Association of California Water Agencies

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Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 441-4545
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Washington, D.C. Office

400 North Capitol Street NW,
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Washington, D.C. 20001

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Governor Proclaims State of Emergency, Accelerates Flood Protection Measures Ahead of El Nino Event

Gov. Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a state of emergency that will empower ACWA members to launch preventative flood protection actions as California faces a potentially historic El Nino event, widely forecasted to hit California during the 2026-’27 winter.

The proclamation initiates a wide range of measures to protect California communities and infrastructure in advance of potential flooding this winter. It reflects priorities detailed in a Sept. 9 letter to Newsom signed by ACWA and a coalition of more than 30 other water and local government agencies led by the California State Association of Counties.

The proclamation contains several directives for state agencies that could affect, and help, ACWA member agencies, including:

Weather forecasters are predicting a greater than 90% chance of a historically strong El Nino event. For California, that could mean repeated atmospheric river storms bringing heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, mountain snow, landslides, debris flows and large waves flooding coastal areas.

Questions

For questions regarding the governor’s proclamation, please contact ACWA Director of State Regulatory Relations Chelsea Haines at (916) 669-2431.

Celebrate the People Behind California’s Water During WPAW

California’s annual Water Professionals Appreciation Week kicks off Oct. 3, celebrating the dedicated professionals who work every day to provide safe, reliable water, wastewater and recycled water services to communities across the state. 

Water Professionals Appreciation Week is an opportunity for water agencies to recognize their employees, showcase the essential work they do and highlight the wide range of rewarding careers in the water industry. 

ACWA encourages member agencies to participate by using their communication channels to share stories, engage their communities and educate customers, local leaders, media and other key audiences about the people behind California’s water systems. 

To help members celebrate, ACWA has updated its Water Professionals Appreciation Week Toolkit with customizable graphics, videos, sample social media content and other resources. New this year are customizable Canva templates for images and videos, as well as a sticker kit that agencies can use to add some fun to their Water Professionals Appreciation Week celebrations. 

How to Celebrate 

Here are some ways your agency can participate: 

  1. Recognize your employees. Feature the people behind your agency’s essential services on social media, your website, newsletters, bill inserts or other communications. Share their stories, highlight their work and show your community the many roles it takes to keep water flowing. 
  1. Showcase water careers. Use Water Professionals Appreciation Week to introduce students and community members to the diverse career opportunities available in the water industry. Consider highlighting employees in different roles and sharing information about internships, apprenticeships or career opportunities at your agency. 
  1. Engage your local community. Host a facility tour, presentation, community Q&A or other event that gives customers a closer look at your agency and the people who provide their water services. 
  1. Connect with local schools. Work with high schools, colleges and universities to promote water careers, internships and opportunities for students interested in making a difference in their communities. 
  1. Engage your local media. Let local reporters know your agency is participating in Water Professionals Appreciation Week and offer opportunities to interview employees working in a variety of fields. The toolkit includes sample talking points to help tell your agency’s story. 
  1. Recognize your team internally. Celebrate your employees with a staff appreciation event, employee spotlight, recognition program or other activity that shows your team how much their work matters. 

Toolkit Resources 

The updated Water Professionals Appreciation Week Toolkit includes resources to help agencies recognize their employees and share the story of water professionals with their communities. 

New Canva Templates 

Canva templates make it easy to customize Water Professionals Appreciation Week content with your agency’s photos, logo and messaging. 

Additional Toolkit Resources 

The toolkit also includes: 

The resources are designed to make it easy for agencies of all sizes to participate. Add your agency’s logo, customize the templates with your own photos and stories, and share them throughout the week. 

Background  

Water Professionals Appreciation Week was established by Senate Concurrent Resolution 80, approved by the Legislature in 2017. 

The resolution, authored by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), was sponsored by an ACWA-led coalition that included WateReuse California, California Municipal Utilities Association, California Association of Sanitation Agencies and California Water Association. The California Water Environment Association also was a partner in the effort. 

Water Professionals Appreciation Week begins each year on the first Saturday of October and ends on the Sunday of the following weekend.  

