Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) – 2022 Report and Data

The Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) provides an assessment of the capital investments necessary for states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories to meet the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) water quality goals over the subsequent 20 years. These needs include projects and related infrastructure costs for wastewater publicly owned treatment works, stormwater treatment, nonpoint source control, and decentralized wastewater treatment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prepared the 2022 CWNS Report to Congress in compliance with CWA section 516(b)(1)(B) (33 U.S Code §1375) as well as CWA section 609, which was added by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), P.L. 117-58, November 15, 2021. This Report summarizes the results of EPA’s 17^th survey since the CWA was enacted in 1972.

2022 CWNS Data Dashboard
The dashboard features interactive maps, charts, and data tables of state, regional, and national results. Users can also download the data dictionary and CWNS data as .csv files or as an Access Database for the entire nation or for individual states.

Report to Congress

2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey Report to Congress (pdf) (9.09 MB)
2022 CWNS Scope and Methods (pdf) (955.87 KB) - Describes the data collection and review process, as well as the development of the Report to Congress.
2022 CWNS Report to Congress Summary (pdf) (1.61 MB)

Additional Resources

2022 CWNS State Coordinator Manual (pdf) (4.34 MB)
The manual is a guide on survey policy, terminology, and data entry in the online portal.
2022 CWNS Cost Estimation Tool Methods (pdf) (2.04 MB)
The methods document outlines the background, methods, and data sources associated with each of EPA’s Cost Estimation Tools. These tools were used to assign a dollar value for certain projects based on documented inputs. This document should be used in conjunction with the 2022 CWNS State Coordinator Manual for term definitions and survey policy. These estimates are not intended for any other purpose outside of the CWNS.

Summary of Report to Congress