Household Affordability in SDWA Rulemaking

The affordability of water service is a large and growing challenge for the sector. Utilities are facing substantial costs to upgrade infrastructure treat emerging contaminants concern, but also grappling with how fund these efforts without disproportionately impacting customers. So discussions around at household level important not only in strategic planning day-to-day operation systems, state federal agencies considering new regulations. In discussions, it's recognize that complex issue, household-level consequences policy changes cannot rest on single metric like median income. Many stakeholders, AWWA included, have long advocated better analysis rulemaking identify whether rule requirements likely cause problems low-income Understanding impacts fiscally challenged households an step determining what can be done address those challenges while still ensuring access safe reliable drinking supplies. Under current practice, US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) prepares extensive economic Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) That includes whether—across nation as whole—the health benefits greater than implementation. USEPA looks specifically cost implications regulations small systems question small-system variance (i.e., less expensive equivalently protective compliance strategy) should available. And analyses several executive orders, including Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions Address Justice Minority Populations Low-Income Populations. panel emphasized analyzing meant reduce protections customers or anyone else. Instead, evaluating regulatory options provide opportunity modify draft frameworks implementation strategies mitigate consequently alleviate disparate impacts. panel's work sets stage improving SDWA decision-making processes, which turn will help lead more informed decisions across Although remains fully demonstrate recommended analyses, they nevertheless pave way future. Adam T. Carpenter energy environmental manager Government Affairs Office Washington, D.C. He reached [email protected].