Questions 

For questions about Water Professionals Appreciation Week, please contact ACWA Communications Specialist Ellen Martin at (916) 441-4545. For help customizing toolkit items with your agency logo, contact Katherine Causland.

Karla Nemeth Starts as ACWA’s New Executive Director

Former California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Director Karla Nemeth today started her new position as Executive Director, bringing an unprecedented breadth of experience, list of accomplishments and high-profile statewide recognition to ACWA.

Prior to taking over as Executive Director, Nemeth has already been familiarizing herself with ACWA’s strategic plan and advocacy priorities, including the Vision for Our Water Future initiative. Her experience with ACWA and its members provides a strong foundation as she begins her new role and meets with water leaders across the state.

Nemeth said her priorities for the next few months include: meeting with member agencies to better understand their evolving needs and ensure ACWA is adapting to their expectations; building on the momentum of the Vision initiative; and engaging state leaders and water industry partners on urgent climate-driven water challenges and affordability.

“This water year promises to be yet another story of weather extremes. A vision for ensuring a strong California economy, safe communities and a healthy environment must come from all of us. And we must work to make it affordable for all people in all parts of the state,” Nemeth said. “Solutions not only require thoughtful planning and collaboration, but a willingness to act and invest, too. I look forward to working with ACWA staff and the Board of Directors to build upon the association’s extraordinary foundation and strengthen our collaborative voice on behalf of our members.”

Opportunities to Connect

Members will have several opportunities to get to know ACWA’s new Executive Director in the coming months.

Background

ACWA’s Board of Directors selected Nemeth for the position in May following a nationwide recruitment process. She is the first female executive director in ACWA’s 116-year history. Marwan Khalifa, who served as Interim Executive Director for the past 19 months, will remain at ACWA through the end of the year.

“ACWA is extremely grateful to Marwan for his dedication and leadership, and I appreciate his willingness to stay on board and help us through this transition period,” Nemeth said.

Nemeth is among the most instantly recognizable and accomplished decision makers within the California water space, having served as DWR Director since 2018, originally appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown and re-appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Throughout that time, Nemeth has participated in numerous ACWA conferences as a panelist and keynote speaker, sharing her perspectives on a wide range of critical issues.

Application Deadline Fast Approaching for ACWA’s 2026 Fall Awards

The deadline to apply for ACWA’s Excellence in Innovation Award, Huell Howser Excellence in Communications Award and Emissary Award is Sept. 1. The deadline to apply for the Outreach Awards is Oct. 1. ACWA will announce the recipients at the 2026 Fall Conference in Anaheim Dec. 1-3. The awards program is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate innovative agencies and exceptional water leaders.

Excellence in Innovation Award

This award recognizes successful innovations by member agencies that continue to support and drive California toward long-term water resilience. , the award recognizes groundbreaking and unique programs, projects, practices and/or technologies implemented by ACWA member agencies.

The winning agency and award finalists will share their innovations on a panel during ACWA’s Fall Conference. In addition, the winning agency will receive $5,000 to create a video highlighting their innovation.

Applicants for this award must submit the Excellence in Innovation Award entry form along with a typed narrative. Forms must be sent via email and received by Sept. 1. More information about this award is available on ACWA’s website.

Excellence in Communication Award

The Huell Howser Excellence in Communication Award honors outstanding public water agency efforts in communicating important information to customers, legislators, media, the public and others. The award focuses on projects and programs that quantifiably meet an agency’s public information, communications or outreach goals in an innovative way while making effective use of available resources.

More information about this award, including complete eligibility guidelines and the online application, is available on ACWA’s website. The application deadline is Sept. 1.

Emissary Award

The John P. Fraser Emissary Award honors individual ACWA member volunteers who have made remarkable and visible contributions to the enhancement, protection or development of water resources in California by participating in, supporting and advancing ACWA’s mission and goals.

More information about this award, including complete eligibility guidelines and the nomination form, is available on ACWA’s website. The nomination deadline is Sept. 1.

