Musings on EPA’s evolving approach to PFAS and drinking water As readers of this blog likely know, EPA recently announced significant revisions to its PFAS regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act, then followed
California utility regulators lead the way with comprehensive affordability assessment Wonderboy was the star of the movie, but Savoy Special won the game Between a global pandemic and a presidential election, you might have missed
What happens when governments ask the public to report water waste? Ever feel like you're being watched? Rainfall has been low, the mountain snowpack is thin, and Californians are bracing for another year of
When utility regulation fails, democracy fails ​when utilities fail, democracy fails The utility failures in the Lone Star State last week cascaded into a disaster when extreme weather hit an isolated electrical grid.* But
No, EPA did not propose affordability guidelines for municipal utilities Late last week the EPA published in the Federal Register some proposed new guidelines for evaluating sewer utilities’ financial strength. In press releases and
​Organization of U.S. drinking water utilities in a few simple figures Here are some graphs that convey ​a few key things about the organization of drinking water utilities in the United States​.* Sources: Energy
Sovereignty isn’t what’s on paper, it’s what flows through taps and rivers Environmental sovereignty (Photo: nativenewsonline.net) America is slowly awakening to the dire state of tribal water and sewer systems. Access to drinking water
How the federal government might end shutoffs & keep water flowing during the COVID-19 crisis Can’t do this if your water has been shut off. The COVID-19 crisis has escalated America’s water and sewer
Playing to win not to lose in water utility management Nature's Prevent Defense Warning: strained sports metaphor coming. It’s late January, and the National Football League season soon reaches its climax with the Super
Water Sector Reform #5: Environmental Justice Photo: EJCW.org With a major federal investment in water infrastructure possibly on the horizon, the United States has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leverage that money into a structural transformation
Important developments in California for utility affordability You probably need all three California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is working on establishing methods to measure affordability for utility service. The CPUC governs ratemaking for the
Water Sector Reform #2: Regulatory Transparency & Fairness Bringing together the best of both states With a major federal investment in water infrastructure possibly on the horizon, the United States has a once-in-a-generation opportunity
Better Together Water Sector Reform #1: Consolidation With a major federal investment in water infrastructure possibly on the horizon, the United States has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leverage that money into reforms to transform
Not actually the author. The image is doctored, too. A California surprise: update  California has been enjoying a great deal of rain and snow over the past several months—a pleasant rebound in precipitation
During California’s recent drought, the utilities that own their supply sources conserved more than the those that purchase water from wholesale suppliers -Warning: this post contains hardcore wonkery- A while ago I blogged about my
A California Surprise, Part 2 More drought porn (this is used to be Folsom Lake) How private implementation separates public policies from their political costs. Warning: this post contains hardcore wonkery. In 2015 the
A California surprise, Part I Drought porn Something unexpected happened when California ordered its utilities to save water: the state’s investor-owned private utilities out-conserved local governments. California’s long-term drought began as early as 2007,
Can declaring a human right to water help address affordability? Something extraordinary is unfolding in California. In 2012, to great fanfare, California governor Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 685, which amended the
