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WASWD Updates March 24, 2025
- By: WASWD
- On: 03/24/2025 17:25:05
- In: WASWD Updates 2025
- Comments: 0
| WASWD publishes this bi-weekly e-newsletter to convey current information about legislative and regulatory issues, other issues of importance to districts, and upcoming training and other events |
| WASWD Updates 2022-2024 Archive |
Yakima Basin Drought Year Education Federal News Department of Ecology Department of Health Why Water Levels Change Regulatory News Funding News Technology News WASWD News Trainings, Conferences & Events Associate Member Spotlight |
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The Yakima Basin is bracing for a possible third consecutive year of drought, a situation not seen since the early 1990s. As of March 6, the five basin reservoirs held only 38 percent of their typical water levels for this time of year, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). |
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| The low water levels are partly due to back-to-back droughts in 2023 and 2024, and the region will need an above average snowpack to recover. However, with a limited timeframe for significant precipitation, recovery seems unlikely according to the Department of Ecology. Read More Here. |
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| Education | |
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Apply for Hands on Summer Internship |
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High school students can apply for the Clean Water Ambassadors Internship, a year-long program that includes a five-week summer intensive program running July 7 to Aug. 7. Interns explore clean water careers, take field trips, and develop communication skills. Applications open April 1. |
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| Federal News | ||
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EPA Undertakes Deregulatory Actions, WOTUS Revision |
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| Administrator Zeldin leads efforts to fulfill President Trump's day one agenda of unleashing energy through deregulatory actions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 12, 2025, it will undertake 31 deregulatory actions. With the announcement, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin aligned himself with President Trump's day one executive orders and the Powering the Great American Comeback agenda. An EPA press release states that while the core mission of the agency is protecting the environment, it is committed to fulfilling the President's promise to unleash American energy, lower costs, restore the rule of law and give power back to the states. Key actions in the announcement include reconsideration of regulations on: power plants, the oil and gas industry, wastewater regulations for coal power plants, coal ash programs; and terminating environmental justice and DEI arms of the EPA. |
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EPA Administrator, DOGE Cancels Over 400 Grants in 4th Round of Cuts |
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| The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the assistance of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), focused on grant cancellations in early February 2025. EPA press releases state that the cancelled grants were for DEI and environmental justice programs, however specific grants have not been detailed. So far, the EPA has announced three rounds of cancellations totaling more than $116 million. Read More. |
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Talking Under Water Episode 81: WOTUS & The Clean Water Act |
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In this episode of Talking Under Water, Jeremy Wolfe interviews Duke McCall, partner at Morgan Lewis. The two discuss the U.S. Supreme Court's May 2023 ruling in Sackett v. EPA and its implications. McCall describes the function of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) in the Clean Water Act, the story behind the Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA, which limited the reach of the definition | |
| for WOTUS, and how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has adjusted its definition of WOTUS after the ruling. | ||
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EPA Staff Directed to Seek DOGE Approval for Spending |
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| EPA mandates approval from DOGE for spending over $50,000, requiring daily explanations and additional forms. Senator Whitehouse expresses concern over potential delays and external influence. | ||
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Personal Financial Affairs Disclosure |
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| If you ran for office last year and were elected for the first time, or you were appointed last year, the report you previously submitted as a candidate or appointee does not meet your annual filing requirement. If you left office in 2024, you need to file for the portion of the year you served. Reports are due April 15, 2025. The Public Disclosure Commission needs to hear from you before the filing deadline. |
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House Hearing Highlights Need For Federal Water Infrastructure Financing Programs |
