In this episode Talking Under Water co-hosts discuss EPA’s latest PFAS regulatory moves, major new federal funding for drinking water and lead service line replacement, and stormwater-related investments aimed at protecting coastal water quality. The episode opens with a breakdown of EPA’s proposal to maintain drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS while reconsidering standards for several other PFAS compounds, alongside a potential compliance extension that could give some utilities until 2031 to meet federal limits. The hosts also examine EPA’s increasing focus on PFAS destruction technologies, nearly $946 million in emerging contaminants funding, and what those developments mean for utilities trying to balance treatment costs, planning, and compliance pressure.

The conversation then shifts to the legal and financial risks surrounding PFAS liability, including how CERCLA and RCRA apply to utilities, what EPA’s enforcement discretion does and does not protect against, and why water sector groups are pushing for permanent legislative safeguards. Later, the episode highlights nearly $2.9 billion in lead service line replacement funding and closes with stormwater and coastal water quality news, including federal beach monitoring grants and resilience planning underway in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina.

Administrator Zeldin Makes Major PFAS Announcement and Hosts Roundtable with Secretary Kennedy

EPA History: Superfund

Federal Environmental Liability under CERCLA and RCRA

Report finds 61% of U.S. beaches experienced unsafe contamination levels in 2024

EPA announces $9.75 million in BEACH Act funding for water quality monitoring

Sullivan's Island resilience plan pairs gray infrastructure with green solutions for 2050

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 01:16 – EPA PFAS actions overview
• 02:16 – Proposed PFAS compliance extension to 2031
• 03:31 – Shift toward PFAS destruction technologies
• 04:39 – $945.7 million in emerging contaminants funding
• 06:13 – EPA outreach for small and disadvantaged systems
• 07:02 – $2.9 billion for lead service line replacement
• 08:34 – Lead funding declines slightly from prior year
• 09:02 – PFAS liability discussion begins
• 10:20 – RCRA and CERCLA explainer
• 13:05 – Why utilities face PFAS liability risk
• 14:03 – EPA enforcement discretion
• 16:48 – Legislative safe harbor push
• 17:45 – Deeper PRP liability implications
• 19:32 – Atlantic Richfield case walkthrough
• 23:22 – Limits of current liability protections
• 25:17 – Stormwater and coastal water quality segment
• 25:30 – EPA beach water quality grants
• 26:22 – Safer swimming report findings
• 27:12 – Sullivan’s Island resilience planning
• 28:11 – Housekeeping

About the podcast

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.

In this episode of Talking Underwater, Stormwater Solutions Head of Content Sarah Kominek speaks with Manuel Parra of Xylem Vue about how digital tools are changing the way municipalities prepare for and respond to flooding. The conversation explores how communities can use existing infrastructure more effectively, why high-quality data matters as much as data collection, and how predictive analytics, modeling, and AI can support faster, smarter decisions during wet weather events. Parra also shares real-world examples from Houston and Buffalo to show how practical, scalable flood-control technology can help reduce risk, improve operations, and protect lives.

• 00:00 - Episode introduction and overview of why flood prediction is becoming more urgent
• 01:54 - How digital flood-control applications help municipalities respond to severe weather events
• 03:11 - Tools emergency managers use today, from sensors and rain gauges to models and AI
• 04:24 - Why data quality, not just data quantity, is critical for effective flood response
• 06:25 - Houston example: underpass flood detection and public alerts using existing infrastructure
• 08:05 - Buffalo example: preemptive system management that helped reduce combined sewer overflows
• 10:12 - What integrating digital technology with existing stormwater infrastructure looks like in practice
• 11:35 - The role of predictive analytics and AI in supporting operator decisions
• 13:16 - How climate variability changes the baseline and why models must keep evolving
• 14:32 - Regulatory and liability considerations tied to better infrastructure management
• 15:34 - How smaller or under-resourced communities can adopt lower-cost, right-sized solutions
• 17:34 - Typical lead times for flood prediction and why every minute counts
• 18:35 - Final takeaway: flood technology does not have to be overly complex to make a major impact

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Stormwater Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.  

Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media. 

In this episode Talking Under Water the co-hosts discuss the addition of microplastics to the EPA’s Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL6), enforcement fallout from the Potomac interceptor sewer collapse, industrial wastewater sampling tied to a Tesla facility in Texas, and recent stormwater headlines across the U.S.

How EPA Regulates Drinking Water Contaminants

CCL 6 Frequent Questions

Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 6-Draft

Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 6 (CCL 6) Docket Folder

Water Research Foundation Project 5155 (Consumer messaging guidance, microplastics)

Understanding microplastics in water: Fact vs. fiction (Brent Alspach video interview)

WaterWorld subscription

EPA, DOJ sue DC Water over Potomac Interceptor collapse

Lab analysis details wastewater characteristics at Tesla-linked site in Texas

Poll: Which wastewater process area will you focus on this year?

Charleston seeks $4.6 million to replace flood-prone homes with rain gardens, retention ponds

Grand Canyon eases water restrictions as aging system challenges persist

L.A. County captures record 120 billion gallons of stormwater, boosting local supply

00:00 Cold open 00:48 Introduction 01:27 EPA/HHS joint initiative announced to address microplastics 02:13 What the CCL is and how EPA uses it 02:39 How EPA decides whether to regulate (three criteria) 04:02 Draft CCL6 overview (chemicals, microbes, and groups) 05:01 Public comment process + key deadline 05:54 STOMP program explained 09:02 Potomac interceptor collapse 11:05 Tesla-linked wastewater characteristics 13:03 Douglas County, NV stormwater utility and rate proposals 14:33 Charleston, SC buyouts + rain gardens/retention 15:34 Grand Canyon National Park water system update 16:05 LA County stormwater capture numbers 17:07 Housekeeping

About the Podcast

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.

Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.