Governor Signs ACWA-Supported Budget Bill On Prop 4 Funding
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom on Feb. 19 signed into law ACWA-supported AB 107 (Gabriel) that will shorten timelines for grant solicitations funded by Proposition 4. Funding in the 2025-’26 state budget can now be deployed more quickly and efficiently, ensuring that administrative processes do not hold up vital projects.
Proposition 4 is the $10 billion climate resilience bond approved by voters in 2024 that includes $3.8 billion in funding for water-related projects, and there are shovel-ready projects ready to move forward in nearly every category.
The bill signed into law on Feb. 19 addressed the immediate challenges related to allocations in the 2025 Budget Act. However, an APA exemption is still needed for any future allocations. AB 35 (Alvarez), introduced earlier this year, would exempt all Proposition 4 grant solicitations from the APA moving forward, which ACWA has supported.
ACWA staff will continue to advocate in support of the bill on behalf of member agencies. For more information and a link to help support AB 35 by joining an ACWA coalition, see an association Advisory distributed Feb. 20. Member login required.
CVWD Awarded Over $1 Million in Federal Funding
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – On February 18, 2026, the Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD) welcomed Congressman Pete Aguilar for a ceremonial check presentation recognizing $1.092 million in federal funding secured through the Community Project Funding program. The funding will support CVWD’s Baseline Waterline Replacement Project, a critical infrastructure investment benefiting the local community.
“Access to clean, reliable water is crucial for the well-being and quality of life of every Californian,” stated Rep. Pete Aguilar. “That’s why I am proud to deliver more than $1 million for Cucamonga Valley Water District’s Baseline Waterline Improvement Project. Our homes, schools, businesses and hospitals rely on our water supply to function and support daily life. That’s why water infrastructure upgrade projects like this one are such important investments for our community. By proactively modernizing this infrastructure, we’re preventing future water distribution issues that could put people’s health and safety at risk. I’ll keep fighting to deliver resources that help ensure the health of our neighbors in the Inland Empire for years to come.”
The project will replace approximately 3,800 linear feet of aging 12-inch waterline along Baseline Road, improving system reliability, enhancing public safety, and ensuring continued delivery of high-quality water service.
“We appreciate Congressman Aguilar’s partnership and support for this important infrastructure project,” said President Randall Reed. “This federal investment allows us to address aging waterlines in a proactive and fiscally responsible way while reducing costs for our ratepayers.”
“This project is about reliability and resilience for the community we serve,” commented Vice President Jim Curatalo. “By proactively replacing aging infrastructure, we’re protecting public safety and ensuring dependable water service for generations to come.”
CVWD applied for the funding through Congressman Aguilar’s office as part of the federal Community Project Funding process. The awarded funds help offset project costs, reducing the financial burden on local ratepayers while allowing the District to move forward with necessary system improvements.
The Baseline Waterline Replacement Project reflects CVWD’s ongoing commitment to maintaining and upgrading critical water infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing community. To learn more about CVWD’s ongoing efforts to provide safe, reliable water service to the community, visit CVWDwater.com.
Rancho Water Named 2025 Top Workplace in the Inland Empire
Rancho California Water District (Rancho Water/District) is proud to announce it has been recognized as one of the 2025 Inland Empire California Top Workplaces by The Press Enterprise. This prestigious honor highlights companies that prioritize employee satisfaction, work-life balance, and professional development.
Awards in the Top Workplaces program are based solely on confidential employee feedback gathered through an independent survey administered by Energage, a leading workforce culture research firm. For the 2025 award year, only 13 other businesses were recognized alongside Rancho Water in the 125-499 employee category.
This recognition highlights Rancho Water’s ongoing commitment to fostering a positive work culture where employees feel valued, supported, and engaged. As a public agency providing essential water and wastewater services to nearly 150,000 residents in Temecula, Murrieta, and surrounding communities, Rancho Water prioritizes not only elevated water service but also a workplace environment that promotes collaboration, wellness, and professional growth.
“Being named a 2025 Top Workplace is a tremendous honor,” said Jason Martin, General Manager of Rancho Water. “This distinction reflects the passion, dedication, and teamwork of every member of our organization. We strive each day to create a culture where employees feel empowered to succeed, contribute meaningfully, and serve our community with pride. Our team members are our greatest asset, and this recognition is a testament to their commitment to excellence.”
Rancho Water was previously named an Inland Empire Top Workplace in 2021 and 2019. Rancho Water’s continually high ranking underscores its focus on employee engagement, innovation, and a supportive workplace culture that aligns with the organization’s mission to deliver reliable, high-quality water and wastewater services with integrity.
