The U.S. water sector is experiencing significant regulatory shifts and infrastructure developments heading into 2026. On January 6th, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed new national drinking water standards for perchlorate, setting a health-based maximum contaminant level goal of 0.02 milligrams per liter. The agency is simultaneously seeking public comment on three possible enforceable limits, ranging from 0.02 to 0.08 milligrams per liter, with these new regulations set to take effect on February 13th.

Water quality certification authority has become a focal point of federal action. On January 15th, the EPA published a proposed rule to update regulations governing Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, which grants states and tribes authority to review federal projects that may discharge pollutants into U.S. waters. The agency's proposal would limit state and tribal reviews to immediate water quality impacts from specific discharge points and establish timelines for these reviews. Public comment periods remain open through February 17th, with the EPA holding two public meetings on January 28th to discuss the changes.

Congressional budget actions reflect competing priorities for water infrastructure. The House passed a fiscal year 2026 budget bill for environmental agencies that maintains state revolving fund spending at previous year levels, rejecting the administration's proposed water infrastructure funding cuts. However, foreign aid water appropriations faced reductions, with funding earmarked for water, sanitation, and hygiene programs decreased by 25 percent to 338 million dollars. The House also passed the SHOWER Act, legislation allowing showerheads to exceed current water efficiency standards.

Western water challenges continue intensifying as the region faces record heat and meager snowpack. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's drought assessment for the Intermountain West, significant snow accumulation is urgently needed over coming months to compensate for the severe lack of winter precipitation thus far.

Globally, the water sector is preparing for major international coordination. The 2026 United Nations Water Conference will convene December 2nd through 4th in the United Arab Emirates, co-hosted with Senegal, to advance Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation. A preparatory meeting is planned in Dakar, Senegal, to support preparations for this significant gathering.

The International Water Association continues hosting regional conferences throughout 2026, with events scheduled across multiple continents addressing urban water challenges and sanitation solutions. These developments reflect growing recognition that water security requires coordinated federal policy, state-level implementation authority, and international cooperation to address emerging contaminants and infrastructure needs.

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In the Intermountain West, a hot dry winter has left early snowpack below normal levels, raising alarms about future water supplies according to the latest Drought Status Update from drought.gov on January 15. Most major reservoirs began this water year with below average storage, and forecasts predict subnormal spring runoff unless significant snow arrives soon. Key headwaters for the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins require above average precipitation, potentially over multiple years, to restore sustainable levels.

The Bureau of Reclamation's draft report on Colorado River operations, released this week and covered by Circle of Blue on January 12, highlights ongoing tensions as current guidelines expire at the end of 2026. It proposes a short term stopgap agreement if seven basin states miss their February 14 deadline for a consensus plan on water cuts. In a bare bones scenario, lower basin states could face shortages up to 1.48 million acre feet, hitting Arizona hardest as the junior user while sparing California. Meanwhile, a 450 million dollar water recycling grant program faces uncertainty under the Trump administration, with 308 million dollars already pledged to projects in California and Utah.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers have proposed narrowing the definition of waters of the United States, as detailed in Coastal Review on January updates following a November federal register notice. This aligns with the Supreme Court's Sackett ruling, limiting Clean Water Act protections to relatively permanent bodies connected to navigable waters and wetlands with continuous surface links. Changes exclude interstate categories, groundwater, and certain ditches, aiming for clarity but sparking concerns in states like North Carolina where wetland protections tie to flood mitigation efforts. Public comments closed January 5, with a final rule pending.

The EPA also proposed perchlorate limits in drinking water at 20, 40, or 80 parts per billion after decades of debate, targeting the rocket fuel chemical that harms thyroid function and child brain development, per Circle of Blue. Emerging patterns show persistent drought risks in the West amid policy shifts toward state led management and short term fixes, while federal actions prioritize economic growth over broad protections. California stands out with no current drought per U.S. Drought Monitor maps, offering a rare bright spot. These developments underscore the need for urgent snow, negotiations, and adaptive strategies to safeguard U.S. water security.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule extending the compliance deadline for coal-fired power plants to reduce toxic metals in their wastewater, pushing most deadlines to December 31, 2034, due to rising electricity demand and supply chain issues, according to the Federal Water Tap from Circle of Blue on January 5. This affects plants nationwide, aiming to balance environmental goals with energy reliability.

