Demanding EPA Records

Demanding EPA Records

Waterkeeper Alliance, a global network of environmental organizations that work to protect and defend the right to clean water, filed a Freedom of Information Act request to force EPA to release records about weakening drinking water rules for PFAS chemicals. The advocacy group wants to see communications between EPA officials and industry groups, plus a completed toxicity report that EPA hasn't released yet. This follows Administrator Lee Zeldin's announcement that EPA would weaken PFAS standards and delay compliance deadlines. Waterkeeper Alliance argues that the EPA is siding with polluters over public health and wants to expose any behind-the-scenes deals. They requested fast processing since delayed access to this information threatens health and safety. Waterkeeper Alliance plans to share any information they get with communities, states, and tribes fighting federal rollbacks of clean water protections. 

New and Improved Filters

Aquasana announced last week that they’re releasing upgraded Claryum under sink water filters that remove more contaminants and meet tougher PFAS standards. The company's latest Water Quality Survey found that nearly 9 in 10 Americans worry about their tap water quality, especially with PFAS and microplastics. The new filters are certified to remove 99.99% of 78 contaminants including lead, PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and chlorine. The big upgrade is meeting the stricter NSF Standard 53 that requires PFAS reduction down to 20 parts per trillion instead of the old 70 ppt benchmark. Aquasana added new faucet options too, including matte black finishes alongside chrome, brushed nickel, and oil-rubbed bronze, plus a no-faucet option for people who want to use their own fixture. The company's Claryum technology uses four stages: activated carbon for chlorine and taste, catalytic carbon for tough contaminants, ion exchange for heavy metals, and sub-micron filtration for tiny particles.

Funding Gap for Small Communities

Only 10 out of 267 Texas communities that applied for state drinking water funding in 2023 actually received it, according to an investigation into why small towns can't access help for water problems. A recent article from The Texas Tribune focuses on Sweeny, Texas, where residents deal with brown, foul-smelling water from manganese and iron levels three times the recommended limit. When the state offered Sweeny funding with 70% loan forgiveness, city officials rejected it because they couldn't handle the 30-day paperwork deadline for engineering documents. The complex application process overwhelms small towns with limited staff, leaving communities that desperately need water system upgrades stuck with contaminated supplies. The funding bottleneck shows the scale of unmet demand: Texas needs over $3 billion annually through 2041 for drinking water infrastructure but only received $414 million in federal funds in 2023.

WQA Podcast: Consumer Report

Host Wes Bleed and Greg Reynecke, Vice President of WQA and Managing Director at Red Fox Advisors, discussed the 2025 WQA Consumer Insights Report showing some interesting trends for water treatment dealers. Water treatment use jumped 35% since 2021, and 91% of current users plan to keep using their systems, which shows strong customer retention. The catch is that while 58% of households worry about their tap water safety, only 18% feel they understand contaminants and 64% have never had their water tested. Reynecke emphasized that the industry should focus on enhancement rather than fear, noting that "we get phenomenal water from our utilities — but we can make it even better." The report found growing demand for both whole-house and point-of-use systems, with 74% of consumers interested in DIY installation and many preferring simple solutions over complex lab testing.

What else is happening:

• A report from Leaf Home breaks down the cities with the highest water hardness, and Texas has two cities in the top three

• A recent study finds that nanofiltration membranes are the most effective in filtering pharmaceutical chemicals

• Dierolf Plumbing and Water Treatment says there are seven scary (but true) facts about microplastics

• In a sponsored story for local news station NEWS4 “Mucho” Manny Mallen explains why having a good water softener is vital