Show off your PPE Whatever happens in this pandemic, the wastewater keeps flowing. CWEA members are #essentialworkers out there keeping #essentialservices going. We are the ones on the front lines, making sure wastewater gets cleaned up to protect our communities and the environment. Job #1 is keeping you and your teammates safe. If you’re a...

A settlement agreement between the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board and the city of Victorville has been reached and imposes a $1.5 million fine on the City for violating the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) general waste discharge requirements. The $1.5 million settlement fine addresses violations from six untreated sewage spills to Mojave River tributaries,...

Anaergia, Inc. is pleased to announce the successful issuing of bonds, as part of the funding of its Rialto Bioenergy Facility (RBF). A total of $117 million of tax exempt bonds were issued by the California Pollution Control Financing Authority for the RBF. This is a substantial portion of the $160 million of total capital...

The city of Galt has agreed to pay $110,715 to settle a case that began two years ago when 301,000 gallons of untreated sewage overflowed into Dead Man Gulch, a tributary of South Laguna Creek. The spill occurred during a power outage when a faulty alarm system failed to alert city staff about malfunctioning pumps...

Albert Robles Center (ARC) for Water Recycling and Environmental Learning has been awarded LEED Platinum Certification, the highest rating offered to environmentally sustainable buildings. Only 5.7 percent of LEED projects in the United States have achieved this distinguished designation. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program rates the environmental sustainability of projects based on...

Regional San’s landmark recycled water program—previously known as the South County Ag Program—has been rebranded. Now known as Harvest Water, the program will be one of the largest water recycling projects in California and will deliver up to 50,000-acre feet per year of tertiary-treated recycled water to an estimated 16,000 acres of farm and habitat...

From the Water Environment Federation… Studying concentrations of pathogens in wastewater — a practice known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) — is a time-honored approach to gathering crucial public health data that traditional approaches might miss. During the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection...

Sad to learn that CWEA and WEF Past-President Harry Tow has passed away in May.  Announcement from QK (formerly Quad-Knopf),  the engineering firm Harry helped found. It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we share the peaceful passing of QK co-founder Harry Tow, PE, AICP. He was 94 years old. Throughout his 48...

From the US EPA… The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an agreement with Pacific Seafood-Eureka, LLC over violations of the federal Clean Water Act. The settlement requires the company to pay a $74,500 penalty after an EPA inspection found the company was discharging wastewater in violation of local and federal standards into the...

Flor Burrola is committed to environmental sustainability. As a civil engineering associate II with LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN), she feels great about where she is and passionate about the projects she works on.    “I’m lucky to be working with the city’s Wastewater Engineering Services Division, planning and collaborating with multiple departments and agencies,” she says.   A recent example was a...

The 2020 applications are now available online at awards.cwea.org. Recognize outstanding achievements within the wastewater field. Improve the professional status of all personnel working in the wastewater industry and related fields. Stimulate public awareness of the importance of wastewater treatment to public health and the water environment. Awards are given at the Local Section level first;...

Membership Has Its Rewards: One Recruiter Will Receive a $500 Gift Card Over the course of your career, you’ve experienced first-hand the value of CWEA membership. During the 2020 CWEA Member Get a Member Campaign, encouraging your friends and colleagues to elevate their professional potential via CWEA membership allows us to further reward you –...

As environmental professionals work to address the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, is time dedicated to the California Water Environment Association (AAEES) well spent? The answer from an active volunteer, Wendy Wert, P.E., BCEE, is a resounding yes and a compelling story. Wendy is registered civil engineer with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts....

What’s in an identity? If you think of a movie star, you might remember one of their famous scenes. Think of a brand name such as Apple or Caterpillar and sleek phones or powerful, yellow machinery comes to mind. Identities are distinctive, and they tell a story. If you think about CWEA, what comes to...

As more municipalities turn to wastewater monitoring for early detection of COVID-19, these three companies are uniquely positioned to provide an end-to-end solution to improve the process. In-Situ is a leading manufacturer of environmental water monitoring equipment and serves the wastewater monitoring market through its ChemScan line of analyzers and related products. GT Molecular, has developed a...

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has funded 12 new Research Priority Program projects with a total funding amount of $2,125,000. This research allocation will be significantly leveraged with partnership funding and in-kind support. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for these projects will be released in August 2020. The Research Priority Program is WRF’s largest strategic research program, addressing...