President Trump vetoed a bipartisan bill to complete the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a long-delayed water supply project in southeastern Colorado approved in 1962, citing excessive taxpayer costs for what he called unreliable local infrastructure, as stated in his veto message reported by Circle of Blue. Critics, including the Colorado Sun, argue it is political retribution against the state for refusing to release a former county clerk convicted of election interference, highlighting tensions between federal funding and state politics in water infrastructure.

In Arizona, a bill reintroduced in Congress seeks to approve a water rights settlement for the Yavapai-Apache Nation in northern Arizona, guaranteeing minimum flows in the Verde River, funding a 60-mile pipeline, and building a water treatment plant, per Circle of Blue. This marks a second attempt after the previous Congress failed to pass it, underscoring ongoing challenges in tribal water negotiations.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports that wastewater from the South Rim treatment plant in Grand Canyon National Park likely contaminates nearby springs, including Monument Spring, with low levels of forever chemicals known as PFAS and pharmaceuticals like antihistamines, based on 2021 sampling and chemical tracers. Complex geology complicates full tracing, but it raises concerns for the canyon's ecology.

The Supreme Court declined to hear a California water case involving Central Valley farmers who claimed uncompensated losses from Bureau of Reclamation allocations during the 2014-2015 drought, as noted by SJV Water and Circle of Blue.

Public comments closed January 5 on the EPA's proposal to further narrow Waters of the United States protections under the Clean Water Act, responding to the 2023 Sackett Supreme Court decision, with Clean Water Action urging rejection to avoid eroding wetland and stream safeguards.

Mexico agreed to release 202,000 acre-feet of water to the United States starting the week of December 15, 2025, addressing treaty obligations for Southwest farmers, per a USDA announcement, with a full repayment plan due by late January.

These developments reveal patterns of delayed cleanups, political hurdles to infrastructure, tribal advocacy, and contamination risks, amid debates over federal water jurisdiction.

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California faces significant flood risks as the Department of Water Resources has begun required flood control releases from Lake Oroville ahead of forecasted storms. The reservoir currently sits at 826 feet elevation, holding 70 percent of capacity, with water releases to the Feather River increasing from 15,000 cubic feet per second and potentially reaching 25,000 cubic feet per second by Monday. Runoff into Lake Oroville is projected to range between 50,000 to 70,000 cubic feet per second by early next week, prompting the department to prepare to use the dam's main spillway starting January 5 for additional flood control releases.

The storm system bringing this dangerous runoff represents part of a broader weather pattern affecting the western United States. Low-elevation rain is spreading across much of the western U.S., with the highest flooding risk concentrated in Northern California as falling snow levels threaten mountain pass closures. This rainfall follows recent developments that have provided some relief to California's water situation. Late December storms delivered much-needed precipitation that boosted the state's snowpack to 71 percent of average for this date, up from concerning lows in early December when warm temperatures and minimal storm activity delayed snow accumulation.

The Department of Water Resources conducted its first snow survey of the season at Phillips Station, recording 24 inches of snow depth with a snow water equivalent of 5 inches, representing 50 percent of average for that location. State Hydrometeorologist Angelique Fabbiani-Leon noted that while recent storms have provided necessary benefits for the snowpack and water supply, the state remains in early season conditions, with the full-year water supply ultimately depending on continued storm activity throughout winter and early spring.

Beyond Northern California, the broader western water crisis continues demanding attention. The Colorado River basin faces unprecedented drought challenges, with projections showing Lake Mead will remain in a Level 1 Shortage Condition with an expected elevation of 1,055.88 feet, which is 20 feet below the Lower Basin target. The Bureau of Reclamation released the August 2025 24-Month Study reaffirming the impacts of this extended drought and pressing the need for robust operational agreements for the Colorado River after 2026.