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| The Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee held a hearing on March 11, 2025, to examine the benefits to state and local communities of federal water infrastructure financing programs, including the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Water Infrastructure and Finance Innovation Act (WIFIA) programs, and how those programs may be improved to help communities improve their water infrastructure. The Subcommittee heard witness perspectives from throughout the water infrastructure project application and construction pipeline. Witnesses discussed the importance of the CWSRF and WIFIA programs to states' and local communities' ability to finance their water infrastructure needs, including for smaller and rural communities. |
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| Department of Ecology | |
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WA Ecology Director Responds to Federal Rollbacks |
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| Sixkiller said Ecology is closely monitoring the situation and preparing for potential impacts on state environmental programs but, he said, “it does not yet feel like we've reached the crescendo.” | |
| “Our mission remains clear,” he said of the state's work. “I sort of feel the trajectory of my career over the last 25 years in some ways has prepared me to lead through this moment.” Read more here. | |
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Construction Stormwater General Permit |
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| Ecology is updating the current Construction Stormwater General Permit, which expires Dec. 31, 2025. The draft permit is now available for public comment. A formal announcement was published in the Washington State Register on March 19, 2025. Ecology invites comments on the draft permit document beginning at 9 a.m. on March 19, 2025 until 11:59 p.m. on May 9, 2025. After it closes, they will publish a Response to Comments as an appendix to the fact sheet to address the public comments submitted. Supporting documents The current permit went into effect on Jan. 1, 2021, and expires on Dec. 31, 2025. To receive updates about this permit, sign up for their email list. |
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Nooksack Adjudication Update |
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| Water users in the Nooksack watershed and adjacent areas, also known as Water Resources Inventory Area 1 (WRIA 1), should begin receiving their adjudication claim forms via certified mail this week. The mailing list includes about 30,000 landowners. These forms are the first step in a legal process called adjudication. This process will determine who has a right to use water in the Nooksack Basin and how much water |
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| they are entitled to. Resolving these questions will provide the basis for long-term water supply planning in a region where there is a growing demand for a limited amount of water. | |
| Washington State Department of Health | |
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Consumer Confidence Rule Changes in 2027 |
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| On June 24, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) final Consumer Confidence Rule (rule) became effective. EPA revised the rule after reviewing comments from the public, water systems, and state agencies, including ODW. The revised rule makes the annual drinking water report more understandable and more accessible to water systems' customers. The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) distributed to consumers provides a valuable source of information about their water quality and contaminants found in their drinking water. The CCR also provides an excellent opportunity for water systems to showcase any positive changes they've made. Health will implement changes in the CCR program starting January 1, 2027. The first CCRs subject to the new rule will be distributed on or before July 1, 2027. You can find more detailed information regarding the rule revisions on WEPA's Consumer Confidence Reports Rule Revisions webpage. |
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Drinking Water Advisory Group |
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| DOH will hold all their meetings through Microsoft Teams video, so you can join the meeting with your computer, laptop, tablet, or phone from wherever you are. You can find the Teams links and meeting agenda on their DWAG Meeting webpage. After the meeting DOH will post any handouts or presentations and, within a month, post the meeting notes. Do you want to receive advance notice of meetings and their agendas? Join their advisory group email list. Do you have questions about the advisory group or topics you'd like to discuss? Email Brad Burnham with your ideas. |
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Zoom Online Webinar: |
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| March 26, 2025, 11:00 AM - The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a webinar to highlight the free cybersecurity assessments EPA provides to water and wastewater systems to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities and develop a plan to strengthen their cyber defenses. Topics include an overview of the cybersecurity evaluation program, tips on how utilities can prepare for an assessment, benefits of conducting a cybersecurity assessment, and testimonials from utilities that have received a cybersecurity assessment from EPA to provide insight on how the assessment has helped improve their cyber resilience. Register HERE for this webinar. |
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Coming in 2025! Updated Standardized Waterworks Certification Exams! |
