The Environmental Protection Agency may ease coal ash regulations, in a possible reversal of stricter rules implemented by the Biden administration. Critics worry that the deregulation could lead to increased groundwater contamination, as coal ash contains heavy metals like arsenic and lead. The first federal standards were introduced in 2015 in response to disasters involving coal ash and require water monitoring and liners for new storage sites to prevent groundwater pollution.

President Donald Trump has issued executive orders to bypass the traditional regulatory process with actions that include repealing regulations without public comment and sunsetting long-standing environmental protections. "[W]e could see, again, a radical reshaping of the regulatory ... structure in a very short time," said Nina Mendelson of the University of Michigan.

Enbridge's proposed $500 million Line 5 tunnel project will receive priority permitting from the US Army Corps of Engineers under President Donald Trump's energy emergency executive order. The decision drew sharp criticism from environmental and tribal groups, who argue it bypasses proper review and threatens treaty rights.

Tetra Tech has secured a contract from Bartlesville, Okla., to provide engineering and technical services for the state's first indirect potable reuse project. The initiative involves expanding the Chickasaw Wastewater Treatment Plant to treat wastewater for recapture during extreme droughts.

Fort Dodge, Iowa, is dealing with significant issues in its sanitary collection system because of residents flushing unflushable items. "This is a daily problem," Water Utilities Manager Rich Fabbro said. "It costs the city several hundred thousand dollars a year in labor hours and equipment, and similar amounts at the wastewater treatment plant to screen out and remove things which belong in the trash, not down the toilet."

East Texans have temporarily stopped a proposed sale of water from Lake O' the Pines to Dallas suburbs, voicing concerns about local economic and environmental impacts. The Northeast Texas Municipal Water District paused the sale amid public outcry and the resignation of its executive director, Wayne Owen.