The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will distribute billions of dollars in grants for PFAS treatment infrastructure and educate communities and water systems about how to make the most of these resources and position themselves for compliance with its new proposed PFAS regulations. These investments mark the latest in the Trump Administration’s pattern of environmental federalism,
On May 18, 2026, following through on its May 2025 announcements, the Trump administration, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), proposed two new PFAS rules. The proposed rules are in keeping with the deregulatory spirit of the proposed rule narrowing PFAS reporting requirements proposed in November 2025. One proposed rule establishes a process
With the rollout of Proposition 4 funding entering its next critical phase in the second quarter of 2026, California water providers have a historic opportunity to secure financial backing for vital infrastructure and climate resilience projects. Passed by voters in November 2024, the $10 billion climate bond earmarks $3.8 billion explicitly for safe drinking water,
New Court Decision Reinforces Water Agencies’ Authority to Conduct Early Project Studies
On March 12, 2026, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced via press release and bulletin the release of its California Groundwater: Bulletin 118 – Update 2025 (2025 Update). Bulletin 118 represents “the State’s official and most comprehensive report of groundwater monitoring, conditions, and management across California.” The 2025 Update is the third Bulletin 118
On March 12, 2026, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued a bulletin announcing that the State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Water Board) Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) reporting system is now open. That system is called the Groundwater Extraction Annual Reporting System (GEARS) and is available online. The deadline for the initial
On March 4, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of its the Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) initiative. The press release highlights that the goal of the RealWaterTA initiative is to refocus on “public health and compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act” largely through “align[ing] all technical
On February 25, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom launched the California Water Plan 2028, initiating a comprehensive, multi-year effort to modernize the State’s water planning framework. Dubbed the “most ambitious water plan in California history,” the initiative arrives at a critical juncture as the State continues to grapple with extreme hydrological whiplash—swinging from historic droughts
On January 21, 2026, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) published its Best Management Practices of the Sustainable Management of Groundwater – Land Subsidence (Subsidence BMPs). The press release details the importance of addressing subsidence, which costs Californians hundreds of millions of dollars annually, largely through damaging public infrastructure and reducing water deliveries. Background
On January 15, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule titled “Updating the Water Quality Certification Regulations” (Proposed Rule). This rule implements changes to the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) Section 401 permitting process. EPA intends to narrow the scope of the States’ certification authority to the application of solely water quality-related