Water Stewardship

EU Council Adopts Recommendation on the New European Bauhaus

In May 2026 the Council of the EU adopted a non-binding Recommendation urging Member States to embed New European Bauhaus values in policies, funding and planning for the built environment, housing and neighbourhood regeneration. This sets a clear EU policy direction that future construction, renovation and materials projects will increasingly be judged against NEB-aligned criteria on circularity, bio-based solutions, digital building tools and inclusive, high-quality design, influencing access to public and private finance.

12 May 2026, 15:36data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

California AB 2619 Proposes Data Center Water-Use Reporting and Planning Requirements

California AB 2619 would require owners of large and mid-size data centers to report detailed direct and indirect water-use metrics to water suppliers and on city and county business licence applications, and mandate state guidance on data-center water efficiency by 1 January 2029. If adopted, this would tie data-center siting and expansion more tightly to urban water planning, favouring projects that can document low-impact cooling designs, non-potable supply options and transparent water reporting in drought-sensitive regions.

12 May 2026, 15:10leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

France Court of Auditors Issues Artois‑Picardie Water Agency Report With Recommendations on Charges and Controls

France’s Court of Auditors has issued a critical 2019–2025 review of the Artois‑Picardie Water Agency, calling for fairer application of polluter‑pays charges, higher diffuse‑pollution taxes and stronger controls on water‑agency grants to tackle persistently poor water quality. While the recommendations are not yet binding, they signal likely upward pressure on water charges and tighter funding conditions for agricultural and industrial projects in the basin, and could shape upcoming reforms to redevances and water‑resource management.

12 May 2026, 15:08ccomptes.frFrance

Virginia Enacts Data Center Siting, Waste-Heat Study, and Water-Use Reporting Laws (SB94, HB323, HB496/SB553)

Virginia has enacted a three-part data centre package that tightens siting approvals, mandates a statewide waste-heat study, and expands water-use reporting, with new obligations phasing in from July 2026 and January 2027. These measures will require data centre developers, operators, and water utilities in Virginia to factor local environmental impacts into project siting, participate in waste-heat planning, and capture more granular water-use data that can influence permitting, community relations, and long-term infrastructure decisions.

12 May 2026, 12:55lis.virginia.govUnited States

US Senate Introduces Federal Mechanical Insulation Act of 2026 (S. 4312)

In April 2026 the US Senate introduced the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act, which would amend the National Energy Conservation Policy Act so that mechanical insulation meeting ASHRAE 90.1 is explicitly treated as an energy and water efficiency measure for federal buildings. If enacted, this would strengthen the case for using compliant mechanical insulation in federal projects, supporting demand for higher‑performance systems without adding new chemical‑specific restrictions for insulation materials.

12 May 2026, 12:51govinfo.govUnited States

California Senate Schedules Appropriations Hearing on SB 1291 Mutual Water Companies Bill

California has set a 14 May 2026 Senate Appropriations hearing on SB 1291, a bill that would strengthen transparency, digital access and oversight obligations for mutual water companies and require the State Water Resources Control Board to assess their performance by the end of 2027. If enacted, this would raise governance and reporting expectations for small drinking water systems—especially those serving disadvantaged communities—and may drive investment, restructuring and closer monitoring of mutual water companies over the next few years.

11 May 2026, 11:39leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

German Environment Ministers Call for Federal Funding of Long-Distance Water Supply Systems

Germany’s environment ministers have jointly called on the federal government to create long-term funding incentives for long-distance drinking-water supply systems to strengthen water security under climate change. This political signal, backed by Bavaria’s own multi-year investment plans, suggests future federal programmes and co-financing conditions for municipalities and water utilities, so infrastructure and sustainability teams should monitor upcoming decisions on funding design and implementation.

10 May 2026, 19:20stmuv.bayern.deGermany

EU Commission Opens Infringement Procedure Against Italy Over Drinking Water Directive

In April 2026 the European Commission opened an infringement case against Italy for incorrect transposition of the EU Drinking Water Directive, issuing a formal notice over gaps in risk assessment, public information and contaminant control obligations. This puts time-bound pressure on Italian authorities and water utilities to upgrade drinking-water risk management and chemical quality standards, signalling firmer EU enforcement on water and health protections.

9 May 2026, 19:01affarieuropei.gov.itEuropean UnionItaly

Environment Agency Launches Refresh of National FCERM Strategy for England

The Environment Agency has begun a statutory refresh of the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England, using early 2026 stakeholder feedback and a planned autumn 2026 public consultation to inform a revised strategy in 2027. This process will shape future flood and coastal risk policy, funding and resilience expectations for local authorities, utilities, infrastructure operators and land managers across England, so organisations exposed to UK flood risk should track the emerging objectives and measures.

9 May 2026, 18:47engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.comUnited Kingdom

Louisiana Resolution HCR103 Urges Study Of Backflow Prevention Inspection Frequency

During the 2026 Regular Session, Louisiana lawmakers introduced House Concurrent Resolution 103 asking the state construction code council to study reducing how often backflow prevention devices and related components must be inspected and tested in the state building code. If ultimately implemented through code amendments, this could ease inspection burdens and costs for low‑hazard residential water connections while requiring careful management to ensure drinking water protection is maintained.

