The Rundown
- The two-year federal Colorado River plan places mandatory cuts on Arizona, California, and Nevada, and targets a higher water level in Lake Powell.
- Cybersecurity agency warns of an “active threat” against certain devices used to operate water and wastewater systems.
- DOT seeks input on its idea of fast-tracking water, energy, and other “linear” utility infrastructure along specially designated rail and highway corridors.
- A water-energy research hub wants feedback on regional water supply systems.
- Saltwater reappears in the Mississippi River in southern Louisiana.
And lastly, ranking Democrats ask Congress’s watchdog arm to investigate Puerto Rico’s water supply failures.
“Puerto Rico is experiencing drinking water supply shortages and service interruptions affecting households and economic activity. Failing pipelines and infrastructure regularly leak about half of the territory’s treated water. In mid-July, the Puerto Rico government announced rationing to preserve water supplies.” – Letter from ranking Democrats asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate problems with Puerto Rico’s water supply system. Among their concerns: federal agency funding and coordination, the condition of the island’s water distribution and treatment infrastructure, and the quality of the water utility’s leadership.
By the Numbers
River Mile 46: Location of the saltwater “wedge” that moves up the Mississippi River during low-flow periods. In the last four years, the Army Corps of Engineers has built a dam on the river bottom to impede the saltwater, which can taint drinking water for communities that draw from the river.
News Briefs
Colorado River Plan
The Bureau of Reclamation released its two-year operating plan for the Colorado River.
The plan adopts a proposal from Arizona, California, and Nevada for mandatory cuts. Collectively, the three lower division states will see a reduction of 1.25 million acre-feet annually in the next two years. Sixty percent of the cuts (760,000 acre-feet) fall to Arizona while 35 percent is on California (440,000 acre-feet).
The plan also targets a higher water level in Lake Powell – 3,510 feet, which is 10 feet higher than in previous Reclamation documents. That means less water will be released into Lake Mead – between 6 million and 7 million acre-feet next year. That, in turn, means water flowing into the lower basin will drop below the volumes required under the river’s 1922 interstate compact. Lawsuits could be filed.
Reclamation already had to take emergency action this year to prop up Lake Powell, tapping reservoirs higher in the watershed. If the winter is again subpar, that lever will not be readily available. Under the new 10-year guidelines, which Reclamation also finalized last week, the agency is allowed to restrict annual releases from Lake Powell to 5 million acre-feet.
The Colorado River system is in a terrible position – reservoir storage is the lowest in history – and more reductions could happen. The two-year plan “shall not be construed to create a precedent for future operations” and is “not intended to represent a long-term operational strategy,” Reclamation says.
Cyber Threat
CISA, the federal cybersecurity agency, warned that hackers are using AI-assistance to probe internet-connected water and wastewater utility equipment for weaknesses.
CISA described the attempts as an “active threat” that comes a month after Iranian-linked groups allegedly targeted water systems in several states.
Though many cyber threats are apparent, the latest warning calls attention to attacks directed at S7 Series programmable logic controllers made by Siemens. PLCs control physical infrastructure such as valves and pumps and can be connected to the internet for remote access.
Studies and Reports
Spending Federal Water Infrastructure Dollars
States and utilities face challenges in handling increased federal infrastructure funding, according to the EPA Office of the Inspector General.
The office’s report looked at New Mexico, South Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. At the state level, all needed more staff and training to administer the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which increased federal funding for water systems through 2026.
Utilities, for their part, also had constraints – from inability to take on debt to difficulty managing the paperwork for federal funds.
On the Radar
Utility Infrastructure Corridors
Build faster.
That’s the goal of a Department of Transportation initiative to fast-track water, energy, fiber optic, and other “linear” infrastructure along specially designated rail and highway corridors.
The White House is championing data centers and domestic manufacturing. Existing transportation rights of way could be a literal on-ramp for the infrastructure to support them – “a new backbone for the world’s strongest economy,” the department says.
The DOT wants public feedback on how to make this happen. The initiative is voluntary – rights of way owners would submit an application for designation. Then, projects proposed for the corridor would receive white glove service in planning, siting, and permitting.
Comments are due September 12. Submit them via www.regulations.gov using docket number DOT-OST- 2026-3269.
Regional Water Systems
A Department of Energy-supported water innovation hub is looking for information on opportunities and barriers to using freshwater alternatives for regional water and energy systems.
The National Alliance for Water Innovation researches energy-efficient means of desalination, reuse, and other freshwater alternatives.
Comments on how to incorporate these into regional systems are due September 9. Details in the link above.
Federal Water Tap is a weekly digest spotting trends in U.S. government water policy. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.
