On Thursday, April 16, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin launched the Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) 2.0, to harness the power of water reuse for American industry, the artificial intelligence (AI) future, and American energy dominance while strengthening public health protections and safeguarding the nation’s water resources.
Here are the three things you need to know about WRAP 2.0:
- It advances water reuse to help make America the AI capital of the world. WRAP 2.0 prioritizes reliable water supplies for data centers and semiconductor manufacturing—critical infrastructure for AI—ensuring the U.S. can scale innovation without straining freshwater resources.
- It strengthens cooperative federalism through partnerships. The plan empowers states and local leaders while aligning federal agencies and industry partners, using collaboration and existing authorities to accelerate water reuse solutions nationwide.
- It protects the environment while growing the economy. By turning wastewater into a dependable resource, WRAP 2.0 lowers costs for industry, supports energy and manufacturing expansion, and reduces environmental discharge, delivering both economic growth and clean water for Americans.
The announcement was made at an event at EPA headquarters and featured remarks from Administrator Zeldin, EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi, EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jessica Kramer, U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chairman Katherine Scarlett, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark, and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle. Following the press conference, Assistant Administrator Kramer led a panel discussion on the future of water reuse under WRAP 2.0, which featured:
- Deputy Administrator Fotouhi;
- Veolia North America Executive Vice President Dave Ross;
- Simplot Vice President of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Alan Prouty;
- Data Center Coalition President and CEO Josh Levi;
- Loudoun Water Executive Director of Operations and Maintenance Kendra Sveum; and
- AECOM Global Water Chief Executive Beverley Stinson.