Additionally, President Trump has vetoed a bill to help finish a water pipeline project in Colorado, citing fiscal concerns. These interconnected challenges highlight how water management issues span from immediate flood control operations in California to long-term supply sustainability across the entire western region and the critical need for forward-thinking water policy solutions moving into 2026.

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President Donald Trump has demanded that Mexico provide more water to the United States under a 1944 treaty requiring Mexico to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet from the Rio Grande River every five years, threatening a five percent tariff on imports if deliveries do not increase by years end, according to Pure Water Gazette. This escalates tensions amid Mexicos ongoing drought, following similar threats Trump made in April that prompted a State Department announcement of Mexicos commitment to send more water, as reported by USA Today via Pure Water Gazette.

In California, the small city of Coalinga faces an imminent crisis, with officials warning it could run out of water by December and planning to purchase supplies from private vendors, according to AOL. This comes amid severe weather battering the state, as ABC News reported on December 24 that a state of emergency was declared with nearly the entire state under threat of floods and mudslides from an atmospheric river dumping relentless rain on Southern California. Heavy flooding swamped highways in San Bernardino, with murky water and debris rushing through, and up to six more inches of rain expected through Christmas, prompting police to urge caution on roads. Conditions were set to persist through Friday, with two to four inches widespread from San Jose into Los Angeles, stacking additional flood risks.

A United States Geological Survey report, issued last week and based on 2010 to 2020 data, reveals nearly 30 million Americans face limited water supplies, with worrisome trends in supply exceeding demand in most areas but high interannual variability in precipitation across California-Nevada, Texas, Southern High Plains, and Southwest Desert regions, per Truthout. Groundwater levels remain low in key aquifers from California to the northern Atlantic coast, with ongoing depletion in High Plains aquifers. Substantial aquifer areas supplying one-third of public water show elevated contaminants like arsenic, manganese, nitrate, and radionuclides, disproportionately affecting low-income, minority communities and those with domestic wells. Farmers remain the largest users, consuming over 110 million gallons daily on average in 2020 for irrigation. Climate change exacerbates these issues through droughts, extreme heat, reduced snow cover, and altered stream flows harming ecosystems.

Meanwhile, the drying Great Salt Lake in Utah is creating serious health hazards for residents, demanding expensive solutions, as noted by Grist via Pure Water Gazette. These events highlight emerging patterns of water scarcity, contamination, and weather extremes straining United States resources, underscoring the need for adaptive management amid climate shifts.

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Across the United States, water is at the center of policy fights, climate stress, and cross border negotiations. Circle of Blue reports that the Environmental Protection Agency has delayed proposing a national drinking water limit for perchlorate, a rocket fuel chemical linked to brain development harm, until early January because of the recent federal government shutdown. At the same time, the agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are taking public comments on a plan to narrow which streams and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act, with an in person hearing in Pittsburgh and a virtual session drawing sharp debate over how far federal jurisdiction should reach.

In Congress, House leaders have advanced bills to streamline Clean Water Act permitting, arguing that faster approvals are needed for energy and infrastructure projects, while opponents warn that weaker oversight could threaten rivers and coastal waters. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also highlights new bipartisan legislation aimed at cutting marine debris and improving coastal water quality, linking ocean pollution back to how cities manage stormwater and wastewater on land.

On the ground, climate signals are already reshaping water security. According to Circle of Blue, satellite data show that early season snow cover across the western United States is the lowest since at least 2001, an alarming sign for states that depend on mountain snowpack to fill reservoirs. Planetizen reports that negotiators from the seven Colorado River Basin states are under growing pressure as a deadline approaches to agree on new water sharing rules, with federal reservoir operating guidelines set to expire at the end of next year and groundwater in the basin already greatly depleted since the start of the century.

Along the Gulf Coast, the U.S. Geological Survey has documented saltwater moving hundreds of meters inland in Miami Dade County between 2018 and 2022, threatening wells that supply drinking water to nearly three million people and corroding underground infrastructure. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Mexico has agreed to release about two hundred two thousand acre feet of water under the 1944 Water Treaty, easing a deficit that had hit farmers and ranchers in South Texas, and has separately moved to intervene in proceedings over the Potter Valley Project in California to protect local water supplies.

