ACWA Presents EBMUD With 2025 Excellence in Communication Award
SAN DIEGO – The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented its Huell Howser Excellence in Communication Award to East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) for its H2Flow Campaign. This campaign highlighted the importance of water in the community by partnering with schools, community groups and Grammy- and-Emmy-winning artists Alphabet Rockers. Through student-led music and social media engagement, it reached more than 180,000 people while educating young people about water quality and sustainability, strengthening EBMUD’s connection with the communities it serves. “This campaign shows the power of creativity in connecting communities with the value of water,” said ACWA President Cathy Green. “Engaging students through music and social media inspires learning while strengthening ties between agencies and the people they serve.” The award was presented during the 2025 ACWA Fall Conference & Expo in San Diego, where water professionals gathered for programs and panel discussions on California’s critical water issues. EBMUD was among four finalists for the award. Other finalists for this year’s award were:- Placer County Water Agency, City of Roseville and City of Lincoln for their Water for Our Future Campaign, which reassured residents that water reliability isn’t left to chance, but built through planning, investment and innovation.
- Valley Water District for its Summer-Fall 2024 Conservation Campaign, which used multilingual, targeted digital outreach to promote water-saving programs.
- Western Municipal Water District for its Rate Adjustment Campaign, which turned a technical rate adjustment into a story about transparency, trust, and the everyday value of water.
Turlock Irrigation District Honored for Innovative Project Nexus
SAN DIEGO – The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented its fourth annual Excellence in Innovation Award to Turlock Irrigation District for its Project Nexus. TID’s Project Nexus is the first U.S. pilot to install solar panels over canals, generating renewable energy and reducing water evaporation without impacting customers. The project, in partnership with UC Merced, Solar AquaGrid, and the California Department of Water Resources, produces 1.7 MW of clean energy while advancing sustainable water and energy management. “Project Nexus sets a new standard for innovation in water and energy management,” said ACWA President Cathy Green. “By creatively leveraging existing infrastructure, it delivers real environmental benefits while supporting the communities that rely on it.” Project Nexus demonstrates Turlock Irrigation District’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community-focused solutions. By successfully piloting solar panels over canals, the project provides a model for maximizing infrastructure efficiency, generating clean energy, and conserving water—showing how forward-thinking approaches can have multiple benefits. ACWA’s Excellence in Innovation Award recognizes outstanding innovations by public water agencies. The award, sponsored by CDM Smith, was presented during ACWA’s 2025 Fall Conference & Expo in San Diego, where water professionals gathered for programs and panel discussions on California’s critical water issues. The other finalists for this year’s award were:- Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District for its AMI/AMR Infrastructure Project
- Fresno Irrigation District for its Basin Interties Project
- Tahoe City Public Utility District for its West Lake Tahoe Regional Water Treatment Plant
ACWA Presents Lifetime Achievement Award to Mike Wade
SAN DIEGO – The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to California Farm Water Coalition Executive Director Mike Wade. Presented during ACWA’s 2025 Fall Conference & Expo in San Diego, the award recognizes individuals who have made remarkable and lasting contributions to California water.
Mike Wade has served as the Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition since 1998, educating the public about the critical connection between farm water and the state’s food supply. He has also led the Agricultural Water Management Council and serves on ACWA’s Communications Committee.
“Mike Wade has been a steadfast and visionary leader in California’s agricultural water community,” said ACWA President Cathy Green. “His decades of dedication to public education, outreach, and fostering understanding about the importance of reliable water supplies have made a lasting impact on the industry.”
Wade will retire in February and his legacy will include expanding the coalition’s outreach programs – reaching consumers, elected officials and the media with a positive and fact-based message to the benefit of all California.
ACWA Honors Tufenkjian with 2025 Emissary Award
SAN DIEGO – The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented its 20th annual Emissary Award to McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency Deputy Executive Director Cristel Tufenkjian. Presented during ACWA’s 2025 Fall Conference & Expo in San Diego, the award recognizes individuals who have made remarkable contributions to California water through voluntary service to ACWA.
“Cristel has been an exceptionally collaborative and thoughtful voice within ACWA,” said ACWA President Cathy Green. “Her dedication, creativity and innovative approach to advancing ACWA’s mission and strengthening engagement across the association has proven invaluable. We’re proud to recognize her for her outstanding contributions.”
