Water Quality News
The latest on drinking water regulations, contamination events, and EPA enforcement actions.
Colorado River Heads Into Its Driest Year on Record as Arizona Cities Tighten Water Rules
Lake Mead and Lake Powell are near record lows, Arizona's CAP deliveries are cut, and Phoenix-area cities are on Stage 2 drought rules as 2026 talks stall.
Corpus Christi's Reservoirs Hit 8.5% as the City Plans Mandatory 25% Water Cuts
Corpus Christi's reservoirs sit near 8.5% full. The city has a plan to cut water use 25% — including its petrochemical giants — if an emergency hits.
EPA Moves to Rescind Four PFAS Drinking-Water Limits and Push the PFOA/PFOS Deadline to 2031
EPA's May 18 proposal would rescind limits on GenX, PFHxS, PFNA and the Hazard Index, and let utilities delay PFOA/PFOS compliance to 2031.
Billions in PFAS Settlement Money Could Evaporate as Utility Claim Deadlines Hit This Summer
NRDC warns utilities that miss the June 30 DuPont and July 31 3M PFAS claim deadlines will forfeit their share of $13.6 billion — for good.
Trump's FY2027 Budget Would Cut Water Infrastructure Funds 90% — to Bipartisan Pushback
The proposed FY2027 EPA budget would slash the State Revolving Funds ~90%, gutting the main programs that pay for lead-pipe and PFAS removal nationwide.
Atlanta Boil-Water Advisory: Hemphill Plant Power Failure Hits 50,000 Downtown Customers
A May 22 power failure at Atlanta's Hemphill plant cut pressure and triggered a boil-water advisory for ~50,000 customers. It was lifted May 23.
PFAS Pesticides Found in Half of California Surface Water and Sediment Tests, EWG Reports
An EWG analysis found the PFAS pesticide bifenthrin in ~half of California surface water and over half of sediment samples — and likely an undercount.
EPA Releases $2.9 Billion in FY2026 Lead-Pipe Funding — $125M Below Last Year
EPA's FY2026 lead-pipe allotments total $2.875B — Illinois $295.6M, Ohio $201.8M, NY $185.2M — after Congress cut $125M and redirected it to wildfire.
EPA Gives Pennsylvania $39 Million for PFAS — the Same Week It Moves to Rescind PFAS Limits
EPA awarded Pennsylvania $39.2M to address PFAS in drinking water on May 25 — days after proposing to repeal four federal PFAS standards.
Tampa Bay's Worst Drought in 50 Years Forces Stage 3 Emergency and Once-a-Week Watering
Tampa Bay declared a Stage 3 supply shortage in its worst drought in 50 years — a ~14-inch rainfall deficit and a reservoir less than half full.
Camp Lejeune Update: $571M Paid, $795M in Offers — Resolution Still Under 1% of Claims
DOJ and Navy have paid $570.7M and offered $794.7M in Camp Lejeune settlements as of April 2026 — but just 2,686 of 407,000 claims have offers.
Louisiana's 2026 Water Report Card: 58 Public Systems Fail, Including Shreveport
Louisiana graded 909 public water systems for 2026 — 67% earned an A, but 58 failed, led by Shreveport and arsenic violations in Rayville.
EPA Redirects $4.1 Billion to States for Lead Pipe Removal — and Cuts the National Estimate in Half
EPA reallocates $4.1B for lead service line removal as updated state inventories drop the national estimate from 9.2M to 4M pipes.
Milwaukee Races to Replace 65,000 Lead Pipes by 2037 — and the Federal Money Runs Out First
Milwaukee plans 5,000 lead service line replacements in 2026, but the $650M program runs past the 2027 federal funding cliff.
NYC and Northeast Slide Deeper Into Drought — Reservoirs at 68%, Massachusetts Hits Level 2
NYC reservoirs sit at 67.8% versus 83% normal as Massachusetts declares Level 2 drought across four regions after the driest April since 2010.
Oakland County Water Emergency: GLWA Lifts Final Boil Water Advisories After 42-Inch Main Break
GLWA lifted the final Oakland County boil water advisories May 16, six days after a 42-inch transmission main ruptured in Auburn Hills.
Pittsburgh Water Rates Jump 10.2% — $25M Settlement Approved as Infrastructure Costs Catch Up
Pennsylvania PUC approved a $25M, 10.2% rate increase for Pittsburgh Water. Typical residential bills rise about $15 per month starting March 8.