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| Every five years, the Department of Health's testing administrators update the databanks for the water and wastewater operator certification exams. This process begins with a job analysis survey sent to certified operators across all classification levels. The survey gathers information about the job duties performed at each classification and certification level. In an unprecedented show of support, more than 20,000 certified operators from all U.S. states and territories, as well as Canadian provinces and territories, submitted completed surveys. The data collected from these surveys is analyzed by psychometricians to ensure the exams accurately reflect industry standards. Next, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) - certified operators actively working in the industry - are convened to review and refine exam questions for each certification level. Their expertise helps maintain the relevance and fairness of the exam content. To align with the 2025 standardized exams, updated Need-to-Know (NTK) criteria and formula conversion tables have been developed. These resources will be available on the Water Professionals International website once the new exams are officially released. The projected Washington state launch date is June 2025. |
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Water Quality Monitoring Schedules Back Online |
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| Your Water Quality Monitoring Schedule (WQMS) is now online. Your WQMS helps you keep track of your system's source-specific and distribution water quality monitoring requirements. The DOH includes information about additional federal PFAS requirements water systems must meet. If you're new to the WQMS, you can learn more about the contents of your WQMS and how to access it online, please review Water Quality Monitoring Schedule Instructions 331-645 (PDF). To view or print your WQMS, follow the instructions starting on page 4. To look up your WQMS online, use only the first five characters of your water system ID and no other information. Reviewing your WQMS throughout the year helps you stay up-to-date with your monitoring requirements. Samples you submit and changes you make to your Water Facility Inventory form can change your monitoring requirements. It may take up to eight weeks for the WQMS to show the most recent chemical sample(s) you collected. If you have any quarterly requirements or new organic detections, you should view your WQMS every calendar quarter. Your quarterly requirements may continue to show up throughout the year. If anything looks incorrect to you, please contact DOH. |
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| Puget Sound Off: Why Lake Washington Water Levels Change | |
| Lake Washington's water levels seem to rise and fall unpredictably, but there's actually a method behind the movement, as they found when they dug into details with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. What's happening: As part of our new series, Puget Sound Off, they're answering reader Kate Winton's question: Why do the lake's water levels change so dramatically with the seasons? |
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| Why it matters: The lake's changing levels — which actually vary only by two feet a year — are fine-tuned to protect the ecosystem and support navigation, salmon migration, tribal fishing rights and dock maintenance, according to the corps. How it works: The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and Dams are used to control the water level of Salmon Bay, Lake Union, Lake Washington Ship Canal and Lake Washington, Shelia Fourman, a spokesperson for the corps Seattle district, told Axios in an email. |
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| Regulatory News | ||
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Camas Could Be the First Community in Washington to Remove Fluoride from Drinking Water |
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| The Camas City Council on Monday voted 4-2 to instruct the city's attorney to draft an ordinance that would, if approved by a majority of the council, halt the city's 60-year-old practice of adding fluoride to its public drinking water system. (Fluoridation aims to protect residents' health by preventing dental cavities.) Read more here. |
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| Funding News | ||
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LOTT Clean Water Alliance Approves Use of $125,000 for New Permanent Supportive Housing Facility |
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At the LOTT Clean Water Alliance's (LOTT) Board of Directors meeting on March 12, 2025, the Board unanimously voted to approve the use of $125,000 of Affordable Housing Support Program funds for the Franz Anderson Permanent Supportive Housing project. LOTT's program supports a regional goal shared by their partners, the cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater, and Thurston County. | |
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Strategic Actions for Mitigating Funding Gap in Water Utilities |