Prior to joining the McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency, Tufenkjian served as Director of External Affairs for the Kings River Conservation District. She has been a long-time supporter of ACWA, including serving on the Communications Committee since 2004 and as Chair of ACWA’s Outreach Task Force since 2018. She has also led a number of award-winning outreach and education programs and earned her current and previous agency ACWA’s top outreach award for Region 6 multiple times.
PWD Welcomes New Finance Manager/CFO
PALMDALE – Palmdale Water District (PWD) is pleased to announce that Viridiana Iguaran is its new Finance Manager/CFO. She started her new position in late July, replacing Dennis Hoffmeyer who retired after 36 years with the District.
In her new role managing the Finance Department, Iguaran is responsible for accounts payable, purchasing, payroll and customer finance. She works closely with a financial advisor on District investments.
“I’m humbled and honored to have this role where I can continue serving the public and my community,” Iguaran said. “It’s exciting to be contributing to an agency with such dedicated and knowledgeable staff.”
Iguaran’s experience includes years working for several municipalities. She most recently served as the Assistant Director of Finance for the city of Lancaster where she started as a Senior Analyst in Finance in 2020. She also held finance positions with the cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita.
“The District is fortunate to have Viri as our Finance Manager,” said PWD General Manager Dennis D. LaMoreaux. “She brings a great combination of experience and education that has already started to benefit our customers.”
Iguaran received her Bachelor of Science in Finance from California State University, Northridge, and her Master of Science in Accounting from Syracuse University in New York. She lives in the Antelope Valley with her husband, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy, and their two children.
Since 1918, the Palmdale Water District has provided high-quality water at a reasonable cost. We pride ourselves on providing great customer care; advocating for local water issues that help our residents; educating the community on water-use efficiency; and leading our region in researching and implementing emerging technologies that increase operational efficiency. For more information about PWD, visit www.palmdalewater.org.
YLWD Celebrates Our Nation’s 250th Anniversary
YLWD proudly celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our nation. In partnership with USA 250–OC, YLWD is honored to commemorate this historic milestone in American history. On September 11, Dr. JoEllen Chatham, Co-Chair of USA 250-OC, provided a presentation to the YLWD Board of Directors outlining opportunities for YLWD to participate in the commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. From the full list provided, YLWD identified activities that are both meaningful and easy to implement.- Add the USA 250 Weblink on District Website.
- Display the USA 250 flag and Founding Documents in District Lobby.
- Issue a YLWD Board Proclamation honoring USA 250.
YLWD is proud to recognize this significant milestone in our nation’s history and invites the community to learn more about this initiative by visiting https://www.usa250-oc.com/ or contacting YLWD’s Public Affairs team at pio@ylwd.com.
About USA 250-OC: The mission of USA 250-OC is to engage the citizens and residents of Orange County in commemorating the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States. July 4, 2026, will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States, the cornerstone of freedom and self-government.
Moulton Niguel Water District Honored for Sustainability Efforts
Moulton Niguel Water District is being honored for its leadership in advancing sustainability by one of Southern California’s premier cleantech nonprofit organizations. At its 2025 Annual Energy Conference, Sustain Southern California awarded Moulton Niguel with the organization’s Sustainable Government of the Year Award, which recognizes a government entity that goes “beyond the norm” to advance environmental and sustainability initiatives. “Sustain SoCal is proud to recognize Moulton Niguel Water District for its ongoing leadership in sustainability,” said Scott Kitcher, President & CEO of Sustain Southern California. “From its renewable energy projects to diversified water portfolio, Moulton Niguel is implementing sustainable solutions that protect the environment and save taxpayers money.” The Sustainable Government of the Year Award highlights Moulton Niguel’s ongoing commitment to diversifying local water supplies, reducing overall water demand, and minimizing energy use through renewable energy investments and operational efficiency. “We are honored to receive this distinction from the environmental champions at Sustain Southern California,” said Joone Kim-Lopez, Moulton Niguel General Manager and CEO. “As we continue exploring new technologies and operational initiatives amid growing water supply and infrastructure challenges, we remain open-minded, collaborative, and ready to forge new partnerships to advance sustainability.” Moulton Niguel is advancing renewable energy projects to reduce its carbon footprint and operational costs. These efforts include an ongoing solar array installation and two in-conduit micro-hydro turbines expected to offset more than 10% of the District’s total energy demand as well as a system-wide Energy Optimization Strategy. To support operational efficiency, Moulton Niguel launched the Building a Leading Utility Ecosystem (BLUE) initiative, a utility-wide program that leverages advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and unified data governance to optimize water and energy systems in near-real time Moulton Niguel Water District provides high-quality drinking water, recycled water and wastewater treatment services to customers in Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point. A leader in environmental protection, Moulton Niguel maintains the lowest average bill in South Orange County.###
New Member Resources Available for Members
SACRAMENTO — ACWA’s “2025 Summary of Legislation” and “2025 Summary of Appellate Cases” publications are now available at www.acwa.com to review and download. Member login is required.