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $196 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Inland Empire Utilities Agency in San Bernardino County, California. The loan will help finance expanded wastewater treatment capacity to support public health and the environment in this growing community. “Through WIFIA, EPA is playing...

The CWEA History Committee’s Mission Statement, like all good mission statements, provides the Committee with a basis for developing and organizing its various tasks each year.  Our Mission is: “To collect publications and articles, photographs, and other memorabilia of the Association, sections, committees, programs and Leaders. The Committee will organize, catalog and archive materials. Also,...

Part I of this series presented the history of the development of the City of Pasadena’s Tri City Sewage Treatment Plant (1887 to 1924) to provide the background and need for an updated regional treatment facility.  In summary, the development of the Tri City Plant was driven by the pressures of growth and development around...

Note: this is a first part of a series on the City of Pasadena’s Tri-City treatment plant and the CSWA.  Part I provides the background on how the plant was developed.  Part II will provide information on the CSWA conference tours, the plant-of-the-year award, and  technical presentations related to the Tri-City treatment plant. The history...

City of San Luis Obispo Matt Anderson, Lab Manager Ingredients: 2/3 isopropyl alcohol (99.9%) 1/3 aloe vera juice (100%) Gives us an alcohol concentration of 67%. For a 1-liter batch the formula is: 667mL isopropyl alcohol 333mL aloe vera juice Notes: this is a liquid sanitizer, not a gel. We also made batches with essential...

City if LA’s main environmental laboratory has ramped-up production of hand sanitizer to help their fellow team members on the front lines during the pandemic. LASANitizer HAND SANITIZER To make 10 L of hand sanitizer, mix the following according to instructions below: 500 mL         100% Glycerin 8420 mL       95% Ethanol (EtOH) 1040 mL       Deionized...

The East County Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Board of Directors unanimously approved water and wastewater service agreements this week, moving this significant drinking water project one-step closer to reality. These water and wastewater agreements are critical to the JPA’s eligibility for key Program financing opportunities. Water purchase agreements were approved between...

Lee Raymond Badertscher November 20, 1953 — May 18, 2020 Almost everyone who first met Lee Badertscher had that moment, where they weren’t sure if Lee was angry, miffed, or otherwise unhappy to see them. Every engineer who has reported to their first day at LEE + RO remembers meeting Lee for the first time....

Member Alert: CWEA Membership renewal notices are now being emailed. In an effort to reduce paper we are now switching to email and limited mailing. Notices will start to arrive in email inboxes in the upcoming weeks from Member Services.

At the Water Environment Federation (WEF), our vision is to create a community of empowered professionals creating a healthy global water environment. A necessary component to achieving that vision is ensuring that every individual within the communities where we live, work, and serve is treated in an inclusive and equitable manner. The recent senseless killings...

Each year volunteers with the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) collaborate with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) in the selection of an individual to receive the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP).  The SJWP is the world’s most prestigious youth award for a water-research science project.    All high school students who have reached the age of...

Update: On June 26th the CWEA Board formed a Diversity and Inclusion Task Force As water environment professionals, our mission is protecting and saving lives and operating systems that make our communities cleaner, healthier places for everyone to live in. Racism, inequality, and acts of violence are against everything CWEA stands for. CWEA stands with...

By Paula Hansen and Artem Dyachenko East Bay Municipal Utility District Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet (UVC – approximately 254 nm) light to kill or inactivate microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, viruses, molds, and other pathogens). It destroys nucleic acids of the microorganisms and disrupts their DNA, leaving them unable...

View our complete coverage of coronavirus worker safety > Facing an extreme shortage of hand sanitizer in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) produced its own. This was especially important for water and wastewater workers who often do not have access to soap and running water in...

Below is an email that was targeted to some of our CWEA leaders. Thankfully, they were able to recognize this as a scam and did not transfer funds. Do not fall for these kinds of attacks. Scammers can find your section President and Treasurers information on the website, making these attacks more believable. Please be...

Congratulaitons to: Thomas Hall and Joseph Lucia, WEF’s newest California WEF Life Members. Individuals who have been a member of WEF and one or more WEF Member Association for 35 or more consecutive years, and are at age 65 or older, are eligible to apply for WEF Life Membership. If you know someone that fits...

Shawn McCarty and his sixth-grade students from Hoover Elementary in Stockton, Calif., gathered on a video conference Friday afternoon thinking they would be helping Principal Dr. Charleen Mah pilot a new distance-learning model. Instead, McCarty and his students learned that their project on recycling and water collection won first place in the 2020 Cal Water...

