The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board is considering a tentative cease-and-desist order to enforce compliance with effluent discharge regulations as the US International Boundary and Water Commission pushes forward with its 100-day plan to increase treatment capacity at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. The proposed order, to be discussed Aug. 27, would require the IBWC to adhere to specific remedial and preventative actions to address anticipated permit violations while facility expansion is underway.

Water at the San Lazaro mobile home park outside Boulder, Colo., has been undrinkable for over two decades, with persistent issues including foul odors, chemical taste and elevated levels of PFAS. Annexing the park and connecting it to municipal water supplies could help resolve the problem, but city officials and the park's owners have struggled to reach an agreement. In the meantime, residents continue to rely heavily on bottled water and natural filtration systems have been installed to help alleviate water quality concerns.

Landowners in southeastern Utah are raising concerns about water contamination and depletion as Lisbon Valley Mining plans to expand a copper mine under the White House's push for domestic mining. The expansion, which includes injecting mining fluids into the Burro Canyon aquifer, has prompted local residents to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to reject a state-approved aquifer exemption. The EPA is reviewing the exemption request and has emphasized that any exemption must ensure drinking water sources are not affected.

Major oil and natural gas operators in the Permian Basin are increasing investments in water management, focusing on recycling produced water and reducing freshwater usage. Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Occidental Petroleum and ConocoPhillips are leading efforts to enhance water infrastructure, with a goal of using over 90% recycled water for hydraulic fracturing and production. Challenges include proving environmental safety and developing innovative water technologies.

Residents of Sanger, Calif., endured foul odors for years due to the city's water resource recovery facility being overwhelmed by untreated sewage from Pitman Family Farms, which operates a poultry processing facility. The city failed to enforce a state-mandated pretreatment program for over two decades, only taking action after receiving a notice of violation from the state in 2024. Sanger has since spent $1 million to repair the facility, and the city and Pitman are working on compliance.