Outreach Awards

Throughout the year, ACWA asks its members to take action on important legislative and regulatory issues, helping create a coalition that directly affects the outcomes of numerous decisions and advances the association’s legislative and regulatory agenda. ACWA’s Outreach Awards recognize the most active member agency in each region, as well as an overall winner, and winners in three special outreach categories.

The awards for the most active member agencies are based on a point system. To apply, submit your agency’s outreach interactions that are directly related to ACWA Alerts – including letters, faxes, emails, telephone calls, or in-person contacts – using this online form. You may submit multiple forms if needed. Copies of letters should be emailed to outreach@acwa.com. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1.

ACWA member agencies can also apply for recognition in three additional special recognition categories including Most Active Small Agency Award, Rising Star Award and Most Effective Agency on a Federal Issue Award. More information on the outreach awards is available on ACWA’s website.

Questions

For questions regarding the Excellence in Communication, Excellence in Innovation or Emissary awards, please contact Senior Communications Specialist Caroline Meade at (916) 669-2383.

For questions regarding the ACWA Outreach awards, please contact Senior Regional Affairs Representative Jennifer Rotz at (916) 669-2373.

Federal Agencies Warn Water Systems to Protect Against Cyberattacks

The FBI and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have issued an alert that specifies vulnerabilities and details cybersecurity measures for water and wastewater utilities following reports of cyberattacks in at least seven states since July 27.

The federal agencies announced that malicious cyber actors remotely accessed internet-facing devices, such as programmable logic controllers, or PLCs. Attackers then changed the IP addresses and passwords, resulting in a loss of monitoring and control functionality.

The alert identifies specific products that are vulnerable and recommends removing PLCs from direct internet exposure via secure gateway and firewalls, setting up strong, unique passwords, and utilizing an access control list to allow only authorized communication between expected control system devices.

Background

Cyberattacks against public water systems that diligently work to ensure a clean, safe water supply are increasing. Cyber threats continue to evolve, and water agencies remain critical infrastructure targets.

ACWA recommends reviewing and reinforcing your agency’s current security protocols — including system monitoring, access controls, employee training and incident response plans — to help prevent, detect, respond and recover from cyber incidents. ACWA also urges coordination with local, state and federal partners and to report any suspicious activity promptly.

Resources

In addition to the recently issued alert, there are numerous resources available to guide cybersecurity best practices, including:

Questions

For questions about this issue, please contact ACWA Federal Relations Representative Caleb Raspler at (202) 434-4762.

Statewide Polling Results Reinforce Importance of ACWA’s Vision for Our Water Future

New tools are now available in the Vision for Our Water Future member toolkit to help ACWA members amplify the results of a new statewide survey showing overwhelming bipartisan support for improving California’s water reliability and affordability.

The survey, commissioned by ACWA and conducted by FM3 Research, found that 77% of California voters are more likely to support a candidate for governor who prioritizes improving California’s water reliability and affordability.

The survey also found:

The polling results reinforce the importance of ACWA’s Vision for Our Water Future initiative. The initiative continues to gain momentum, with 65 member agencies and associations formally demonstrating their support by becoming Vision Partners through board resolutions and letters of support.

ACWA encourages members to sign up for a members-only webinar being held Aug. 13, 1-2 p.m. Attendees will hear an overview of the polling results from FM3 Research, get an update on the initiative and learn how to best use toolkit items to help amplify the Vision with candidates, media and locally. Register at acwa.com/events. The webinar will be recorded.

Get Involved

The member toolkit has been updated with new resources to help agencies communicate the polling results and demonstrate the broad public support for California water priorities.

New resources include:

Members are also encouraged to continue submitting board resolutions and letters of support to become Vision Partners. ACWA continues to seek member case studies that demonstrate the need for, and benefits of, the Vision’s recommendations.

Questions

For questions regarding the Vision, please contact ACWA Director of State Regulatory Relations Chelsea Haines at (916) 669-2431.

For questions regarding the Vision toolkit, including customization, please contact ACWA Communications Specialist Ellen Martin at (916) 669-2416.

