ARTICLES BY KEVIN WESTERLING

• D.C. Circuit Upholds EPA's Hazardous Substance Designation For PFOA, PFOS

  8/24/2026

  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently rejected industry challenges to the EPA's designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, leaving the agency's April 2024 rule fully intact. While the case centered on the EPA's authority to make the designation, its practical significance for water utilities is simpler: the liability concerns that have accompanied the rule since its adoption remain unresolved.

• What State Hard Water Rankings Reveal About Utility Operations

  8/11/2026

  Water hardness is not regulated as a drinking water contaminant and is generally not considered a public health concern, yet it remains one of the most visible aspects of water quality for customers and one of the most misunderstood.
• Water System Attacks Prompt Call For Stronger Cybersecurity Standards

  8/6/2026

  Recent cyberattacks targeting more than 30 Minnesota community water systems have renewed scrutiny of cybersecurity preparedness across the water sector and intensified calls for stronger federal oversight and standards.

• Beyond Compliance: The Utilities Setting A New Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Standard

  7/17/2026

  Every year, drinking water utilities across the U.S. publish Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs), the federally required reports designed to inform customers about the quality of their drinking water. While utilities have generally succeeded in meeting regulatory requirements, communicating that information in a clear, accessible, and engaging way has proven more challenging.

• Building A Better Water Workforce Starts With People, Not Positions

  7/10/2026

  A discovery at ACE26 offers practical ideas for attracting, developing, and retaining the next generation of water professionals.
• An Attendee's Guide To ACE26

  6/12/2026

  What to expect, where to focus, and how to get the most from AWWA’s flagship water event.
• World Cup 2026: A Stress Test For U.S. Water Utilities

  6/10/2026

  As the FIFA World Cup kicks off across the U.S. this summer, most attention will be on transportation, security, and stadium readiness. But the bigger strain will be less visible: water and wastewater systems.
• Turning AMI Data Into Better Customer Service

  5/18/2026

  For decades, the relationship between a water utility and its customers was simple. As water flows, the bills go out, and sometimes complaints come back. Customers had little visibility into how much water they were actually using on a day-to-day basis, and utilities had limited tools to give them any. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) has long since changed that equation. 

• Water Infrastructure Has A New Bottleneck — And It's Not Money

  5/1/2026

  Billions have been approved, but millions remain idle. The EPA's new report on earmarks sheds light on the logjam.
• What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection?

  4/28/2026

  Water utility managers and municipal leaders have long struggled amid the convergence of several threats to public water supplies. During a recent Water Online Live event, I sat with a panel of industry experts to examine the transition from reactive crisis management to a proactive, adaptive resilience framework.
• Q&A: Inside A Municipal Water Deal That Didn't Happen — And Why That Matters

  4/22/2026

  After initially voting for it, the Rahway (NJ) Municipal Council reversed course and canceled its bid process for the potential sale of the city’s water utility. As more municipalities explore alternative ownership, financing, or partnership models to address aging water infrastructure, Rahway’s experience offers a useful case study in how quickly these processes can shift — and why — explored in this Q&A with Obermayer’s Tom Wyatt.
• Americans Rank Water Reliability Alongside Cost Of Living As A Top National Priority

  4/15/2026

  Reliable access to water now ranks alongside inflation and the cost of living as one of the most important national issues for U.S. voters, according to the 2026 Value of Water Index, the latest national survey conducted by the Value of Water Campaign.
• When Drinking Water Raises Bigger Questions About Brain Health And Environmental Risk

  3/13/2026

  A new study linking certain groundwater sources to higher Parkinson’s risk underscores a broader question for the water sector: how environmental exposures in drinking water may influence long-term health.

• EPA Seeks Court‑Ordered Removal Of 4 PFAS Limits

  2/23/2026

  The U.S. EPA is testing a new procedural strategy to remove four PFAS drinking‑water limits from ongoing litigation, asking the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to invalidate those limits on the grounds that the EPA itself committed a procedural misstep when issuing the 2024 PFAS rule.