Globally, water experts are converging on large gatherings such as the International Water Resources Association World Water Congress in Marrakech and the Water and Development Congress in Bangkok, where discussions on innovation, climate resilience, and sanitation echo the same themes now playing out in U.S. rivers, aquifers, and farm fields.

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Across the United States this week, water is at the center of urgent decisions, new investments, and emerging protections, all against a backdrop of mounting climate pressures and aging infrastructure.

In the Colorado River Basin, KUNC reports that federal officials meeting in Las Vegas unveiled a grim December water forecast for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, with projections showing that under minimum inflow scenarios Lake Powell could drop below the elevation needed to generate hydropower by late 2026. Managers highlighted four main tools to keep the system functioning, from shifting the timing of releases to drafting new post 2026 operating guidelines, underscoring how a decades long megadrought and rising demand are reshaping water security for tens of millions of people in the American West.

Circle of Blue notes that satellite data show snow cover across the western United States is the lowest for this point in the season since at least 2001, when consistent monitoring began. That lack of early snowpack, which serves as a natural reservoir, is heightening concern about next years runoff, irrigation supplies, and wildfire risk from the Rockies to California.

Along the southern border, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Mexico has agreed to release about two hundred two thousand acre feet of water to the United States beginning the week of December fifteenth, as part of efforts to meet its obligations under the nineteen forty four Water Treaty. According to the department, both countries aim to finalize a broader plan by the end of January two thousand twenty six, a key step for farmers in the American Southwest who rely on cross border flows.

In Colorado, The Center Square reports that state leaders have adopted what they describe as first of its kind water protections in the United States, aimed at strengthening safeguards for rivers and drinking water sources in the face of climate change and rapid growth.

At the federal level, the Environmental Protection Agency announced more than three hundred fifty one million dollars for Fort Worth, Texas, to upgrade water and recycling infrastructure, part of a broader push to modernize systems and close what the U.S. Water Alliance calls a multitrillion dollar national water infrastructure gap.

Globally, water experts are converging on major gatherings such as the World Water Congress in Marrakech and the Water and Development Congress in Bangkok, where organizers emphasize innovation, climate resilience, and transboundary cooperation, mirroring the same pressures and priorities now visible across U.S. watersheds.

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Across the United States this week, water is at the center of policy, climate, and security debates, revealing both mounting risks and emerging responses.

Circle of Blue reports that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has delayed releasing its long awaited proposed drinking water limit for the chemical perchlorate until early January, after a government shutdown pushed back a court ordered November deadline. The rule is intended to address contamination from rocket fuel and fireworks ingredients that can harm brain development, especially in infants and young children.

At the same time, House Republicans have advanced legislation to change how Clean Water Act permits are issued, aiming to speed up infrastructure and energy projects, while environmental groups warn this could weaken safeguards for rivers, wetlands, and drinking water sources. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are holding public meetings, including one in Pittsburgh and a national virtual session, on narrowing which waterways are covered under federal protections, signaling another potential shift in how U.S. waters are regulated.

In Florida, new U.S. Geological Survey data highlighted by Circle of Blue show saltwater moving hundreds of meters inland in Miami Dade County between 2018 and 2022. This saltwater intrusion threatens groundwater wells that supply drinking water to roughly 2.8 million people and can corrode buried infrastructure, a clear sign of how sea level rise and overpumping are reshaping coastal water security.

Western water managers are confronting grim early season numbers. Satellite data summarized by Circle of Blue indicate that snow cover across the western United States is the lowest for this time of year since at least 2001, when consistent satellite records began. With mountain snow acting as a natural reservoir for states like California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington, this raises concerns about reduced runoff, tighter water allocations, and greater wildfire risk next year.

Those worries are front and center at a major Colorado River meeting in Las Vegas, where U.S. Interior Department officials and representatives of the seven basin states are trying to break a stalemate over new rules for sharing a shrinking river. Existing operating guidelines expire at the end of next year, and negotiators have yet to agree on cutbacks that match declining flows and chronically low reservoir levels.