9 May 2026, 14:16legis.la.govUnited States

Louisiana HB 1209 Moves to Senate Committee on Surface Water Withdrawal Agreements

Louisiana’s HB 1209, now before the Senate Natural Resources Committee, would phase out new state surface-water withdrawal agreements, cap fees, and tighten conditions on existing contracts between 2026 and 2036. This would constrain long-term access to state-managed surface waters while directing fee revenues and new reporting duties toward statewide invasive aquatic vegetation control and water-resource planning.

9 May 2026, 14:09legis.la.govUnited States

Massachusetts Awards $899,486 To Improve Ipswich River Water Supply And Treat PFAS

In May 2026, Massachusetts awarded about $900,000 to five Ipswich River Basin communities to upgrade water infrastructure and install PFAS treatment technologies in public drinking water systems. This funding helps local utilities meet tightening PFAS standards and water-scarcity challenges, signalling ongoing investment needs for compliant, resilient water supplies in the region.

9 May 2026, 13:44mass.govUnited States

Michigan SB 951 Proposes Licensing and Royalties for Bottled Water Withdrawals

Michigan has introduced Senate Bill 951 to create a new licensing and twenty-five-cent-per-gallon royalty regime for bottled drinking water withdrawals, with obligations starting from 1 January 2027 if the bill and its companion measure are enacted. If passed, this would materially increase compliance costs and scrutiny for bottled water operations in Michigan while signalling a broader policy shift toward monetising large-scale water extraction and protecting public trust water resources.

9 May 2026, 13:44legislature.mi.govUnited States

France Administrative Court Annuls Unmotivated Drought Water-Use Derogation for Boat Washing in Argelès-sur-Mer

In May 2026, France's Montpellier administrative court annulled an unmotivated derogation that had allowed boat washing during 2023 drought restrictions in Argelès-sur-Mer, following a case brought by FNE OCMED. The ruling raises the bar for all future drought-related water-use exemptions by signalling that prefectural derogations, including those relied on by ports and industrial users, must be explicitly justified and tightly limited in scope, duration and volume to withstand legal challenge.

9 May 2026, 13:29lgrcivi.fne-apne.netFrance

Illinois Senate Files Amendment 1 to SB4004 on Data Center Water Use and Mahomet Aquifer

An Illinois Senate amendment filed on 5 May 2026 would significantly revise SB4004 on data center water use, replacing the bill’s original blanket Mahomet Aquifer ban with a detailed, risk-based framework for water planning, impact assessment, reporting, and conditional restrictions. If enacted, this shift would ease the threat of an automatic aquifer shutoff but impose extensive new planning, disclosure, and potential shutdown obligations on data centres overlying the Mahomet Aquifer, requiring early strategic review of siting, cooling technologies, and long-term water sourcing.

8 May 2026, 07:47ilga.govUnited States

Louisiana House Passes HB 1209 on Surface Water Withdrawal Agreements

The Louisiana House has passed HB 1209, an engrossed bill to amend R.S. 30:961 by phasing out new cooperative surface water withdrawal agreements, tightening conditions around invasive aquatic vegetation impacts, and expanding reporting and dedicated funding requirements, with the measure now before the Senate. If enacted, this would give existing users a limited window to enter or renew agreements before a 2036 sunset while increasing oversight of environmental impacts and earmarking withdrawal revenues for statewide management of invasive aquatic species, requiring forward planning around long-term water access and compliance costs.

8 May 2026, 07:44legis.la.govUnited States

EU Council Draft Recommendation on the New European Bauhaus and Sustainable Built Environment

EU governments are discussing a draft Council Recommendation on the New European Bauhaus that would push Member States to mainstream sustainability, inclusiveness and aesthetics into building, housing, spatial planning and funding policies, using tools like life-cycle carbon assessment, digital building logbooks and the EU Taxonomy to steer investment. While non-binding, this framework signals a stronger EU focus on circular, nature-positive construction, bio-based materials and participatory urban regeneration, shaping future national measures, funding priorities and expectations for the construction, housing, textiles and related value chains.

8 May 2026, 07:27data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

UK Parliament Introduces Nature-Based Solutions (Water and Flooding) Bill

A Private Members’ Bill introduced in the UK Parliament in May 2026 would require water companies and relevant public bodies to use nature-based solutions to improve water and flood risk management services. If progressed, this could shift investment and compliance expectations toward natural infrastructure and catchment-based measures, affecting how utilities and major water users plan long-term resilience and permitting strategies.

8 May 2026, 06:48bills.parliament.ukUnited Kingdom

Pennsylvania SB1287 Re-Reported as Committed (Municipalities Planning Code Water Supply Amendment)

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1287, which would amend the Municipalities Planning Code to tighten water-supply requirements for subdivision and land-development approvals, has advanced after being re-reported as committed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on 4 May 2026. If enacted, municipalities and developers in Pennsylvania would need to secure and document commitments from qualifying public water suppliers before granting final approvals, potentially reshaping project feasibility, timelines, and infrastructure planning.

7 May 2026, 19:23palegis.usUnited States

California Water Board Seeks Members for WaterTAP Advisory Group

California’s State Water Resources Control Board is forming a volunteer WaterTAP Advisory Group and accepting applications until late May 2026 to guide development of its new drinking water data portal. While this does not change reporting obligations yet, it offers public water systems and other stakeholders an early opportunity to influence how future drinking water reporting and public data access will be designed and implemented.

7 May 2026, 19:17links-2.govdelivery.comUnited States