The “2025 Summary of Legislation” provides valuable information on legislation that was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom during the first year of the 2025-’26 Legislative Session that will impact ACWA members. The “2025 Summary of Appellate Cases” highlights relevant 2024-’25 court decisions that might be of interest to member agencies and their legal counsel.
California Water Leaders Gathering in San Diego for ACWA Fall Conference
SACRAMENTO — The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) 2025 Fall Conference & Expo Dec. 3-4 will draw public water agency leaders from across California to San Diego for two days of presentations, panel discussions and keynote addresses focused on the latest issues surrounding the state’s water supply and management.
Panels will explore topics ranging from deep sea desalination and the role of artificial intelligence in water management to the Colorado River and navigating infrastructure funding and regulations in a shifting federal landscape.
Additionally, Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia will deliver the welcoming keynote on Wednesday and share insights on pivotal issues facing agriculture and the water sector. Thursday’s keynote will be delivered by Letitia Grenier, director of the Water Policy Center at the Public Policy Institute of California.
A conference program with a complete agenda is available online, along with guidelines for news media coverage of ACWA events. For media credentials, contact ACWA Director of Communications Heather Engel at heathere@acwa.com or (916) 669-2387.
WHAT: ACWA 2025 Fall Conference & Expo
WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 3 and Thursday, Dec. 4
WHERE: Sheraton San Diego Resort, San Diego
SCV Water General Manager Matt Stone Announces Upcoming Retirement
At the regular SCV Water Board of Directors meeting on November 18, 2025, SCV Water General Manager Matt Stone formally announced his upcoming retirement after 10 years of dedicated service. His contract with the Board of Directors extends through July 31, 2026. Additionally, the Board took action to designate SCV Water Assistant General Manager Steve Cole to serve as the next General Manager, effective upon Stone’s retirement next July. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve this community and help establish SCV Water,” said General Manager Matt Stone. “Finding the right time to retire in the larger context of one’s life is a balance of many factors, and it is an even greater challenge because I have enjoyed being a part of SCV Water and enjoy the people I work with so much. But I leave knowing the agency is strong, stable, and positioned for continued success.” Stone was appointed as the General Manager of the former Castaic Lake Water Agency in December 2015, with a goal to work with the Newhall County Water District, where Cole was General Manager, on the shared vision of creating a single water agency serving the Santa Clarita Valley. The process took two years and the passing of state legislation (SB 634, Wilk), and in January 2018, SCV Water launched. During his tenure, General Manager Stone had many highlights and accomplishments, including:- Leadership & Agency Formation – Helped to guide the complex, multi-year effort to form SCV Water, including public engagement, negotiations, and support for the passage of SB 634 (Wilk).
- Water Quality & Remediation – Recovered over $80 million in the Whittaker perchlorate/VOC litigation and related settlements and arbitration rulings
- Formed the Agency’s PFAS response team and implemented the first Ion Exchange PFAS drinking water treatment solution in California as a fast-track project during COVID.
- Strategic Planning & Governance – Oversaw development of SCV Water’s mission, vision, values, and strategic objectives in 2019 and the subsequent five-year update in 2024; worked effectively with evolving Board of Director structures to support the transition to a nine-member elected Board by January 2023.
- Financial Strength – Supported integration of financial systems, a single Agency budget and financial reporting, and uniform retail water rates. The Agency achieved an upgrade to its bond credit ratings from both Fitch and Standard & Poor’s and refinanced capital debt at historically low interest rates in 2020, enhancing long-term financial resiliency.
- Operational Resilience – Guided the Agency through the COVID-19 period while maintaining service reliability and completing critical projects to enhance safety, emergency planning and security functions
- Industry Recognition – During his tenure, SCV Water has received numerous industry awards in areas such as budgeting and financial reporting, safety, communication, public transparency, projects and performance, including the 2023 Association of California Water Agencies’ Clair A. Hill Award of Excellence.