Together, these developments point to a pattern of growing stress on U.S. water systems, from contamination and coastal intrusion to legal battles over protections and hard choices about how to divide a diminishing supply.

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Across the United States this week, water has been at the center of both extreme weather and policy debates. In the Pacific Northwest, NASA reports that a powerful atmospheric river funneled deep Pacific moisture into western Washington, dumping intense rain that swelled the Skagit and Snohomish rivers to record or near record flood levels on December eleventh. River flooding and mudslides closed major roads, including eastbound lanes of Interstate ninety out of western Washington, and NASA’s Disasters Response Coordination System was activated to support state emergency managers with satellite based flood maps and data.

Farther south, Circle of Blue’s Federal Water Tap notes that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation finalized a new operating plan for California’s Central Valley Project, the massive federal canal system that moves water from the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta to farms in the Central Valley. The plan is intended to maximize deliveries to agriculture following a presidential directive, even as California continues to balance irrigation demands with environmental protections and the growing influence of climate driven drought.

On the U.S. Mexico border, members of Congress are pressing the administration to fold water issues into North American trade talks. According to Circle of Blue, lawmakers want chronic sewage and pollution in the Tijuana River, which repeatedly fouls beaches in southern California, and overdue Rio Grande water deliveries from Mexico, raised formally in discussions over the United States Mexico Canada Agreement.

At the national scale, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published a new online dashboard compiling local inventories of lead service lines. Public water systems were required to submit these data last year, and EPA now estimates about four million lead pipes still carry drinking water to homes around the country, sharpening the focus on replacement funding and timelines.

Regulatory battles are also intensifying. An opinion column in the Knoxville News Sentinel warns that an Environmental Protection Agency proposal to narrow which wetlands and small streams are covered by the Clean Water Act could remove protections from up to eighty percent of wetlands and millions of miles of streams nationwide, raising alarms in states like North Carolina about drinking water and habitat.

Globally, these developments land in the same week that water experts and policymakers gather in Marrakech, Morocco, for the nineteenth World Water Congress, organized by the International Water Resources Association and the Moroccan Ministry of Equipment and Water, to discuss how innovation can help countries adapt to floods, droughts, and mounting water stress.

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In the United States, water has been at the center of both diplomacy and domestic policy in recent days. Circle of Blue reports that a group of members of Congress has asked the Biden administration to make water issues a formal part of ongoing North American trade discussions with Canada and Mexico, pressing for progress on cleaning up sewage and pollution in the Tijuana River and on meeting Rio Grande water delivery obligations under the long standing United States Mexico water treaty. According to Circle of Blue, lawmakers argue that chronic under delivery of water from Mexico and recurring contamination flowing into Southern California are no longer isolated environmental problems but cross border economic and public health concerns, and they want them elevated in the United States Mexico Canada Agreement talks.

At the same time, Mexico Business News notes that tensions over the treaty have escalated, with United States officials warning that repeated shortfalls in water deliveries from Mexico, against the backdrop of historic drought in the Rio Grande basin, could trigger trade or diplomatic consequences. These developments highlight a broader pattern in the American West, where long running drought, rising temperatures, and overallocated rivers are forcing negotiators to treat water as both a security issue and a bargaining chip.

Inside the United States, federal agencies are also under pressure to respond to aging water systems and climate driven extremes. Circle of Blue reports that the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies are fielding requests from cities and states for more funding to modernize drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, especially in communities facing combined threats of flooding, contamination, and scarcity. Advocates see a shift toward integrated management, where water quality, quantity, and climate resilience are planned together rather than in isolation.

Globally, these domestic strains are mirrored on the world stage. In Marrakesh, Morocco, the nineteenth World Water Congress is gathering experts and officials under the theme water in a changing world, focusing on innovation and adaptation in the face of floods, droughts, and social change, according to the International Water Resources Association. In Bangkok, the International Water Association is convening its Water and Development Congress and Exhibition, emphasizing water, sanitation, and climate resilience for low and middle income countries. Together, these events underscore an emerging pattern. From United States border rivers to global conference halls, water is increasingly being treated not only as a local utility, but as a strategic resource that links climate, trade, public health, and long term security.

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