For more information about Rancho Water and its services, visit RanchoWater.com.
Sandia Academy takes first place in 2026 Problem Solvers Competition
APPLE VALLEY — Student creativity, innovation, and leadership were on full display as Sandia Academy earned first place in the 2026 Problem Solvers Competition, announced live on stage during the Innovators High Desert Water Summit hosted on February 6 by Mojave Water Agency.
More than 300 middle and high school students from across the High Desert gathered at High Desert Church in Victorville for the annual summit, themed “Influencing the Future of Water.” The event introduces students to water science, conservation, and career pathways while highlighting how youth voices and ideas can shape sustainable solutions for the region.
The Problem Solvers Competition, produced in partnership with the award-winning PBS series Curiosity Quest and hosted by Joel Greene, challenges student teams to respond to real-world issues through creative collaboration. This year’s challenge asked teams to develop marketing and education toolkits designed to inspire water-wise habits in their communities.
Sandia Academy’s winning project distinguished itself by narrowing its focus to a single, highly specific area of water waste on school campuses. The team identified leaking school water fountains as a common and visible source of water loss and also highlighted the absence of automatic shut-off sensors on existing fountains as an opportunity for improvement. Rather than taking a broad approach to conservation, the students developed an influencer-style toolkit centered on raising awareness of these issues and proposing the installation of sensor-equipped fountains as a practical, water-wise solution. Judges noted that this focused strategy made the project especially relatable, actionable, and easy to replicate at other schools.
Thanks to the support of event sponsors Zanjero Consulting, Kennedy Jenks Engineering, Ardurra, and the County of San Bernardino, Sandia Academy earned a $3,000 school scholarship for their first-place finish. Second place honors went to Excelsior Charter School, while University Preparatory Academy earned third place recognition.
Additional participating schools included Academy for Academic Excellence, Academy of Careers and Exploration, Apple Valley High School, Granite Hills High School, Oak Hills High School, Serrano High School, and Victor Valley High School. All teams were recognized on stage for their creativity, collaboration, and thoughtful engagement with local water conservation challenges.
The Water Summit also featured a keynote address from Flora Delgado, a civil engineer with Mojave Water Agency, who shared her journey from local High Desert schools to a career in the water industry. Students also heard from Student Essay Contest winner Ariaella Randolph, a University Preparatory School freshman, who earned a $3,000 scholarship for her presentation on how youth can influence water conservation.
Throughout the morning, students participated in interactive breakout sessions led by water professionals and educators, exploring water science, conservation technology, sustainability, and the many career paths connected to water.
The Innovators High Desert Water Summit is an annual educational event hosted by Mojave Water Agency to connect students with real-world problem solving, STEM learning, and career exploration in the water industry.
“The Innovators High Desert Water Summit is about showing students that influence doesn’t come from popularity…it comes from ideas, curiosity, and the willingness to take action,” said Mojave Water Agency Board President Marina West. “Today’s students are already thinking critically about the future of water, and that gives us confidence in what lies ahead.”
For more information about Mojave Water Agency’s education programs, visit www.mojavewater.org.
Mojave Water Agency, which was established in 1960, plays a vital role in securing reliable water supplies for the High Desert region. As one of 29 State Water Project contractors, the Agency manages water resources across a 4,900-square-mile service area, promoting long-term sustainability and stewardship.
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New partnership Enhances Water Resilience for SoCal Region
California’s jarring shifts between extreme drought and heavy rains have led many water agencies across the state to explore innovative approaches to water storage. The newest example is a Water Storage and Exchange Program partnership between Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) and Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD).
Through the partnership, LVMWD will have access to a portion of the 50,000 acre-feet of water stored in the IRWD Water Bank for use during an emergency.
The IRWD Water Bank captures and stores water in wet years and times of surplus for use during extreme shortages. Like an emergency savings account for water, LVMWD can withdrawal up to 850 acre-feet of water annually in times of declared emergency restrictions — enough to serve 1,400 average-sized families for up to three years. Roughly half of the 6,000 acre-feet of stored water included in the agreement is available for use by LVMWD and half for IRWD.
“Improving resiliency is the most effective way to prepare for climate-driven impacts on our water supply. This is another important piece of the pie in our overall water supply diversification strategy,” said LVMWD Board President Andy Coradeschi. “Our partnership with IRWD strengthens our ability to prepare for those impacts, is a key component of ensuring continued water reliability for our ratepayers and provides a new tool for responding to threats to our water supply. Regional collaboration is essential for long-term sustainability.”
