The drought in the Western US has intensified sharply this year, with affected areas expanding to 58% of the region compared with 18% in 2024, according to the US Drought Monitor and a report by environmental firm AEM. Lake Mead's water level is at 31% capacity and Lake Powell is at 34%, and though spring snowmelt temporarily boosted reservoir levels, projections indicate those levels will continue to fall, potentially nearing record lows next year.

US Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., have introduced the PFAS National Drinking Water Standard Act of 2025 aimed at establishing stringent federal limits for "forever chemicals" in drinking water. The bill is intended to shield existing Environmental Protection Agency standards from being rolled back.

The highest level of PFAS contamination in the US is in the Pocotaligo River in South Carolina, posing a potential risk to public health, particularly for people who eat fish from the river, according a Waterkeeper Alliance study. The main contamination source is suspected to be a water resource recovery facility in Sumter that receives wastewater from industries that might handle PFAS.

The $70 million St. Mary Diversion Project has successfully restored water flow to Montana's Milk River, providing essential irrigation and drinking water to thousands along the Hi-Line. Despite harsh winter conditions and funding delays, a coalition of federal, state, tribal, and local partners completed the repairs ahead of schedule, marking a major milestone in the region's water infrastructure.

The Washington County Water Conservancy District has proposed a $1.3 billion water reuse project to address rapid population growth and water scarcity in southwestern Utah. The project, which aims to reuse up to 25% of the county's water supply, involves building three reservoirs, 60 miles of pipeline and advanced water resource recovery facilities. The first phase of work would be completed in 2030 and the second phase by 2042, which would expand treatment capabilities to include drinking water standards.

Construction on the $2.1 billion Bull Run Filtration Project in Portland, Ore., has restarted after a five-month shutdown caused by environmental concerns, with new protections for wildlife and water quality now in place. The project, which must be completed by September 2027 to meet a federal deadline, was shut down in February when the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals required a re-evaluation of environmental impacts.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority has chosen a joint venture between Granite Construction and Contri Construction for two major water projects, the Rice Pumping Station and Interconnect Pipeline and the Paradise Hills Pumping Station and Pipeline, with a total value of up to $520 million. The projects, part of the Horizon Lateral Program, are designed to enhance water security and service in the Las Vegas Valley. Construction is expected to start in 2027 and end by 2030.