Water Resources Management

Pennsylvania Bill HB2302 Proposes Licensure And Reporting Requirements For Well Drillers

Pennsylvania has introduced House Bill 2302 to fold well drillers into the existing crane-operator licensing framework, adding mandatory licences, bonding, continuing education, and detailed notice, reporting, and sampling requirements for most well drilling activities in the state. If enacted, drilling companies working in Pennsylvania would need to ensure all well drillers are properly licensed and insured, update internal processes for permitting and PaGWISDriller reporting, and align well construction and decommissioning practices with plumbing and building code standards to avoid penalties or licence action.

15 Apr 2026, 19:37palegis.usUnited States

Poland Ministry of Defence Amends Environmental Compliance Rules for Military Units

Poland’s Ministry of Defence has adopted an amendment, effective 25 April 2026, that tightens internal environmental compliance governance for military units by formalising annual reporting, clarifying roles in inspections, and aligning responsibilities with greenhouse gas trading, ODS/F-gas, Natura 2000, and invasive-species regimes. While it does not introduce new chemical bans, the regulation can increase expectations on defence infrastructure operators and contractors using MOD sites to provide environmental data, maintain emissions and ODS/F-gas records, and cooperate more closely with inspections and biodiversity safeguards.

15 Apr 2026, 19:29dziennikustaw.gov.plPoland

Pennsylvania House Bill 2246 Proposes Water-Use Controls for Large Data Centers

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering HB 2246, which would give the Department of Environmental Protection new tools to scrutinise water withdrawals by “covered data centers” with consumptive use above 100,000 gallons per day through pre-application review, permitting conditions, monitoring and fees. If enacted, this would tighten siting and operating requirements for high-consumption data centres in the state, forcing earlier water-risk assessment, closer coordination with utilities, and investment in water-efficient cooling strategies.

15 Apr 2026, 18:51legis.state.pa.usUnited States

Iowa Bill HF2690 Would Require Water And Energy Use Reporting And New Tariffs For Data Centers

Iowa lawmakers are considering HF2690, which would require data centers to file detailed quarterly water and energy use reports and direct the utilities regulator to create separate electricity tariffs tailored to their load and cost profile. If enacted with the filed amendments, the bill would immediately tighten oversight and transparency of data center resource use in Iowa, potentially increasing operating costs and influencing siting, investment, and utility planning decisions for large digital infrastructure operators.

15 Apr 2026, 18:50legis.iowa.govUnited States

California AB 2521 Proposes "Best Available Science" Definition for Sustainable Groundwater Management

California bill AB 2521 would amend the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to define “best available science” in Water Code Section 10721, clarifying how groundwater decisions must be grounded in evidence. If adopted, groundwater sustainability agencies and basin stakeholders will face clearer expectations to document and apply robust data and modelling in plans and management actions, shaping future project approvals, disputes, and long-term water resilience strategy.

15 Apr 2026, 18:27leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Arizona SB1447 Proposes Extension of Pinal AMA Groundwater Withdrawal Fee and Efficiency Fund

Arizona bill SB1447, now moving through the Legislature with a House Committee of the Whole “do pass” recommendation in April 2026, would extend existing groundwater withdrawal fee provisions and the associated efficiency projects fund for the Pinal Active Management Area well beyond their current 2026 end dates. If enacted, groundwater users drawing from non‑exempt wells in the Pinal AMA would continue paying per‑acre‑foot fees through 2030 and benefit from an extended state fund for well and delivery infrastructure through 2032–2033, affecting long‑term water‑use costs and investment planning for large agricultural and other high‑volume users.

15 Apr 2026, 18:15azleg.govUnited States

Illinois SB4004 Would Ban Data Center Use of Mahomet Aquifer Water

Illinois has introduced SB4004, the Data Center Water Transparency and Aquifer Protection Act, which would ban data center withdrawals from the Mahomet Aquifer from 2027 and impose transparency requirements on their water use. If enacted, data center operators drawing on this aquifer will need to redesign cooling-water strategies, secure alternative supplies, and monitor IEPA rulemaking ahead of phased deadlines through 2028.

15 Apr 2026, 15:52ilga.govUnited States

California Bill AB 2728 Would Expand Open and Transparent Water Data Act

California is considering AB 2728 to amend the Open and Transparent Water Data Act by expanding the statewide integrated water data platform and requiring additional state and federal fisheries and hatchery datasets to be published by August 1, 2027. If enacted, this would improve access to integrated surface water, groundwater, and ecological data for planning and risk assessment without adding direct reporting obligations for private water users or dischargers.

15 Apr 2026, 15:40leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Louisiana House Proposes Groundwater Conservation Districts for Major Aquifer Systems (HB 1205)

Louisiana HB 1205 would create groundwater conservation districts and boards for the Mississippi River Alluvial, Chicot and Southern Hills aquifer systems, with voting members drawn from affected parishes and high‑volume municipal, industrial and agricultural groundwater users. If enacted, these commissions would be required to study aquifer conditions and report annually by 1 April on groundwater use, saltwater intrusion and out‑of‑state water sales, increasing governance and data expectations for large groundwater‑reliant operators in the covered areas.

15 Apr 2026, 15:32legis.la.govUnited States

Louisiana Legislature Proposes Phase-Out of Surface Water Withdrawal Agreements

Louisiana House Bill 1209 would phase out state cooperative agreements for withdrawing surface water, impose hard sunset dates through 2036, tighten approval criteria, and redirect water-use fees toward managing invasive aquatic vegetation. If enacted, industrial, agricultural, and municipal users that rely on state surface water agreements in Louisiana would face firmer end dates and stricter scrutiny of new or renewed withdrawals, reshaping long-term water sourcing, permitting risk, and investment planning.