LVMWD will bear the costs for storage, recovery and delivery of the water supply, and IRWD will provide the storage capacity through its water banking program.
The partnership, approved in January by the LVMWD and IRWD boards of directors, will remain in place for up to 10 years, with opportunities for extension if agreements are renewed.
IRWD’s water banking program, which includes more than 500 acres of groundwater recharge ponds, provides much-needed wet-year storage underground so the water is available to customers and partner agencies in times of water shortage or emergencies.
“California’s groundwater basins can store up to 20 times more water than surface water reservoirs, which is why water agencies up and down the state are working together to establish water banking programs like ours,” IRWD General Manager Paul Cook said. “Water banking allows agencies to share the costs of building and managing these storage basins for long-term sustainability and resilience.”
LVMWD is conducting a Water Supply Diversification Study to determine whether to invest even more into water banking programs, as well as pursuing other potential sources of supply to further bolster resiliency.
LVMWD and IRWD remind their customers that while the agreement provides an added water resource in times of extreme shortage, customers should continue to be mindful of their water use at all times. Conservation must continue to be a California way of life.
IEUA Kicks Off Turnkey Turf Transformation Program
The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) has kicked off construction on the Turnkey Turf Transformation (T3) Program, marking the start of a multi-site initiative to permanently replace nonfunctional turf at highly visible and public facilities with living, climate-appropriate landscapes. The program supports California’s efforts to phase out nonfunctional turf and improve long-term water-use efficiency by delivering permanent landscape conversions that reduce irrigation demand and maintenance while maintaining functional public spaces. The T3 Program provides a fully managed, turnkey approach that includes site assessment, professional landscape design, construction, and installation of high-efficiency irrigation systems tailored to each site. The program is funded by an $8.4 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources through the 2022 Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program. IEUA leads implementation of the program in collaboration with partners, Calleguas Municipal Water District, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, and Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, as part of a regional, multi-county effort across Southern California. “We are grateful that the California Department of Water Resources has provided grant funding that makes projects like the Turnkey Turf Transformation Program possible and delivers meaningful advances in water sustainability across Southern California,” said IEUA Board President Steve Elie. “As the Inland Empire continues to grow, it’s critical that we rethink how our public spaces are designed and maintained. This program allows IEUA to lead long-term landscape transformations at no cost to participating agencies, returning value directly to our communities while improving water-use efficiency and demonstrating that water-efficient landscapes can be both beautiful and beneficial.” Construction is underway or planned at multiple public facilities, including:- Montclair Fire Station 151 — City of Montclair (completed)
- Ontario Airport — City of Ontario
- Chino City Hall — City of Chino
- Fairfield Trail — City of Chino Hills
- Old Town Park — City of Rancho Cucamonga
- Bear Gulch Park — City of Rancho Cucamonga
- Sunset Ridge Apartments — City of Upland
- Cherry Avenue Median — City of Fontana
Yuba Water Recovering from Penstock Pipe Rupture
MARYSVILLE — Yuba Water Agency and environmental contractors continued recovery work this week following a catastrophic rupture of a penstock pipe on Feb. 13 between New Bullards Bar Dam and the agency’s New Colgate Powerhouse, roughly 70 miles north of Sacramento.
The rupture released water from the penstock down a hillside and into the powerhouse. All but one personnel on site were safe following the incident, with one contract employee hospitalized for injuries. He is currently in stable condition, according to a Yuba Water news release.
The one-mile-long penstock pipe is a large pipe that connects to a five-mile-long rock tunnel at New Bullards Bar Dam and Reservoir. The pipe moves water between the dam and New Colgate Powerhouse for power generation. The facilities are part of Yuba Water’s Yuba River Development Project, a multi-purpose flood risk reduction, water supply and hydroelectric power generation project to benefit the people of Yuba County.
“Our first concern has always been the wellbeing of the people involved, which is why I give today’s update with a note of positivity, knowing that the people affected by Friday’s incident are stable and on the road to recovery,” stated Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey in a news release.
Yuba Water is working with environmental contractors and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to contain and remove debris above the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Englebright Lake. Yuba Water is also coordinating with CDFW and others to assess the impact of the penstock rupture on the lower Yuba River, including the effect of temporary flow changes on aquatic species.
In the news release, Whittlesey emphasized that New Bullards Bar Dam, which is approximately five miles upstream of the incident site, was not impacted by the pipeline rupture, and that New Bullards Bar Reservoir has plenty of capacity to manage the current storms.
