CASA News
Join Your Peers at CASA’s Annual Conference
Wrap-up summer with your colleagues in San Diego at CASA’s Annual Conference, August 11-13, 2021. Join us as we hear from experts on topics we’re all concerned about, including the impending drought, California’s push for electrification, the changing nature of work, gender diversity and pay equity in the workforce, communicating with diverse constituencies, and much more! Plus, hear the latest updates on topics essential to your agency’s regulatory compliance and future needs at our Regulatory Hot Topics and Deep Dives session, moderated by CASA’s Jared Voskuhl. Hear the very latest on the Sanitary Sewer System Waste Discharge Requirements (SSS WDR) update, state and federal developments on PFAS regulation, initiatives surrounding microplastics, and many other items the CASA Regulatory Workgroup is working to address on behalf of CASA member agencies.

Register for the conference.
 
Check out our preliminary program to see the other great speakers, panels, and presentations available during CASA’s 2021 Annual Conference and register today! We hope to see you there!
Federal Update
Senate Confirms Environmental Nominees
The Senate has confirmed Radhika Fox to be Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Office of Water. The Senate confirmed Fox’s nomination 55-43, and, in doing so, confirmed the first woman of color and first individual of Asian American descent to head the office. The Office of Water is responsible for managing water policy and regulatory decisions at USEPA, including addressing issues related to water quality, water contamination, ecosystem restoration, and watershed management and protection. Fox has been serving as Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water. Prior to her position at USEPA, Fox served as the CEO of the US Water Alliance, and at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, directing the policy and governmental affairs unit.
House Subcommittee Advances PFAS and Water Bills
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change advanced three bills addressing access to clean and reliable water services and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination to the full committee in a markup this week. The bills were:
 
  • H.R. 3291, Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2021
  • H.R. 3293, Low-Income Water Customer Assistance Programs Act of 2021
  • H.R. 2467, PFAS Action Act of 2021