ACWA Accepting Applications for 2026 Fall Awards

ACWA is now accepting applications for fall awards, the winners of which will be announced at the 2026 Fall Conference in Anaheim. The award program is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate innovative agencies and exceptional water leaders.  

Excellence in Innovation Award

This award recognizes successful innovations by member agencies that continue to support and drive California toward long-term water resilience. Sponsored by CDM Smith, the award recognizes groundbreaking and unique programs, projects, practices and/or technologies implemented by ACWA member agencies. 

The winning agency and award finalists will share their innovations on a panel during ACWA’s Fall Conference. In addition, the winning agency will receive $5,000 to create a video highlighting their innovation.  

Applicants for this award must submit the Excellence in Innovation Award entry form along with a typed narrative. Forms must be sent via email and received by Sept. 1. More information about this award is available on ACWA’s website. 

Excellence in Communication Award 

The Huell Howser Excellence in Communication Award honors outstanding public water agency efforts in communicating important information to customers, legislators, media, the public and others. The award focuses on projects and programs that quantifiably meet an agency’s public information, communications or outreach goals in an innovative way while making effective use of available resources. 

More information about this award, including complete eligibility guidelines and the online application, is available on ACWA’s website. The application deadline is Sept. 1. 

Emissary Award

The John P. Fraser Emissary Award honors individual ACWA member volunteers who have made remarkable and visible contributions to the enhancement, protection or development of water resources in California by participating in, supporting and advancing ACWA’s mission and goals.

More information about this award, including complete eligibility guidelines and the nomination form, is available on ACWA’s website. The nomination deadline is Sept. 1.

Outreach Awards 

Throughout the year, ACWA asks its members to take action on important legislative and regulatory issues, helping create a coalition that directly affects the outcomes of numerous decisions and advances the association’s legislative and regulatory agenda. ACWA’s Outreach Awards recognize the most active member agency in each region, as well as an overall winner and winners in three special outreach categories.

The awards for the most active member agencies are based on a point system. To apply, submit your agency’s outreach interactions that are directly related to ACWA Alerts – including letters, faxes, emails, telephone calls, or in-person contacts – using this online form. You may submit multiple forms if needed. Copies of letters should be emailed to outreach@acwa.com. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1. 

More information regarding regional and overall outreach awards is available on ACWA’s website. 

ACWA member agencies can also apply for recognition in three additional special recognition categories.  

Questions 

For questions regarding the Excellence in Communication, Excellence in Innovation or Emissary awards, please contact ACWA Director of Communications Heather Engel at (916) 669-2387. 

For questions regarding the ACWA Outreach awards, please contact Senior Regional Affairs Representative Jennifer Rotz at (916) 669-2373. 

ACWA Rejoins National Water Resources Association; All Members Can Access Benefits

ACWA’s Board of Directors voted recently to rejoin the National Water Resources Association (NWRA), a federation of state water associations that represents agricultural, municipal and industrial water providers with a focus on western water policy issues.  

Under NWRA’s membership model, all ACWA members can access NWRA membership benefits at no additional cost. Benefits include access to NWRA federal updates, monthly policy calls and member pricing at NWRA events, including the annual conference which will be held Nov. 2-5 in Coranado. 

“ACWA rejoining NWRA provides an exciting opportunity to expand our work with other western states on some of the most pressing federal policy issues facing water managers and enhance the value of ACWA to its members,” said ACWA President Ernie Avila. 

Background 

ACWA and NWRA have a long history of partnering together on federal policy issues. ACWA suspended its membership in 2024 citing concerns related to NWRA’s financial position and lack of transparency. The ACWA Board unanimously voted to reinstate membership based on staff’s recommendation, noting that all concerns have been resolved. 

ACWA’s rejoining NWRA resolidifies the beneficial partnership, leverages ACWA’s robust federal advocacy program and provides additional benefits to ACWA members. 

“NWRA is very pleased to welcome ACWA back as a state association member,” said NWRA Executive Vice President Greg Morrison. “Having ACWA back on the team strengthens the partnership between our organizations and gives us a better opportunity to work together on the federal water infrastructure, policy and funding issues across the West.” 

