Active Working Groups, Subcommittees, and Task Forces

Business Development Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Joseph Ramos, Business Development Representative

Click here to go to Business Development Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

ACWA Associates Program Subcommittee
Subcommittee is tasked with reviewing and refining the existing ACWA Associates Program, while considering additional opportunities to expand its scope and impact to Members and Associates alike.

Subcommittee Liaison: Joseph Ramos, Business Development Representative

ACWA Sponsorships Subcommittee
Reviews sponsorship opportunities for all ACWA events and helps to generate new ideas for exhibitor and sponsor engagement at ACWA Conferences and other functions throughout the year.

Subcommittee Liaison: Joseph Ramos, Business Development Representative

Communications Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Heather Engel, Director of Communications

Click here to go to Communications Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Ag Communications Subcommittee
Provides communication support to the Agriculture Committee and oversees ag communications projects, as assigned.

Subcommittee Liaison: Will Holbert, Communications Specialist

AI Policy Task Force
Develops a template policy for member agencies to customize related to AI use in communications, IT, HR and other areas.

Task Force Liaison:  Heather Engel, Director of Communications

Awards and Scholarships Subcommittee
Provides staff support for ACWA’s awards and scholarship programs.

Subcommittee Liaison: Caroline Meade, Sr. Communications Specialist

Water Quality Communications Subcommittee
Provides communication support to the Water Quality Committee and oversees water quality-related communications projects, as assigned.

Subcommittee Liaison: Heather Engel, Director of Communications

Weather Whiplash Subcommittee
Provides staff support for communications related to droughts, floods and other weather-related topics.

Subcommittee Liaison: Caroline Meade, Sr. Communications Specialist

Website and Social Media Subcommittee
Provides staff support for website and social media items; organizes two member webinars per year on website and social media topics.

Subcommittee Liaison: Ellen Martin, Communications Specialist

Energy Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Click here to go to Energy Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Advanced Clean Fleets Working Group
Direct ACWA advocacy on all fleet related issues- primarily the Advanced Clean Fleet Regulation, but occasionally related regulations/programs at CEC/CARB.

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Energy Costs Working Group
Develop a survey to collect and analyze most impactful energy costs to water districts to help prioritize future advocacy efforts.

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

GHG Emissions Working Group
Direct ACWA advocacy on potential inclusion of water infrastructure in CARB GHG emission regulations.

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Federal Affairs Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Ian Lyle, Director of Federal Relations

Click here to go to Federal Affairs Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Drinking Water and Energy Subcommittee (Federal)
Advise the Federal Affairs Committee on issues including, but not limited to: Safe Drinking Water Act, chemical and cyber security, EPA issues & budget, energy-water nexus, hydropower, climate change, tax issues.

Subcommittee Liaison: Ian Lyle, Director of Federal Relations

ESA Working Group
Examine Federal ESA issues and make policy recommendations.

Subcommittee Liaison: Ian Lyle, Director of Federal Relations

Infrastructure and Agriculture Subcommittee (Federal)
Advise the Federal Affairs Committee on issues including, but not limited to: infrastructure funding, Clean Water Act, Farm Bill, conservation programs, infrastructure legislation & implementation.

Subcommittee Liaison: Ian Lyle, Director of Federal Relations

Water Supply Subcommittee (Federal)
Advise the Federal Affairs Committee on issues including, but not limited to, Bureau of Reclamation issues & budget, water recycling and desalination, Endangered Species Act, invasive species, USGS water programs & budget, Colorado River issues, headwaters/ wildfire, drought resiliency.

Working Group Liaison: Ian Lyle, Director of Federal Relations

Finance Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Dan Gumpert, Controller

Click here to go to Finance Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Audit Subcommittee
Reviews annual audit.

Subcommittee Liaison: Dan Gumpert, Controller

Budget Subcommittee
Reviews budget.

Subcommittee Liaison: Dan Gumpert, Controller

Education Subcommittee
Selects finance programs for conferences.

Subcommittee Liaison: Dan Gumpert, Controller

Investment Subcommittee
Reviews quarterly investment portfolio and performance. Makes recommendations for any changes to policy.

Subcommittee Liaison: Dan Gumpert, Controller

Revenue Subcommittee
Reviews any dues contentions,

Subcommittee Liaison: Dan Gumpert, Controller

Groundwater Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Soren Nelson, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Click here to go to Groundwater Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Groundwater Banking Working Group
Meets monthly to advance implementation of groundwater banking in California and develop advocacy platform.

Subcommittee Liaison: Soren Nelson, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Groundwater Quality Subcommittee
Meets quarterly to discuss contemporary issues related to groundwater quality management.