A Chino environmental testing laboratory has been fined $90,000 and denied renewal accreditation by the State Water Resources Control Board’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) for making false representations about a wastewater treatment facility’s compliance with permit requirements. Adopted Tuesday by the State Water Board, the fine stems from an investigation that found privately owned...

  West County Wastewater and EBMUD (East Bay Municipal Utility District) announced a recycled water partnership that will preserve valuable drinking water for the region and support West County Wastewater’s ongoing mission of environmental stewardship and protecting public health. Under an existing agreement, West County Wastewater sends the majority of its treated secondary wastewater to...

The CWEA History Committee was recently asked for the dates of the various name changes that our Association has adopted over the years. The initial question generated two more “naming” questions: what were the Association’s prior names and why were the changes made?  Answering the prior names question was easy – CWEA started out as the California Sewage Works Association (CSWA), transitioned to the California Sewage and Industrial Wastes Association...

While an association’s name is its primary element of branding, its logo is the visual representation of the association’s identify. The logo provides a means to quickly identify the association and its services. The logo should be created with visual tone and appeal that is linked strategically to the association’s mission and “story”. The current...

Temporary Advisory for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Reporting in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic On March 26, 2020, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, issued a Temporary Policy titled “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program” . This EPA Temporary Policy applies retroactively beginning on March 13, 2020 and until...

Dr. Fiona Young is an Adjunct Associate Professor, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. She taught and researched in the disciplines of Medical and Environmental Biotechnology, with a focus on toxicology and mammalian cell culture. In a post on the COVID-19 scientific blog, she reviewed the latest scientific research into coronavirus...

The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has ordered Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. to pay $911,800 for discharging polluted stormwater into Fisher Creek, harming water quality and threatening aquatic life. The company, which is the largest grower of fresh mushrooms in North America, discharged more than 650,000 gallons of polluted water from its Morgan...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Message from the US EPA… Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to Governors in all 50 states, territories and Washington, D.C. urging them to ensure that drinking water and wastewater employees are considered essential workers by state authorities...

Coverage of water workforce topics is supported by waterTALENT COVID-19 in CA Webinar – Continuity of Operations and Emergency Staffing was held on Thursday, April 9th. The webinar is supported by DUDEK. This is CWEA’s second webinar in our COVID-19 series. Recording:  A recording of the webinar is available on YouTube.  Feel free to forward...

Written and photography by: Senior Airman Colville McFee, 9th Reconnaissance Wing Beale Air Force Base, Calif. – The 9th Civil Engineering Squadron (9CES) provides many skills and mission essential aspects such as, airfield maintenance, fire emergency services, explosive ordnance disposal and utility system construction to name few around the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. With the COVID-19 pandemic...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > By Krista R. Wigginton and Alexandria B. Boehm Environmental engineers and scientists have played pivotal roles in protecting the public from viral illnesses, and continue to do so today. We develop drinking water and municipal wastewater treatment technologies, make discoveries that inform related regulations...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > The US EPA is taking further action to help ease the production and availability of EPA-registered disinfectants. EPA will temporarily allow manufacturers of certain already-registered EPA disinfectants to obtain certain active ingredients from any source of suppliers without checking with the agency first. This...

WEF recently announced a brand-new resource for water professionals, Access Water®. As a 21st-century water quality professional, you need to work anywhere and everywhere on all kinds of devices and, to do that effectively, you must be able to instantly access and share technical content no matter where you are. But too often, cumbersome search...

WEF is pleased to offer access to a suite of new, digital programming opportunities, allowing you to connect with and learn from sector experts, while earning valuable PDHs – all from your computer or mobile device. Choose from a variety of options on the topics of most interest to you. Details can be found on the tabs...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Thank you for attending yesterday’s Overview of the Coronavirus, Transmission and Operations Planning Webinar and for helping to shape the content of the webinar – we received over 300 questions before and during the webinar. We hope that you found the content informative and helpful. Recording:  A...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > COVID-19 Enforcement Policy As all of us at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adjust to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we are first and foremost mindful of the health and safety of the public, as well as our staff, and those of Federal Agencies, State...

News from California manufacturer SmartCover. SmartCover Offering a COVID-19 Relief Package Remote Sewer Monitoring at NO COST In response to the strain on collection systems, staff and resources,  SmartCover is providing a COVID-19 Relief Package to make remote sewer asset monitoring available at no charge. During this time of uncertainty, our role as public health...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Dr. Rasha Maal-Bared is a Senior Microbiologist at EPCOR and Chair of WEF’s Waterborne Infectious Disease Outbreak Control Subcommittee (WIDOC). She writes about Our water workforce –operators, maintenance personnel, utility crews, laboratory technicians, collection system workers, and custodial staff – all work in the...

