As we build California’s water utilities of the future, one of the most common issues raised is workforce readiness. Where will all of those highly-skilled and experienced water professionals come from?  Particularly since 30-50% of the current workforce is in the process of retiring. To better understand the workforce skills gap, the Water Research Foundation...

As CWEA begins our new fiscal year in July, there are a few open volunteer leadership posts. If you are interested or know a good candidate, please see the nomination contact info below. Northern Safety Day – Program Planning Committee members Help plan the educational tracks and speakers for the annual Northern Safety Day seminar...

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is an avid supporter of innovation in the water sector. In fact, one of WEF’s critical objectives is to “establish the conditions that promote accelerated development and implementation of innovative technologies and approaches.” As part of this initiative, WEF and The Water Research Foundation (WRF) jointly created the Leaders Innovation...

LA Sanitation was recognized as a Leading Utilities of the World in recognition of its leadership and innovation in many programs, including the One Water LA Plan, water recycling, resource recovery, watershed protection, green infrastructure, sewer spill reduction, pollution control and stakeholder engagement. LA Sanitation’s One Water LA Plan separately received the National Environmental Grand Prize for Planning from the...

On April 24th, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt signed a proposed rule that would bar studies to be used in the development of federal environmental regulations if data is not publicly available. This includes epidemiological studies, which use private medical information that researchers are required to keep confidential. Pruitt made an announcement...

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered a method to dramatically improve the way pollutants are removed from wastewater using Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs). AOPs are a group of chemical treatment processes that use oxidation to remove organic materials from water. The reactions are performed by hydroxyl radicals (·OH) created by the decomposition...

Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board announced that the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and five East Bay communities will be assessed $389,300 in penalties for violating the terms of a 2014 settlement designed to prevent untreated sewage from entering San Francisco Bay. “East...

The EPA announced a new rulemaking process surrounding the use of “blending” by wastewater treatment plants. Blending is used to manage high flow events at wastewater treatment plants while maintaining compliance. EPA announced their intent in this new process is to provide regulatory clarity and certainty with respect to the use of blending. Their goal...

From the Water Careers Pathways program at West Valley College… Water Challenge 2018 a Huge Success! On April 19th in the culmination of a semester-long high school team competition, the “Water Challenge,” 500 Bay Area students attended a high-profile presentation and award ceremony at Levi’s Stadium. Students arrived by bus to visit water-centered college booths,...

2018 marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the California Water Environment Association and the CWEA History Committee is counting down to the 2028 CWEA Centennial.  To mark our 90th year, the CWEA History Committee has compiled some CWEA “founding facts.” AWWA and the Founding of CWEA – 1928 Did you know the American...