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| McKinsey's report highlights a $194 billion funding gap in U.S. water sector by 2030 and suggests strategic actions for state and local leaders to cut the shortfall by up to 50%. A recent report conducted by McKinsey & Company details how local regulators can reinforce the resilience of utilities. The report highlights funding issues across the private and public water and wastewater sectors. Aging infrastructure and maintenance costs have resulted in higher utility rates for customers which, according to the report, have been unable to close the funding gap. According to the research, the U.S. water utility sector faced an estimated $110 billion funding gap in 2024 – almost 60% of utilities' overall spending. The report relates this to investments in aging infrastructure, operating expenses and water-quality regulations. The report predicts this gap could increase to approximately $194 billion by 2030. |
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| Technology News | ||
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Three Way to Assess Your Smart Utility Readiness |
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It's a fact: The water sector is smarter than ever before, and it's only getting smarter. Across the U.S., water utilities expect to invest $8.3 billion in smart infrastructure by 2027 to meet the need for modernization, according to a study by Northeast Group. | |
| Water and wastewater utilities can use digital technologies to support traditional water infrastructure. Smart tools provide utilities greater awareness and control over their operations. If utilities are hoping to reduce operational costs, increase efficiency, and identify problems early, smart tools can help with that. These tools can also enhance decision-making, regulatory compliance, security, and more. Ready to go digital? Here's how to see if you're prepared to incorporate intelligent water systems. |
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Web Search Formulas Offer a First Step for Protecting Critical Infrastructure |
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| Scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have shown that the algorithms that underlie web searches can help protect facilities like the grid, water treatment plants, food processing facilities and hospitals. “This is a resource for people who are trying to protect an important network from a threat such as a cyberattack, and they need to prioritize which structures are most important to safeguard,” said mathematician Bill Kay, who led the work. |
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| WASWD News |
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Latest Posts in the WASWD Forums |
| Members are seeking information on the WASWD Forum in regard to Has anyone in Section 4 conducted a salary survey or know of a district currently doing one that would like to share it? Be sure to check “Watch this Topic” under “Member District Seeks Information” to receive new forum post notifications when new inquiries are posted. Here's a video reminder on how to do that. |
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Legislative Districts |
| We need your help to be sure our legislator outreach is effective in the 2025 Legislative Session that has just begun. Please take a moment now to review the WASWD list of legislative districts and who serves there to either confirm it is accurate or provide a correction, and email us at staff@waswd.org. Thank you to those who have already provided that information. |
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WASWD Directory Updates |
| Please take a few minutes now, if you haven't already, to update your information on the WASWD website so you don't miss getting any important information like the session legislative reports. If you need assistance, contact Jared at staff@waswd.org or 206-246-1299. |
| Upcoming Meetings |
| Links to all virtual meetings are available on the Committee Documents webpage of the members only section of the WASWD website. |
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Section I & II Meeting |
March 27, 2025 @6:00PM |
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Government Relations Committee |
April 10, 2025 @10:00AM |
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Section I, II, III, & IV Meeting |
April 30, 2025 @7:00AM |
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Finance Committee Meeting |
May 5, 2025 @10:00AM |
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Government Relation Committee |
May 8, 2025 @10:00AM |
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Membership Committee |
May 13, 2025 @10:00AM |
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Section III Meeting |
May 13, 2025 @6:00PM |
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Workforce Development Committee |
May 14, 2025 @10:00AM |
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Conference & Training Committee |
May 15, 2025 @10:00AM |
| Trainings, Conferences & Events | ||||||
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WASWD 2025 Spring Conference & Trade Show |
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Tuesday April 29, 2025 - Thursday, May 1, 2025 | |||||
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Member registration is now open for the WASWD Spring Conference. Early Bird registration ends April 8, 2025.
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Math for Operators & Reading P&IDs Workshop |
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Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 7:30AM – 3:30PM | ||||
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An online workshop to learn the basics of math used by water and wastewater operators and how to read and generate Process & Instrumentation Diagrams commonly used in the industry. Practice sessions included.