Questions 

For more information about NWRA and resources available to members, visit www.nwra.org or contact ACWA Director of Federal Relations Ian Lyle.  

Vision for Our Water Future Gains Momentum Ahead of November Election

With the primary election now behind us and the field narrowing, ACWA is ready to continue engaging with the leading candidates on members’ recommendations for securing California’s water future.

Through the Vision for Our Water Future initiative, ACWA has spent the past several months introducing candidates and their teams to the water community’s priorities and elevating water as a statewide issue ahead of a new administration taking office in 2027.

The initiative has continued to gain momentum, with more than 30 member agencies and associations formally demonstrating their support by becoming Vision Partners through board resolutions and letters of support.

At the same time, ACWA’s working groups are developing detailed recommendations to advance the Vision’s priority actions and help inform engagement with California’s next administration.

Get Involved

The member toolkit continues to expand with new resources designed to help agencies support and amplify the initiative. The Vision for Our Water Future four-minute video that debuted at the ACWA Spring Conference in May is available to view and share on the ACWA YouTube channel.

Seven short clips highlighting key messages from the video are now available for ACWA members and other Vision Partners to share on social media. These video clips are vertically formatted to work best for Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

Members are encouraged to continue to submit resolutions and letters of support for the Vision. ACWA is also looking for members to submit case studies that support the Vision recommendations.

Next Steps

Ahead of the primary, ACWA staff met with leading gubernatorial candidates and their teams to discuss Vision for Our Water Future and its recommended actions. These meetings will continue with the two remaining candidates.

Three working groups responsible for developing detailed recommendations to advance the Vision’s priority actions have begun meeting.

The working groups are:

The recommendations that emerge from this process will guide ACWA’s engagement with the next administration and help shape a detailed implementation roadmap for the next governor. ACWA members who would like to join a working group can email Stephen Pang at stephenp@acwa.com.

Questions

For questions regarding the Vision, please contact ACWA Director of State Regulatory Relations Chelsea Haines at (916) 669-2431.

For questions regarding the Vision toolkit, please contact ACWA Communications Specialist Ellen Martin at 916-669-2416.

Join ACWA Working Groups to Inform Vision for Our Water Future Initiative

ACWA is calling for members to sign up and participate in specialized working groups to help with the next step of the Vision for Our Water Future (Vision) initiative. The policy initiative was launched earlier this year to actively elevate water-related priorities with California’s gubernatorial candidates, legislative leadership and administration officials in advance of a new governor taking office in 2027.  

The Vision is a framework centered on four priority actions, and ACWA will develop a set of recommendations to advance each of these priority actions. 

These specialized working groups will guide the development of the recommendations by the end of the year.  

Get Involved 

Please fill out this survey to register for one or more working groups by May 15.  

Working groups will meet bi-weekly on a recurring schedule through fall 2026. The meeting schedules for each group are listed below: 

There is also a member toolkit available to help agencies support and amplify this important initiative. In response to member feedback, a few new tools have been added including a sample letter of support and Canva social media graphic templates, available sized for Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn and for X (formerly Twitter) that can be customized. 

Background 

The Vision initiative outlines a clear framework to elevate water as a top priority for California’s next governor, legislative leadership and state officials. On March 20, ACWA’s Board of Directors unanimously adopted the final Vision policy document. The Vision policy document establishes four priority actions to securing a resilient and reliable water system:  

  1. Lead On Water 
  1. Protect Affordability 
  1. Deliver Critical Infrastructure 
  1. Modernize Water Management 

The working groups outlined in this Advisory will develop detailed recommendations that will be brought to the Board for consideration by the end of the year. Following approval by the Board, these recommendations will be shared with the next administration to advance California’s water future. 

Questions 

For questions regarding working group participation or to join after the May 15 deadline, please contact ACWA State Relations Advocate Stephen Pang at (916) 669-2369.  

For questions regarding the Vision, please contact ACWA Director of State Regulatory Relations Chelsea Haines at (916) 669-2431.