15 Apr 2026, 15:26legis.la.govUnited States

Arizona House Committee Advances SB 1785 on Water Storage Recovery Wells

Arizona is advancing SB 1785, which would require regulators to presumptively treat certain recovery wells near underground water storage facilities as within the area of impact of stored water even when no separate hydrologic study is submitted. If enacted, this would streamline permitting for recovery wells used by Arizona water providers and irrigation districts, potentially broadening where stored water credits can be recovered and shaping long-term water supply planning in affected basins.

15 Apr 2026, 15:20azleg.govUnited States

Arizona Governor Vetoes HB2985 on CAP Water and State Land Allocation

Arizona’s legislature passed HB2985 on CAP water allocation for state trust lands and transmitted it to the Governor, but the bill was vetoed on 13 April 2026. The veto means no new water-allocation procedures or deadlines now apply to CAP users or state trust land lessees, although similar proposals could re-emerge and affect long-term water access and land development planning.

15 Apr 2026, 15:18apps.azleg.govUnited States

Idaho Updates Cloud Seeding Law With Reporting and Liability Provisions (S1269)

Idaho has enacted Senate Bill 1269 (2026 Session Law Chapter 86) to overhaul its cloud seeding statute, adding formal definitions, public meeting requirements, and new reporting rules for operators, effective 1 July 2026. Cloud seeding operators and the Idaho Water Resource Board must now secure board authorisation, submit detailed monthly and annual reports, and can operate under a clearer liability shield and permit exemption, reshaping how weather-modification projects are planned, financed, and scrutinised in the state.

15 Apr 2026, 14:59legislature.idaho.govUnited States

Netherlands PBL Report on Choices for a Climate‑Resilient Living Environment

In March 2026 the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) published a major climate risk analysis outlining how heat, drought and flooding will increasingly disrupt health, infrastructure, agriculture and water management unless adaptation policy is significantly strengthened. The report sets the agenda for 2026 revisions of the National Climate Adaptation Strategy and Delta Decisions, signalling future tightening of standards for spatial planning, critical infrastructure and crisis preparedness even though it does not itself create binding obligations.

15 Apr 2026, 14:01pbl.nlNetherlands

Idaho Restricts Consumptive Cooling Water Use for New Data Centers (H0895)

Idaho has enacted House Bill 895 adding new Section 42-252 to the Idaho Code, restricting consumptive cooling water use at data centers that begin construction on or after 1 July 2026. This will push future data center projects toward municipal or district water supplies and tighter Department of Water Resources scrutiny of water-right allocations, influencing Idaho site selection, permitting strategies, and long-term water planning for large-scale digital infrastructure.

15 Apr 2026, 13:33legislature.idaho.govUnited States

Kansas Enacts HB 2462 on Direct and Indirect Potable Reuse of Treated Wastewater

In April 2026 Kansas enacted HB 2462 directing its Department of Health and Environment to issue regulations by 1 July 2028 enabling direct and indirect potable reuse of treated wastewater and extending key state water infrastructure funds. This sets a clear timeline and funding framework for utilities and communities to plan potable reuse and water projects, with upcoming KDHE rules likely to define new treatment, monitoring, and permitting expectations.

15 Apr 2026, 13:23kslegislature.govUnited States

Netherlands – Drenthe Province Publishes Draft Environmental Vision With Groundwater Protection And PFAS Monitoring Strategy

In April 2026 the Province of Drenthe published a draft Omgevingsvisie that sets a long-term strategy for water, soil, nature, energy and spatial planning, including stronger protection of groundwater and drinking-water resources and explicit attention to PFAS and other emerging contaminants. While not directly binding on companies, this vision signals tighter future zoning and permitting rules around water protection areas, cautious treatment of underground storage, and increased monitoring expectations that compliance teams should track into forthcoming programmes and the Omgevingsverordening.

13 Apr 2026, 18:49zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

Netherlands Opens Consultation on Concept NRD for Sustainable Use of Deep Subsurface (DGDO)

The Netherlands has opened a public consultation (10 April to 21 May 2026) on the draft scoping note (concept NRD) for its national programme on sustainable use of the deep subsurface (DGDO), which will guide a formal environmental impact assessment and future spatial rules for subsurface energy and resource uses. While this step does not yet change permits or obligations, it will shape where and how geothermal, gas, hydrogen and other deep-subsurface activities can occur, so operators and stakeholders in affected sectors should monitor and consider input now to influence future constraints and opportunities.

13 Apr 2026, 18:36zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

California AB 2619 Would Require Water-Use Reporting And Guidelines For Data Centres

California bill AB 2619, amended on 8 April 2026, would require data centre operators to provide detailed water-use estimates and annual actual-use data to local authorities and water suppliers, while directing state agencies to develop resource-efficiency guidelines and planning tools for this fast-growing sector. If enacted, it would introduce new reporting obligations for data centres and push urban water suppliers to explicitly factor data centre demand into water-shortage planning, tightening scrutiny of high-water-use digital infrastructure in California’s water-stressed regions.

13 Apr 2026, 18:29leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

California State Water Board Adopts Minimal-Impact SGMA Reporting and Fee Exclusions in Tulare Lake and Tule Subbasins

In April 2026, the California State Water Resources Control Board adopted resolutions excluding certain small groundwater pumpers in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins from Sustainable Groundwater Management Act extraction reporting and associated fees. This eases cost and reporting burdens for very low‑volume users while reinforcing SGMA enforcement on larger pumpers, and requires eligible operators to confirm their status via GEARS ahead of the 1 May 2026 reporting deadline.

13 Apr 2026, 18:02waterboards.ca.govUnited States