Drinking Water News

31. EPA Administrator Zeldin Launches G20 Initiative To Advance Water Security 9/15/2026

    Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin launched the G20 Water Reuse Initiative during the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Session, advancing a shared framework for expanding the safe reuse of treated water as demand from industry, agriculture, and energy production continues to rise. Every G20 member assembled in Houston agreed to the Water Reuse Outcome Document spearheaded by EPA.

32. TXST Project Will Launch Floating Wetlands In Lake Kyle To Improve Water Quality 9/14/2026

    Texas State University researcher Sangchul Hwang, Ph.D., P.E., is leading a City of Kyle-funded project that will deploy floating wetlands to improve water quality in Lake Kyle. The project will test whether this nature-based system can help protect the surrounding Plum Creek Watershed, the land that drains rain and runoff into Plum Creek and connected waterways.

33. Governor Abbott Directs Texas Water Development Board To Penalize Data Center Reporting Failures 9/14/2026

    Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to compel major water users, including data centers, to comply with water use reporting requirements and to impose legal consequences for past and future failure to comply with state law.

34. New Method Turns Harmful Environmental Waste Into Useful Synthetic Reagent 9/11/2026

    Fluorinated waste, like that found in firefighting aqueous film-forming foam, can act as a significant environmental pollutant. Recently, James Tour’s lab at Rice University developed a method to capture the fluoride from these waste streams and recycle it into a useful reagent, silver fluoride, that could be used in other manufacturing processes. This process was recently published in Nature Chemical Engineering.

35. EPA Proposed Settlement Agreement Provides Critical Work For Advancing The Lower Passaic River Superfund Cleanup 9/10/2026

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a proposed settlement agreement with Environmental Resource Holdings, LLC (ERH) to perform critical work to support the cleanup of the Diamond Alkali Superfund site, including the lower 17 miles of the Passaic River. The work is estimated to cost $125 million and focuses on the next steps needed to get the in-river work started.

36. Study Predicts Large Disparities In Access To Food, Water, And Energy In 2050 9/10/2026

    In some regions of the world, the poorest people may spend about 50 percent of their income on food, while the richest spend about 5 percent.

37. Heavy Rainfall Amplifies Riverine Microplastic Transport Worldwide, Particularly In Developing Nations 9/10/2026

    Rivers may be delivering far more microplastic pollution to the oceans than previously realized, with developing countries accounting for nearly all of the global flow, according to a new study. The worldwide analysis also finds that heavy rainfall can unleash surges of microplastics into rivers – a climate-sensitive pollution threat that could intensify as extreme weather becomes more common.

38. Desalination And Reuse Event Explores Water Resilient Future 9/9/2026

    As global demand for freshwater continues to rise, the need for innovative solutions has never been more critical. In the UK, England alone could face a public water supply shortfall of up to 5 billion litres per day by 2055.

39. EPA Launches Cutting-Edge Scientific Study To Strengthen Nation's Understanding Of Potential Pollutants In Drinking Water 9/9/2026

    Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new scientific study using cutting-edge methods to improve the agency’s understanding of what pollutants may be present in drinking water. This groundbreaking new research by EPA scientists goes beyond traditional testing methods to screen for a broad array of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, PFAS, and more than 1,000 potential contaminants. This action advances EPA’s commitment to help Make America Healthy Again while following gold standard science.

40. United States And Mexico Announce Colorado River Cooperative Agreement 9/9/2026

    The United States and Mexico signed a formal agreement for new Colorado River operating guidelines for 2027 and 2028.