Water Quality

Japan MOE Selects Six Demonstration Projects for PFOS/PFAS Concentration‑Reduction Technologies

In May 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment selected six demonstration projects to test technologies for reducing concentrations of PFOS and other PFAS under its Reiwa 7 supplementary budget programme. The programme reinforces public funding and policy focus on PFAS remediation, shaping future standards, procurement and technology choices for water treatment and contamination management in Japan.

19 May 2026, 15:29env.go.jpJapan

Australia And Queensland Launch Reef 2050 Catchment Water Quality Strategy

Australia and Queensland have released the Reef 2050 Catchment Water Quality Strategy, a joint framework published in May 2026 that replaces the previous Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan and sets ecologically based water quality targets for 35 Great Barrier Reef catchments to be achieved by 2032. The strategy is non-binding but establishes explicit targets, monitoring and prioritisation tools that will guide future water-quality programmes and investment decisions affecting land and water management in Reef catchments.

19 May 2026, 15:27dcceew.gov.auAustralia

US EPA Proposes PFAS Drinking Water Compliance Extension and Rescission Rules Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

In May 2026, the US Environmental Protection Agency proposed two PFAS drinking water rules under the Safe Drinking Water Act that would let eligible water systems opt into extending PFOA and PFOS Maximum Contaminant Level compliance out to 2031 and rescind procedurally vulnerable 2024 PFAS NPDWR provisions for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA and PFBS mixtures, alongside 60-day public comment periods and a 7 July 2026 hearing. This recalibrates rather than rolls back PFAS regulation, preserving core standards while offering constrained utilities more implementation flexibility and signalling fresh, potentially tighter SDWA rulemaking for the other PFAS, so water providers and PFAS-exposed supply chains should plan for extended timelines, interim mitigation measures, and continued investment in treatment and monitoring.

19 May 2026, 08:12epa.govUnited States

New York Senate Bill S10487 Proposes Data Center Water Stewardship And Reuse Requirements

New York has introduced Senate Bill S10487 to require large data centres to shift from potable public water to advanced recycling, reuse and low-water cooling, with phased reduction targets and a new Data Center Water Stewardship Fund supporting compliance and watershed restoration. If adopted, the bill would force developers and operators of large-capacity data centres in New York to plan early for reclaimed-water infrastructure, tighter environmental permitting, public reporting and potential penalties, reshaping site selection and investment decisions for water-intensive digital infrastructure.

18 May 2026, 17:55assembly.state.ny.usUnited States

Missouri HB 1925 Proposes PFAS Firefighting Foam Ban and Reporting Requirements

Missouri has introduced HB 1925, a bill that would regulate PFAS-containing firefighting foams, require rapid reporting of discharges, and phase out most manufacture and sale of PFAS foams in the state by 1 January 2028. If enacted, manufacturers, airports and large foam users will need to redesign formulations, plan recalls and replacements, and integrate new reporting and contamination controls well before the 2028 cutoff.

18 May 2026, 17:53documents.house.mo.govUnited States

U.S. Study Highlights PFAS and Other Contaminants in Drinking Water, Calls for Continuous Regulatory Reform

Environmental Health News highlights a 13 May 2026 open‑access article in Environmental Science and Pollution Research, "Addressing contaminants of emerging concern in the United States public water systems," which evaluates how all 50 U.S. states address PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in public drinking water.[^2^] The study finds that only a small group of states have strong, multi‑contaminant frameworks, while most focus narrowly on a few regulated PFAS and leave many pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, microplastics and personal‑care product ingredients weakly regulated or unregulated, reinforcing calls for more intentional, continuous reform of U.S. drinking water and chemical policy, including class‑based CEC regulation and stronger support for small and disadvantaged systems.[^1^][^2^]

18 May 2026, 17:47ehn.orgUnited States

US District Court Denies New Trial in Clean Water Act Stormwater Runoff Case

A US federal court has denied a motion for a new trial in a Clean Water Act stormwater case, upholding a jury verdict that found no pollutant discharge or functional-equivalent discharge from a Georgia development into nearby surface waters. The decision reinforces that whether rainwater is a CWA pollutant and whether runoff via groundwater reaches waters of the United States remain highly fact-specific, increasing the premium on documented sediment controls and clear hydrological evidence in future enforcement and citizen suits.

18 May 2026, 17:45govinfo.govUnited States

California Water Boards Open Comment Period On SCE TD708755 Santa Clara River Crossing Section 401 Application

In May 2026 the California State Water Resources Control Board opened a 21-day public comment period on Southern California Edison’s TD708755 Capital On-Ramp Santa Clara River Crossing application to discharge dredged or fill material under Clean Water Act Section 401. This project-level permit could affect conditions for utility construction near the Santa Clara River, so stakeholders concerned with local water quality, permitting, or electric infrastructure should review the proposal and decide whether to submit comments before the early June deadline.

18 May 2026, 17:43waterboards.ca.govUnited States

Illinois Senate Extends SB4004 Aquifer Protection Bill Deadline to 22 May 2026

Illinois lawmakers are advancing SB4004 (Aquifer Protection Act), which would bar data centres from using groundwater from the Mahomet Aquifer from 2027 and has now had its committee and third-reading deadline extended to 22 May 2026. If enacted, the bill would force Illinois data centres relying on the Mahomet Aquifer to shift to alternative water sources, increase transparency around water use, and closely track the compressed legislative timetable for potential passage.

18 May 2026, 17:35ilga.govUnited States

North Dakota DEQ Opens Public Comment on Draft NDPDES Permit for Cargill Corn Milling (Progold)

North Dakota regulators have opened a 16 May–15 June 2026 public notice period on a draft NDPDES wastewater discharge permit reissuance for the Cargill Corn Milling (Progold) facility near Wahpeton. The reissued permit will define updated discharge conditions under the state’s NPDES programme, so facility environmental and operations teams should review the draft documents and decide whether to submit comments before the deadline.