Charlotte's Stage 2 Water Restrictions Take Effect Today — First Mandatory Cuts Since 2009
Charlotte Water's Stage 2 mandatory restrictions take effect today, May 15 — first since 2009. Cascade extends across the Catawba-Wateree basin.
Colorado's Worst Snowpack on Record: Denver Stage 1, Erie Level 4 Emergency, Aurora Stage 1
Colorado snowpack hit record lows. Denver Water's first Stage 1 in 13 years, Erie came hours from running out, Aurora Stage 1. Front Range tightens.
Concord and Kannapolis Impose Mandatory Level 2 Water Restrictions as Lake Fisher Drops
Concord and Kannapolis, NC imposed mandatory Level 2 water restrictions May 15, 2026 as Lake Fisher dropped and Cabarrus stayed in extreme drought.
Huntsville Utilities Sues 3M, DuPont, Daikin Over PFAS in Tennessee River Drinking Water
Huntsville Utilities sued 3M, DuPont, Chemours, BASF, and Daikin alleging PFAS in the Tennessee River pushed treated water above EPA limits.
Greensboro Under Stage 2 Restrictions as Guilford County Hits Extreme Drought
Greensboro Water imposed NCUC Stage 2 mandatory restrictions March 31. Guilford County is in extreme drought with Lake Brandt and Townsend below normal.
May 2026 NC Boil Water Advisory Roundup: Chadbourn, Grifton, Western NC
May 2026 NC boil water advisories: Chadbourn, Grifton (lifted), and Western NC precautionary. Drought stress is driving more distribution failures.
NC's Driest Year Since 1895: Exceptional Drought Pushes 12+ Cities Into Mandatory Water Restrictions
NC DEQ introduces 'exceptional drought' April 30, Catawba Basin hits Stage 2 May 1. A dozen cities now under mandatory water restrictions.
Raleigh Activates Stage 1 Water Restrictions as Triangle Drought Deepens
Raleigh Water moved to Stage 1 mandatory irrigation rules April 20. Falls Lake supplies 600K+ residents in the Triangle as severe drought persists.
Microplastics Monitoring Push: What UCMR 6 Could Mean
EPA's proposed UCMR 6 could require nationwide microplastics testing in drinking water. Here's what it would cover, who's affected, and when data would arrive.
Cape Fear River & GenX: Inside America's Most Consequential PFAS Contamination
How Chemours' Fayetteville Works contaminated drinking water for 250,000 North Carolinians — and reshaped the fight over next-gen PFAS.
Data Centers Are Drinking Your Water: How AI Cooling Strains Local Drinking Supplies
Google's data centers used 8.1B gallons in 2024. Loudoun County's grew 250% in four years. Inside the AI water bill — and what it means for your tap.
DuPont's C8 Scandal: How PFOA Poisoned Parkersburg and Changed American Water Law
The Mid-Ohio Valley PFOA contamination, Rob Bilott's 20-year legal fight, and the billion-dollar settlements that reshaped US PFAS policy.
Hinkley, California and Erin Brockovich: The Chromium-6 Case That Changed America
How PG&E poisoned a California desert town, one file clerk built a landmark lawsuit, and why the plume is still spreading decades later.
April 2026 Boil Water Advisory Roundup: What a Month of Notices Reveals About U.S. Water Infrastructure
From E. coli in Kannapolis to pump failures in Pennsylvania, April 2026 saw a cluster of boil water advisories across the country. The pattern is the story.
DOJ and Maryland Sue D.C. Water Over 240-Million-Gallon Potomac Sewage Spill
Federal and state lawsuits target D.C. Water for the January Potomac Interceptor collapse. The utility allegedly knew the 72-inch pipe was corroding for years.
E. Coli Contamination Triggers Boil Water Notice for Kannapolis, NC and Landis
Kannapolis detected E. coli in finished drinking water on April 24, 2026. The boil water notice was lifted at 6 p.m. on April 25 after clean samples confirmed by NCDEQ.
EWG Map: 62 Million Americans Drink Tap Water With Cancer-Linked Nitrate Levels
A first-of-its-kind EWG map shows 6,000+ U.S. water systems serve nitrate at or above 3 mg/L — a level linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and birth defects.
Saltwater in Drinking Water Linked to Higher Blood Pressure in 74,000-Person Meta-Analysis
A new FIU-led meta-analysis ties saltier drinking water to a 26% higher hypertension risk. Coastal communities and saltwater intrusion zones face the biggest impact.
