The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requests public input on its Clean Water Act (CWA) Financial Capability Assessment guidance. The resource aims to help keep water bills affordable as wastewater systems plan for needed infrastructure upgrades, including collection systems, pumps, and treatment plants. USEPA says the public feedback will be utilized to update USEPA’s guidance about ratepayers’ ability to support infrastructure upgrades and potential impacts on rural or small communities.
Financial capability is one of many factors USEPA says it considers when evaluating schedules for implementing long-term Clean Water Act control plans. The guidance identifies specific ways to consider economic impacts to public entities when determining water quality standards variances and during anti-degradation reviews. In appropriate cases, these methodologies also inform decisions about revising the designated use for a waterbody.
Comments will be accepted through May 26, 2026, via the Federal eRulemaking portal.