Survey seeks input on nitrate standardAWWA is conducting an electronic survey on nitrate as part of its effort to develop a national compliance cost for a potential lower nitrate maximum contaminant level (MCL). The existing nitrate and nitrite standards were established in 1991 as part of the Phase II Regulation. US Environmental Protection Agency recently reviewed the two standards as part of its second six-year review of existing drinking water regulations. The agency decided not to revise the standards but is considering whether to start new health assessments for nitrate and nitrite. In support of USEPA's review, AWWA has started a project on the national cost of compliance for a lower nitrate standard. This survey, which was conducted through July 23, aims to estimate the impacts to a utility from a lower nitrate standard. AWWA Alerts Utilities to Review Proposed
Revisions to Total Coliform RuleAWWA alerted member utilities on June 17 to review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's newly proposed revisions to the Total Coliform Rule. The proposal was published July 14 in the Federal Register, triggering a 60-day comment period that ends Sept. 13. Read more about it on the DC On Tap blog. Questions? Contact Steve Via in the AWWA Washington Office at (202) 628-8303 or svia@awwa.org AWWA Issues Alert on SRF BillAWWA's Government Affairs Office has issued an alert to members asking them to contact their members of the U.S. House of Representatives to ask them to vote for H.R. 5320, the the Assistance, Quality and Affordability Act of 2010. The bill would increase funding for the state revolving loan fund (SRF) program and make a number of administrative changes in the program. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce approved the bill in May. The bill would authorize increased funding for the SRF program to $4.8 billion over three years, with $1.4 billion the first year, $1.6 billion the second and $1.8 billion the third. The SRF program for many years averaged receiving $750 million to $850 million, although this past year, funding was increased to $1.38 billion. The AWWA Water Utility Council also supports S. 1005, an SRF bill in the Senate approved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works last summer. It is still awaiting floor time before the full Senate. AWWA Provides Comments
on Six-Year Review of RulesAWWA submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 18 on the agency's second Six-Year Review of Rules. USEPA will revise standards for acrylamide, epichlorohydrin, trichlorethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE or perc). Thanks for Participating
in Government Affairs at ACE!It was great to see so many old and new friends at government affairs-related sessions at AWWA's Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE) in Chicago June 20-24. Technical sessions saw strong attendance and on-the-point questions, and the Government Affairs Forum was a nice time for a more relaxed discussion of the issues and events in Washington that affect drinking water. ACE11 will be in Washington, D.C., so the conference will offer a tremendous opportunity to further enhance AWWA's profile and to communicate to national decisionmakers just what it takes to keep providing safe and sufficient water to the public. The Call for Papers for ACE11 is now open! - AWWA Government Affairs Staff | 
