APW is back in the classroom and out in the field! After a very long period of only offering online classes, APW presenters have been itching to get their hands dirty and wet. While the number of students might be down, the excitement and fun have only increased.
November 19, 2021
Infrastructure Deal is Big News for WRRC and Water Sector
Did you know that the WRRC was part of the bipartisan infrastructure bill? The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law this week, contains historic investment in water resources and, of particular importance to the WRRC, it reauthorized the Water Resources Research Act (WRRA). As our readers may know, the WRRC is the water resources research institute for AZ, federally authorized under the WRRA. The reauthorization extends WRRA funding through FY2025 and contains changes long advocated by the WRRC and peer research institutes nationwide. An important change halves the cost-sharing requirement, from 2:1 to 1:1. This change will significantly improve the WRRC’s ability to leverage WRRA funding for our research and outreach programs, including the Section 104(b) student grant program. We will be issuing the next call for 104(b) proposals in the spring semester.
Of more general interest to the water sector, the infrastructure deal includes over $50 billion for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure funding, according to an EPA Fact Sheet. Among its many water-related provisions, the Act allocates $1 billion for water reuse projects in the western US, $11.7 billion each for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, and an additional $15 billion in loans and grants for lead service pipe replacement. Multi-benefit watershed health projects received $100 million, desalination projects $250 million, and Drought Contingency Plan implementation $300 million.
Image: Andy Pernick, Bureau of Reclamation
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Recent News
December 03, 2021
WRRC Director Speaks on Tribal Water Dialogues
On November 16, as part of ongoing efforts by the University of California, Riverside, School of Public Policy to give policymakers, practitioners, and researchers an opportunity to discuss current pressing policy challenges, WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal was invited to present, Tribal Water Dialogues in Arizona and the Colorado River Basin: Listen, Learn, and Listen.
December 03, 2021
Specialists Present on Their COP26 Experience
On November 19, the WRRC hosted Betsy Wilkening, president of Polar Educators International, and Kristen Poppleton, senior director of programs for Climate Generation, for a Brown Bag webinar on their experiences at the United Nations 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26).
November 30, 2021
WRRC Seeks Two Post-doctoral Research Associates
The University of Arizona (UA) Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) will be hiring two post-doctoral research associates into 24-month positions beginning in early 2022. These opportunities both provide a foundation for building a research portfolio and contributing to greater awareness and understanding of water resources in Arizona and the West. Both positions require that the candidate hold a PhD in a field with relevance to the position description at the time of hiring.
November 24, 2021
The WRRC Gives Thanks
This week there will be no Weekly Wave due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Instead, we would like to share a few of the many things we are thankful for.
November 19, 2021
Evolving Science Education with ASTA
Creativity drove this year's Arizona Science Teachers Association (ASTA) Annual conference, with the theme of “Teaching Science in an Evolving Climate.” APW contributed three live sessions covering everything from “Barrio walks” to developing and using a variety of models to construct explanations, and exploring our groundwater system.