by Southwest EFC | Aug 21, 2026 | Compliance with Drinking Water Regulations, Compliance with Wastewater Regulations, Cyber Awareness, Cybersecurity, Operations & Maintenance, Small Water Systems, Wastewater
Drinking water and wastewater systems are increasingly at risk of malicious cyber activity. Since July 27, 2026, water and wastewater systems in at least seven states have reported malicious cyber activity to the FBI, with more than...
by Southwest EFC | Aug 12, 2026 | Access to Wastewater Funding Sources, Access to Water Funding Sources, Access to Water/ Wastewater Funding Sources, Funding Pipeline to Success, Small Water Systems, Wastewater
Photo credit: Tucker Colvin There is currently a big need for infrastructure funding for drinking water and wastewater utilities. But for so many small and rural communities with limited staff, it can be hard to access funding. If...
by Southwest EFC | Jul 15, 2026 | Compliance with Drinking Water Regulations, Policy and Legislation, Small Water Systems
Photo credit: Clean Water Action (2025). The Clean Water Act (CWA) has served as the cornerstone of water quality protection in the United States for over five decades. Originally passed in 1948 as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the law was...
by Southwest EFC | Jul 9, 2026 | Compliance with Drinking Water Regulations, Funding Coordination, PFAS, Policy and Legislation, Small Water Systems
Photo by Adobe Stock To address mounting concerns over the presence of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the nation’s drinking water, EPA adopted the nation’s first PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR), effective April 2024. This...
by Southwest EFC | Jun 23, 2026 | Access to Water Funding Sources, Financial Management, Small Water Systems
Small water systems face many of the same regulatory requirements and financing complexities as larger utilities, but with fewer staff and resources to manage them. In this episode, we examine how finance professionals can effectively navigate the landscape of federal...
by Sami Stroud | Jun 12, 2026 | Community Engagement, Compliance with Drinking Water Regulations, Small Water Systems
Image generated by Grok, courtesy of Mike Rivera. Small and rural water system operators across the United States serve as the frontline guardians of public health, often with limited staff and budgets. When water quality issues or violations happen, the federal...