In addition to the ongoing environmental efforts, Yuba Water contracted a firm to conduct a LiDAR survey of the hillside around New Colgate Powerhouse. The data collected will be compared to prior LiDAR surveys and analyzed to better understand the impact from the incident.
Yuba Water continues to investigate the cause of the penstock rupture and has urged the public to stay away from the incident site while crews work to contain debris.
“We are turning the corner on this incident and are now working on a plan for the next few weeks and months,” Whittlesey stated. “We recognize the seriousness of what happened and the impacts to our community and the Yuba River, and we’re committed to a thorough and comprehensive investigation into exactly what occurred. We have a long road to recovery ahead, but we remain committed to rebuilding and continuing to serve the people of Yuba County.”
Steady Stewardship Reveals District’s Solid Fiscal Performance
ROWLAND HEIGHTS – Rowland Water District (RWD) has completed its annual financial audit examining the District’s financial position as of June 30, 2025, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to sound fiscal management and public accountability.
Under California law, water districts must undergo yearly independent financial audits to verify compliance with governmental accounting standards and demonstrate responsible stewardship of ratepayer resources. Representatives from Southern California-based Nigro & Nigro PC, a professional accountancy corporation, presented preliminary findings to the RWD Board of Directors during their January 2026 meeting, with the Board formally accepting the completed audit at their February session.
“The numbers tell a good story this year,” said RWD Director of Finance Myra Malner. “We’re maintaining the financial health needed to keep delivering quality service while planning for the future. That’s what transparency looks like in action.”
“Delivering reliable water service to our customers drives everything we do. The audit results reflect our ongoing focus on financial responsibility and long-term sustainability,” added RWD General Manager Tom Coleman, emphasizing RWD’s strategic priorities.
Highlights from the fiscal year 2025 audit:
Operating revenues totaled $32,554,576, representing a 10% increase over the previous year, driven primarily by moderate rate adjustments and improved operational efficiency. RWD’s infrastructure investment program added $5,397,795 in capital improvements, including pipeline replacements and system upgrades that enhance service reliability. Total operating expenses reached $23,916,330 with water purchase costs accounting for the majority of the increase due to regional supply conditions.
RWD maintained strong reserve levels in accordance with Board policy, ensuring financial resilience against unexpected challenges. RWD continues its tradition of financial transparency and operational excellence in service to the community.
Complete financial documents and a copy of the annual audit are available at rwd.org.
Yuba Water Agency Debuts Documentary
Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the February 1986 flood in Yuba County, Yuba Water Agency premiered its latest documentary, “The Day the Levee Broke.” About 100 attendees filled the Lee Burrows Center for the Arts in Marysville on Feb. 11 for the evening public screening of the 23-minute film.
“Our region is safer today than it has ever been, but there is always more we can do to reduce flood risk,” said Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing with continued investments by the agency and engagement with our community members.” On Feb. 20, 1986, just after 6 p.m., a section of levee along the Yuba River failed in Linda, flooding roughly 30 square miles. More than 26,000 people evacuated as floodwaters inundated homes and businesses across the Peach Tree Mall area and Highway 70 corridor, spreading into West Linda, Olivehurst and Arboga, now Plumas Lake. The flood caused lasting economic and community impacts. Presented by Yuba Water and produced by J Comm Inc., the film features archival images and video of the flood and firsthand accounts from people who lived through it. The film also highlights the personal impacts that often result from such a tragedy. The documentary then pivots to talk about how much progress Yuba County has made in the past several years, with more than $600 million in flood risk reduction work completed, including significant levee improvements along the Yuba and Feather rivers. The film connects those investments to improved economic conditions in Yuba County. The screening concluded with a community discussion about completed work and future efforts, including continued scientific advancement in understanding flood-causing atmospheric river storms, closer coordination and operational improvements at Lake Oroville and New Bullards Bar Reservoir and Yuba Water’s planned Atmospheric River Control Spillway at Bullards Bar. The proposed second spillway is designed to add more flexibility to reservoir operations at Bullards Bar ahead of large storms and significantly reduce flood risk for communities in Yuba and Sutter counties and downstream areas. “The Day the Levee Broke” is available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mBqs9V9AGI0February 2026 ACWA News Available
Read the February edition of ACWA News for informative articles about the association and water industry.
Articles include:
- ACWA Launches Vision for Our Water Future Policy Initiative
- Leadership Column: New ACWA Initiative Will Amplify Members’ Voice
- Association Sponsoring Wildfire Policy Bills to Protect Water Agencies
- Valley County Water District Celebrates Century of Service