18 May 2026, 17:34ceris.deq.nd.govUnited States

North Dakota DEQ Opens Public Comment on Draft NDPDES Permit Reissue for City of Jamestown

North Dakota’s environmental regulator has issued a draft reissued NDPDES discharge permit (ND0023370 v8.0) for the City of Jamestown, with a public comment period running from 16 May to 16 June 2026. The final permit will govern future discharge limits and monitoring obligations for this municipal site, so local operators and stakeholders should review the draft conditions and consider submitting comments before the deadline.

18 May 2026, 17:31ceris.deq.nd.govUnited States

Illinois Bill SB3681 Sets 22 May 2026 Deadline for PFAS and Microplastics Water Testing Pilot

Illinois lawmakers have advanced SB3681 (Protect the Great Lakes Act) by setting a 22 May 2026 committee and third-reading deadline for a bill that would mandate monthly PFAS and microplastics testing of Lake Michigan and the state’s drinking water, plus recurring reporting and a water-pollution working group from 2027. If enacted, the law would impose ongoing monitoring and reporting duties on water utilities and environmental and health agencies, signalling tighter state-level control of PFAS and microplastics contamination in drinking water and the Great Lakes.

18 May 2026, 17:29ilga.govUnited States

Canada Opens Consultation on Draft Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for Rare Earth Elements

Canada has released draft Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for rare earth elements under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and opened a 60-day public consultation running from 16 May to 15 July 2026. These benchmarks will guide how rare earth element contamination is evaluated under CEPA, so organisations involved in mining, processing or using these critical minerals in Canada should review the draft values and consider providing scientific input before the consultation closes.

18 May 2026, 17:23gazette.gc.caCanada

Vermont Senate Recommits Chloride Contamination Bill S.218 to Committee

In May 2026 the Vermont Senate recommitted S.218, a vetoed bill to create a chloride contamination reduction programme for commercial and municipal salt applicators, to its Natural Resources and Energy Committee for further consideration. If a revised measure is ultimately enacted and funded, it would tie liability protections and water-quality presumptions to certified best practices and reporting for road salt use, reshaping winter-maintenance expectations for contractors, municipalities, and property owners in Vermont.

18 May 2026, 17:21legislature.vermont.govUnited States

US Senate Bill S.4536 Proposes Expanding Safe Drinking Water Act Resilience Grants To Extreme Temperatures

In May 2026, US Senate bill S.4536 was introduced to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act so that existing resilience grants for midsize and large drinking water systems can also fund projects addressing extreme temperature risks. If enacted, this would broaden climate adaptation funding opportunities for drinking water utilities by expanding eligible uses of SDWA resilience grants, signalling new financing routes for system hardening rather than immediate changes to underlying water quality rules.

18 May 2026, 17:20congress.govUnited States

Ukraine Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Announces Kyiv Roundtable on Unified Environmental Permits

Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture will host a hybrid roundtable in Kyiv on 27 May 2026 to discuss reform of industrial pollution prevention and the introduction of unified environmental permits for medium-sized installations. The event signals early alignment of Ukraine’s permitting regime with EU industrial emissions standards, so operators should anticipate upcoming changes to air, water and waste permit requirements once legislation is developed and adopted.

18 May 2026, 16:00me.gov.uaUkraine

Connecticut Enacts Public Act 26-61 on Riparian Areas

Connecticut has enacted Public Act 26-61 (HB 5334), directing the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to use FY2027 funds to hire staff to train inland wetland commissions on preserving riparian areas from 1 July 2026. This strengthens regulatory capacity for consistent application and enforcement of inland wetlands and watercourses protections, signalling tighter oversight of development and land-use decisions affecting water quality in Connecticut.

18 May 2026, 16:00cga.ct.govUnited States

Ohio Legislature Introduces HB 878 To Increase Civil Penalties For Repeat Dredged Material Violations

Ohio has introduced HB 878 to amend Revised Code § 6111.09, raising civil penalties to as much as USD 37,500 for repeat violations of dredged material rules. If enacted, this will materially increase enforcement risk for organisations handling dredged material in Ohio waters, strengthening incentives for robust compliance with water pollution control requirements.

18 May 2026, 14:53search-prod.lis.state.oh.usUnited States

ECHA Updates Drinking Water Directive Practical Guide And Infographic

ECHA has updated its Practical guide and online infographic for Drinking Water Directive applications, adding detailed instructions on using the new Industry and Authority portals and on preparing notification and application dossiers. This gives material and chemical suppliers and water-sector stakeholders clearer direction on when to seek listing on the European positive list and how to meet upcoming 2027–2028 submission and expiry milestones, reducing execution risk for DWD compliance programmes.

18 May 2026, 14:53echa.europa.euEuropean Union

Minnesota Senate Advances Agriculture Policy Bill and PFAS-Focused ENRTF Appropriations

On 14 May 2026 the Minnesota Senate passed an omnibus agriculture policy bill tightening noxious weed controls, updating fertilizer and soil or plant amendment definitions and labelling, and adding cell-cultured food disclosure requirements, while also repassing a major Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund appropriations package with multiple PFAS and microplastics projects. These steps signal more stringent future oversight of agricultural inputs and emerging food technologies in Minnesota and sustained public investment in PFAS and microplastics monitoring and treatment, indicating growing medium-term compliance and disclosure expectations for agriculture, chemical, and food businesses operating in the state.

18 May 2026, 13:33senate.mnUnited States