United States: Water

On September 30, 2026, Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee Chair Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-NM) unveiled the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA; S. 5653), a comprehensive permitting reform package aimed at accelerating approvals for energy, infrastructure, transmission, mining, manufacturing, and other major projects. The legislation represents the most significant bipartisan permitting reform effort in years and follows months of negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats.

California's water professionals work tirelessly to ensure safe and reliable water, wastewater, and recycled water services across the state, especially as the region faces a hotter, drier climate with extreme weather events. This recognition highlights the essential expertise and dedication these professionals bring to their communities while encouraging the next generation to consider rewarding careers in the water industry.

Texas has launched a sweeping investigation into hundreds of data center developments that failed to comply with mandatory water use surveys, marking the latest escalation in a seven-week regulatory crackdown. The state's actions have frozen permits, paused interconnection studies, and exposed projects to criminal and civil enforcement, all while the industry faces mounting scrutiny over its rapidly growing demands on electricity and water infrastructure. With multiple state agencies now coordinating enforc

Water utility bills are rising faster than electricity rates across America, driven by aging infrastructure, stricter regulations, and system consolidations. This analysis examines why investor-owned water utilities in North Carolina are experiencing accelerating rate increases and explores the legal, economic, and affordability challenges facing regulators and low-income households.

Bergeson & Campbell provides comprehensive coverage of federal regulatory developments affecting chemicals, pesticides, and related products, including EPA's latest TSCA risk evaluations, FIFRA pesticide updates, and emerging policy initiatives across environmental and chemical safety programs.

The EPA and Army Corps have issued a supplemental proposal that would fundamentally reshape federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction by replacing the controversial "wet season" framework with a stricter "perennial water" standard. This alternative approach would require water features to flow continuously year-round under ordinary conditions, with limited exceptions for brief dry periods, potentially excluding vast areas—particularly in the arid West—from federal wetlands regulation.

California environmental regulators advance new pollution controls while federal agencies shift course on power plant emissions and pipeline approvals. Major infrastructure projects including dam retrofits...

California faces mounting water challenges as Lake Mead and Lake Powell reach historic lows, prompting innovative solutions like interstate water sharing and desalination programs. Meanwhile, state lawmakers debate how to balance the water demands of AI-driven data centers with conservation needs, and regulators advance major infrastructure projects including the controversial Delta Conveyance Tunnel and Sites Reservoir amid environmental concerns.

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 has advanced in both the House and Senate with unanimous committee approval, authorizing new Corps of Engineers projects and policy reforms. While both chambers emphasize project delivery improvements and infrastructure resilience, they differ significantly in scope—the House proposes 131 feasibility studies and 10 construction projects, while the Senate includes 61 studies, 15 construction projects, and billions in EPA drinking water and wastewater i