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Annual Filing Training and Support |
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Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 9:00AM – 11:00AM Registration Link - Cash Thursday, March 27, 2025, 9:00AM – 11:00AM Registration Link - GAA |
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| Join the SAO for two free, 2-hour live webinars that will provide an overview of each component of the annual report; including what information is required to complete each component, where to find the BARS manual instructions, preparing templates, etc. They will also briefly discuss any recent changes to the reporting requirements and help local governements make sure they have the tools and resources to successfully file their annual report. | ||||||
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Understanding the Lead & Copper Rule for Small Water Systems |
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Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 9:00AM – 12:00PM | ||||
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This workshop provides an in-depth look at the Lead & Copper Rule (LCR) and its impact on small water systems. Participants will learn key regulatory requirements, sampling protocols, corrosion control strategies and best practices for compliance. Whether you're a system operator, manager or regulator, this training will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to meet LCR standards and protect public health. |
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NEW - ORCA Demonstration |
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Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 10:00AM – 12:30PM Registration Link Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1:30PM – 4:00PM Registration Link Thursday, May 15, 2025, 10:00AM – 12:30PM Registration Link Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 1:30PM – 4:00PM Registration Link |
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Join the PDC to watch a demonstration of reporting various contributions, expenditures, and loans. Learn to personalize your campaign, import contacts, and enter fundraisers. Find out how to review and amend reports. |
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Digging into Public Works Fundamentals: Vancouver |
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Thursday, March 27, 2025, 8:00AM – 3:00PM | ||||
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This workshop provides an in-depth look at the Lead & Copper Rule (LCR) and its impact on small water systems. Participants will learn key regulatory requirements, sampling protocols, corrosion control strategies and best practices for compliance. Whether you're a system operator, manager or regulator, this training will equip you |
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Prevention Measures and Management of DBPs Virtual Conference |
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Thursday, March 27, 2025, 9:30AM – 18:00PM (GMT) London Thursday, March 27, 2025, 1:30AM – 10:00AM (PST |
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The workshop aims to discuss preventive measures and practices to secure drinking water quality and mitigate drinking water challenges - such as the spread of DBPs (Disinfection by-products) - along the whole drinking water chain. The objective of this workshop is to draft practical recommendations for policymakers, industries and water-sector stakeholders.
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2025 Basic Waterworks Workshop |
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Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 7:30AM – 3:30PM | ||||
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An introduction to water supply, treatment and distribution for new utility employees, office personnel and others looking for a general introduction to the industry.
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NEW - Understanding the F-1 |
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Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 1:30PM – 4:00PM Registration Link Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 10:00AM – 12:30PM Registration Link |
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Are you required to file the F-1 Personal Financial Affairs Statement? This class will explain what you need to know about the F-1 and demonstrate how to use the PDC's filing system to complete the 8 sections of the report.
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NEW - Disclosure 101: Candidates and Committees |
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Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 1:30PM – 4:00PM Registration Link Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 10:00AM – 12:30PM Registration Link Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 1:30PM – 4:00PM Registration Link |
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Candidates and committees, join the PDC for an overview of campaign finance regulations. Learn the basics of reporting, including rules around contributions and expenditures. Hear guidance on using volunteers, hosting fundraisers, and advertising campaigns.
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ICS 300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents |
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Tuesday, April 22, 2025 – April, 24, 2025, Seattle Registration Link Wednesday, May 14, 2025 – May 16, 2025, Snoqualmie Registration Link |
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The ICS-300 course is designed for individuals who may take on a more significant role during an incident, either in a supervisory or supporting capacity. This course offers extensive hands-on practice with key NIMS concepts, providing a deeper understanding and the opportunity to apply them in real-world scenarios.
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PNWS- AWWA 2025 Section Conference |
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Wednesday, May 7, 2025 – Friday, May 9, 2025 | ||||
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The conference features pre-conference training sessions, technical presentations, a vendor trade show, and ample networking opportunities, including a golf tournament, opening reception, and young professional scavenger hunt.
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2025 Western Washington Short School Trade Show |
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Wednesday, October 1-2, 2025, 8:00AM – 5:00PM Renton | ||||
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This course reinforces information covered in the ICS-100 through ICS-300 courses, and discusses several new topics, including Area Command, and modifications to the standard ICS organizational structure that might be helpful during Complex Incidents.
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| Associate Member Spotlight |
| Wilson Engineering Wilson Engineering is a civil engineering and surveying firm located in Bellingham, Washington. Our firm has provided services to the Pacific Northwest since 1967, including all aspects of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, roads, site development, and more. Our surveyors are experts in topography, hydrography, aerial photogrammetry, and 3D scanning. You can rely on our extensive experience with publicly funded water and wastewater projects to produce creative solutions for your project needs. We become your strategic partner in meeting your project goals: technically sound, on schedule, and cost effectively managed. To learn more, please call 360.733.6100 or visit our website at WilsonEngineering.com. Check out our video —it may just make you smile. |
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