North Carolina Awards $215M for Water Infrastructure — $196M Goes to Hurricane Helene Recovery
NC DEQ awarded $215M for 66 water and wastewater projects across 26 counties, with $196M flowing to communities damaged by Hurricane Helene. Cumulative Helene total: $861M.
PFAS Settlement Deadlines Are Closing: $13.6 Billion Hinges on July 31, 2026
Water utilities have until July 31, 2026 to claim from the $10.3B 3M and $1.185B DuPont/Chemours/Corteva PFAS settlements. NRDC warns billions could go unclaimed.
State-Level PFAS Actions: Who's Leading the Way?
State-by-state PFAS drinking water MCLs. Which states set limits stricter than federal, which rely on EPA, and what the 2025 rollback changes.
Elm City, NC Logs 10 Consecutive Quarters of TTHM Violations Plus $80K in Wastewater Fines
Elm City, NC was fined for a 10th straight quarter of TTHM (disinfection byproduct) violations and $80,715 in wastewater violations. February 2026 inspection brought the first clean report.
Three PFAS Removal Breakthroughs in April 2026: Nano-Cages, pH Traps, and 98% Filters
Flinders University, FIU, and other research teams published PFAS removal advances in April 2026, including a 98% filter and tech that captures short-chain PFAS.
Maine Tightens PFAS Limits to 4 ppt — Sanford Lands $7.4M as Compliance Costs Mount
Maine adopted federal-aligned 4 ppt PFAS limits in January 2026. Sanford and four other water districts are getting $7.4M, but treatment will cost $25M+.
EPA Launches PFAS OUT to Help 3,000 Water Systems Tackle Forever Chemicals
EPA's April 14, 2026 PFAS OUT initiative targets ~3,000 drinking water systems with PFOA/PFOS challenges, ahead of the 2031 federal compliance deadline.
EPA Delays PFAS Use Decisions and TSCA Reporting Window — Again
EPA paused decisions on dozens of PFAS uses and pushed the long-awaited TSCA Section 8(a)(7) reporting window back from April 2026. What it means for water systems.
EWG Analysis: 176 Million Americans Drink PFAS-Contaminated Tap Water
New EPA test data analyzed by EWG shows 176M people drink PFAS-contaminated tap water across 9,728 sites — as EPA moves to weaken protections for four PFAS compounds.
PFAS Regulation Rollback: The Fight Over Forever Chemical Limits
EPA's May 2025 plan pushes PFOA/PFOS compliance to 2031, aims to rescind MCLs for four other PFAS, and is tied up in litigation. Here's what's at stake.
EPA Issues All-Clear for Red Hill: Final Report Finds No Residual Fuel in Pearl Harbor Drinking Water
EPA's March 2026 final report confirms no residual fuel contamination in JBPHH and AMR water systems following the 2021 Red Hill release. But Hawaii's response continues.
EPA Adds Microplastics and Pharmaceuticals to Drinking Water Contaminant List for the First Time
EPA's draft CCL 6 flags microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and PFAS as priority drinking water contaminants. Here's what it means and when regulation could follow.
The Fluoride Drinking Water Controversy: 2026 Update
Utah and Florida banned water fluoridation in 2025, HHS moved to end CDC recommendations, and a 2024 NTP monograph linked high fluoride to lower IQ. Here's where things stand.
EPA Perchlorate Drinking Water Rule: What It Means for You
The EPA proposed its first-ever perchlorate MCL in January 2026. Here's what the three proposed limits mean and when your water system must comply.
EPA PFAS Drinking Water Rule: What Survived, What Got Cut, and What It Means for Your Tap Water
The EPA kept limits for PFOA and PFOS but moved to rescind standards for GenX and other PFAS. A federal court blocked the rollback. Here's where things stand in 2026.
Jackson, Mississippi's Water Crisis: From Collapse to Compliance — and the Fights That Remain
Jackson's water system achieved compliance in 2025 after years of failure. But rate hikes, governance battles, and a transition deadline are shaping what comes next.
Lead Pipe Replacement in America: Where $15 Billion in Funding Stands and What's Actually Changing
The EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require all lead service lines replaced within 10 years. New data shows fewer pipes than feared — but funding fights and legal challenges loom.
UCMR 5 Results: PFAS Detected in Over 3,500 Water Systems Nationwide
The EPA's largest-ever PFAS monitoring program is 95% complete. Results show widespread contamination — and the data is reshaping federal regulation.