The subcommittee voted along party-lines to advance the three bills. For H.R. 3291 and H.R. 3293, Republican Members argued that Congress has already authorized and appropriated significant funding to assist communities and utilities maintain and upgrade water systems and services, and that it is fiscally unsound to continue to authorize further funding. Democrat Members countered Republican opposition cautioning of the consequential public health crises if Congress fails to deliver necessary assistance to ratepayers and water utilities. Follow the link below for a summary of the three bills.
House Passes Resolution to Begin Fiscal Year 2022 Spending Bill Development
Last week, the House passed, along party-lines, a “deeming resolution” that sets a top-line spending limit of $1.506 trillion and includes cap adjustments for disaster relief and wildfire suppression. The funding amounts to a 9% boost over the current fiscal year. The $1.5 trillion will be distributed between the appropriations subcommittees and allow appropriators to begin drafting fiscal year (FY) 2022 spending bills ahead of markups later this month and in early July. Congress has until October 1 to pass FY2022 spending bills before the new fiscal year starts. Read more in the committee’s press release here.
In Case You Missed It
New Appointment to the SWRCB
Nichole Morgan was recently appointed to the State Water Resources Control Board to fill the seat currently held by Tam Doduc. She was most recently in the State Water Board’s Division of Financial Assistance, and previously worked at the Region 5 Board. She is a registered engineer and has worked with CASA in the past through Tri-TAC between 2006 and 2009. She was also involved in the SSS WDR efforts at that time, and one of her 2007 honors was being named to CWEA’s Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers. We are excited to meet and collaborate with Nichole on issues of importance to the clean water sector. Read more about Nichole’s background in this press release.
Member News
OC San General Manager to Serve as the President for SCAP
Jim Herberg, General Manager of the Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) and CASA Board Member, has recently been voted to serve as the Southern California Alliance of Publicly Owned Treatment Works (SCAP) Board President. Previously, he served as the Vice President for SCAP’s 21-member board. “I am proud to lead SCAP’s Board of Directors,” said Jim Herberg. “Serving as Board President will allow me to share my knowledge and experience with my peers while gaining industry knowledge and insight that I will be able to bring back to my agency. I am honored to serve in this leadership capacity.” The CASA staff sends their congratulations to Jim!
LVMWD Activates Stage 1 of Water Shortage Contingency Plan
The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District’s Board Directors initiated its Water Shortage Contingency Plan at Stage 1, which consists of a Water Shortage Alert, in response to worsening drought conditions. The resolution comes as 85% of California is experiencing extreme to exceptional drought based on data reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor. With an unimpressive Northern Sierra snowpack and lower-than-expected runoff to the state’s major reservoirs, the California Department of Water Resources recently lowered its allocation of water supplied via the State Water Project to 29 contractors throughout the state from 10% to 5% of their requested amounts. “We are not experiencing water shortages this year due to the drought,” explained LVMWD General Manager David Pedersen. “However, conditions could change quickly next year if we have another dry winter. Now is the time to remind our customers that efficient water use is important for everyone to avoid the potential of future shortages.” Read the full press release here.
Webinars, Workshops & Events
CAAWEF Live Stream Event
On Thursday, June 24 at 11:00am, the California African American Water Education Foundation (CAAWEF) will host a live stream event: California’s Water Affordability Crisis. Join CAAWEF for an informative conversation to discuss rising water bills and how the impending expiration of water moratorium shutoffs will impact the African American community. The event will be live streamed via Facebook @CAAWEF and on YouTube @CAAWEF_. You won’t want to miss it!
WELL Webinar: What Local Leaders Need to Address the Water-Energy Nexus
On Thursday, June 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., join the Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) for a webinar titled What Local Leaders Need to Address the Water-Energy Nexus. Water and energy are pivotal to the economic growth, health, and resilience of our communities. Most of us are accustomed to the readily available supply of these two resources twenty-four hours a day, yet the relationship between water and energy is often misunderstood. In California, extreme droughts, heat, wildfire, and sea-level rise urge water and energy conservation. To address the impacts on water or energy supply, strategic collaboration from all levels of government including local residents is needed to integrate policy and improve challenges the water-energy nexus can create. 

CASA is proud to support this webinar and happy to announce that CASA member Teresa Herrera, General Manager of Silicon Valley Clean Water, will be a featured panelist. You won’t want to miss it! Be sure to join us on June 24th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. as utilities experts, local elected officials, and community leaders examine the water-energy nexus and share innovative policy solutions that will ensure sustainable water and energy for all Californians. Register here!
CASA-CWEA Webinar: June Covid-19 Update
Join us on June 30 at 11:00 am for our free bi-monthly webinar on wastewater based epidemiology co-hosted by CASA and CWEA where we will discuss various aspects of wastewater surveillance, COVID 19, and the positive strides the wastewater sector continues to make in protecting public health. This month’s speakers include experts from Stanford University, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Illumina, and the California Department of Public Health. Join the conversation and ask any questions you may have on wastewater surveillance. The webinar will be moderated by CASA’s Greg Kester and LACSD’s Wendy Wert. Be sure to register today!
CASA Annual Conference 2021
Join us on August 11-13 for CASA’s 2021 Annual Conference at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel. Register early to lock in the best hotel rates and please be sure to follow the safety guidelines, notices and waivers in place. We hope to see you this August in sunny San Diego!
ACT EXPO
CASA is proud to participate as an endorsing organization partner of the 2021 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, ACT Expo is North America’s largest advanced transportation technology and clean fleet event. Bringing together more than 4,000 stakeholders across the industry for an expansive showcase of the technologies, fuels, policies, and organizations to drive innovation and sustainability on our roadways. The 2021 event will be held August 30 through September 2 at the Long Beach Convention Center. More information is available on the website.
CASA represents more than 125 local public agencies engaged in the collection, treatment and recycling of Wastewater and biosolids to protect public health and the environment. Our mission is to provide trusted information and advocacy on behalf of California clean water agencies, and to be a leader in sustainability and utilization of renewable resources.