Working Group Liaison: Soren Nelson, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Legal Affairs Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Caleb Raspler, Federal Relations Representative

Click here to go to Legal Affairs Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Continuing Legal Education Working Group
Focuses on planning Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and opportunities to meet requirements for California State Bar licensees. Includes planning sessions for ACWA Conferences.

Working Group Liaison: Caleb Raspler, Federal Relations Representative

Proposition 218 Subcommittee
Discusses Proposition 218 matters and related engagement opportunities.

Subcommittee Liaison: Caleb Raspler, Federal Relations Representative

Local Government Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Kylie Wright, State Relations Advocate

Click here to go to Local Government Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Housing Subcommittee
This subcommittee engages on housing related legislation to ensure land use decisions consider water supply availability and infrastructure capacity and that connection fees and capacity charges can be collected.

Subcommittee Liaison: Kylie Wright, State Relations Advocate

Emergency Preparedness and Response Subcommittee

This subcommittee focuses on improving public water agency local relationships with emergency responders and local coordination and promotes emergency preparedness and response best practices.

Subcommittee Liaison: Kylie Wright, State Relations Advocate

State Legislative Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Julia Hall, Director of State Legislative Relations

Click here to go to State Legislative Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Climate Bond Working Group
Provides input on Bond related policy.

Working Group Liaison:  Julia Hall, Director of State Legislative Relations

Emergency Management Working Group
This working group weighs in on legislation related to emergency management, including preparation and response to emergency events.

Working Group Liaison: Kylie Wright, State Relations Advocate

Golden Mussels Legislative Working Group
Provides input on legislation related to golden mussels.

Working Group Liaison: Sophie Morin, State Relations Advocate

Headwater Working Group
(Federal Affairs Committee and State Legislative Committee)
Provides a conduit for ACWA members to discuss information on headwater and forest health issues.

Working Group Liaisons: Ian Lyle, Director of Federal Relations; Kylie Wright, State Relations Advocate

Legislative Permit Streamlining Working Group
This working group weighs in on legislation related to permitting reform on an ad hoc basis.

Working Group Liaison: Julia Hall, Director of State Legislative Relations

Low-Income Rate Assistance Working Group
Meets on an ad hoc basis to inform ACWA’s advocacy related to Low-Income Rate Assitance legislation.

Working Group Liaison: Soren Nelson, Senior State Relations Advocate

Water Management Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Chelsea Haines, Director of Regulatory Relations

Click here to go to Water Management Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Bay-Delta Working Group
Directs ACWA’s advocacy related to San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta issues.

Working Group Liaison: Stephen Pang, State Relations Advocate

Climate Change Working Group
Directs ACWA’s advocacy related to the State Water Resources Control Board’s focus group for their Climate Change Resolution update.

Working Group Liaison: Stephen Pang, State Relations Advocate

Data Streamlining Working Group
Directs ACWA’s advocacy related to water use reporting and identifying opportunities for streamlining duplicative data

Working Group Liaison: Amber Rossow, Director of State Regulatory Relations

Desalination Working Group
Directs ACWA’s advocacy related to desalination issues.

Working Group Liaison: Sophie Morin, State Relations Advocate

DRIP Collaborative-Drought Indicators & Metrics
(Water Management Committee & Legal Affairs Committee)
To advance our drought strategies and continue building resilience to the increasingly arid conditions California faces.

Working Group Liaison: Chelsea Haines, Director of Regulatory Relations

Urban Water Management Plan Guidebook
Directs ACWA’s Advocacy on the state’s updates to the urban water management plan guidebook update.

Guidebook Liaison: Sonja Eschenburg, State Relations Analyst

Water Use Efficiency
Directs ACWA’s advocacy related to long-term water use efficiency regulations, Executive Orders, state funding, and other policy development.

Liaison: Amber Rossow, State Relations Advocate

Water Quality Committee

ACWA Staff Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Click here to go to Water Quality Committee and view committee rosters, meeting schedules and other materials.

Drinking Water/Clean Water State Revolving Fund Working Group
Direct ACWA Advocacy on Intended Use Plans and Policy Updates for State Revolving Fund Administration.

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Emergency Drinking Water Quality Data Working Group
Direct input to State Water Board on proposed changes, using emergency rulemaking, that require water systems to submit information through labs.

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Lead and Copper Working Group
Direct input to the State Water Board on Lead and Copper Rule Improvements and development of AB 1096 Handbook.

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

PFAS Working Group
Direct ACWA Advocacy on PFAS regulations

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Post-Wildfire Water Quality Working Group
Direct input to State Water Board on implementation of rules/orders related to water quality notices after wildfires that adhere to rules.

Working Group Liaison: Nick Blair, Sr. State Relations Advocate

Water Recycling and Stormwater Working Group
Directs ACWA’s advocacy related to water recycling and stormwater issues.

Working Group Liaison: Sophie Morin, State Relations Advocate