs to be fetched. Currently, 49,000 Hippo Rollers are in use around the world.

The Watercone desalination still is another low cost innovation that has garnered plaudits for its remarkable economy of design which essentially relies on sunlight and clear plastic to harvest fresh water. More surprisingly yet perhaps, its striking look has also attracted the attention of the art world : the Watercone has been exhibited at both MoMA NY and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The still works by pouring salt or brackish water into the round, black dish that forms the bottom of the assembly. A transparent plastic cone is then set inside the rim of the dish and left in the sun for as long as possible. Evaporation distills the water, which condenses on the sides of the cone. When the cone is inverted, the now drinkable water can be drained into a container for use. Depending of the number of hours of sunlight available, the WaterCone can produce anywhere from 0.26-0.45 gallons of fresh water a day.

While one might be tempted to think of design as an optional luxury that adds beauty to one’s surroundings, the Hippo Roller and Watercone demonstrate how engineering acumen and design together can effect powerful change in communities that need it most.

By 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity.  Two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed regions where is there a water security risk. This issue is no longer relegated to the developing world!

We as water lawyers practicing throughout the Western United States are developing new legal strategies to help our small municipal, ranching and farming clients to conserve, maximize efficiency, and change water use patterns to meet these challenges.

To help understand these challenges our lawyers educate, teach and train water users throughout the West and world to use the existing law and traditions to address present and anticipated scarcity challenges. Here is a partial list of presentations we can offer.

On December 22, 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced funding of more than $19 Million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects in Nevada. The program funds fall under Nevada’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and provides money for state projects that promote clean water through wastewater treatment projects and improvements to drinking water infrastructure in the State. The EPA’s Regional Administrator stated that “This substantial investment at the federal level helps communities develop the infrastructure needed for clean, safe drinking water and proper wastewater treatment. EPA is committed to protecting the water resources so important public health and Nevada’s economy.”

Funds supplied under the EPA program will go to provide financing for state projects such as upgrading septic systems to sewer, and renovations to wastewater treatment facilities to increase efficiency, as well as support projects for better and more efficient access to clean drinking water, such as water storage and water system upgrades. The funds this year will combine with over $200 Million in federal funding previously provided to Nevada’s Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund since the project began. While the EPA’s influence can at times be controversial, federal funding is important to State projects, where both municipal and agriculture interests can often benefit from the funds supplied for needed water projects.

More information on the topic can be found at the EPA Web Site.