Example of an Emergency Plan from the City of Modesto a medium-size Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) showing their specific example written in response to COVID-19 and useful for what they are doing with safety and operations. BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of the worldwide novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Stanislaus County Public Health Agency and the...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > The CDC released this Q&A on water and wastewater system on March 11, 2020. From the CDC… Can the COVID-19 virus spread through drinking water? The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection,...

BACWA Comment Letter The Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (BACWA) appreciates the opportunity to comment on Appendix K to the Draft Staff Report, Including Substitute Environmental Documentation, for the Proposed Establishment of the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California; and Toxicity Provisions (proposed Toxicity Provisions). BACWA is...

WEF Field Guide to COVID-19 > Wastewater Treatment and COVID-19 Coronaviruses are susceptible to the same disinfection conditions in the healthcare setting as other viruses, so current disinfection conditions in wastewater treatment facilities is expected to be sufficient. This includes conditions for practices such as oxidation with hypochlorite (i.e., chlorine bleach) and peracetic acid, as...

WEF Field Guide to COVID-19 >     How to avoid Coronavirus? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are maintaining a webpage on prevention and treatment of coronavirus. In short, the prevention guideance is the same for avoiding the flu. CDC Prevention guidance > Do Wastewater Workers Need to Take Special Precautions? Based...

WEF Field Guide to COVID-19 > View recorded webinar > This webcast aired on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 2:30 PM Eastern. Please be sure to verify the most current information. The 2019 Novel Coronavirus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness, referred to as COVID-19. It was first detected in...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Message from WEF President, Jacqueline A. Jarrell, P.E. and  Executive Director Walter Marlowe, P.E., CAE A core part of our mission for the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is sharing the latest science and technical information with you to enable protection of public health and...

The 2020 Pretreatment, Pollution Prevention and Stormwater conference set a new attendance record with 420 attendees. That is the second largest attendance record in the 2000s and the third largest since the conference began in the 1970s according to past P3S committee chairs. The conference was held at the Hilton Long Beach on January 27-29....

As a member of CWEA, you are invited to attend CWEA’s Annual Business Meeting and vote on the incoming CWEA Slate of Officers. This year, the voting session will occur April 3 at 11:00 AM—11:30 AM before the Awards Luncheon at CWEA’s Annual Conference. You do not have to register for the Annual Conference to attend the...

CWEA’s coverage of the water workforce is supported by WaterTalent Obstacles and paths to water operator careers By Katherine Saltzman Amid retirement surges across the water workforce, there are ongoing discussions about the urgency to recruit, train, and retain new professionals. Part of this effort involves establishing the water sector as an attractive career path...

The Student Design (State and International) Competition which promotes interest in wastewater and water environment careers is an annual competition. Winners of the California competition will be sponsored by CWEA to participate in the International Water Environment Federation (WEF) competition in New Orleans or Chicago every fall. Past competition winners indicate that the trip to...

Meet Frank, Foster City’s Public Works Maintenance Superintendent and CWEA Member! Frank plays a vital role in ensuring that Foster City’s wastewater management system is operating smoothly so we have clean, running water. Learn more about his role and the system now.

The San Juan Capistrano City Council (“City”) last night voted unanimously to approve the agreement that will transfer the City’s water, wastewater, and recycled water services to the Santa Margarita Water District (“SMWD” “District”). “I would like to thank both the staff of the city of San Juan Capistrano and the District for their comprehensive...

Hello, this is the winter quarterly report for the 2019 CWEA-MBS Year I want wish you all Happy Holidays from your Board of the Monterey Bay Section of the CWEA. This past year has seen some challenges and while we push through the challenges, we also had some good training and dinner events. I want to thank the MBS...

Abstract Submission Deadline: January 30 at 4:00 p.m., MDT The WEF/AWWA Transformative Issues Symposium on Communications brings together water sector professionals to discuss today’s water communications challenges and opportunities. Submit your abstract today to be a part of the symposium’s interactive sessions and engaging discussions to help foster the exchange of ideas on this critical topic. Abstracts preferably...

AC20 HOT TOPIC PREVIEW THURSDAY TRACK: Winning the Fight Against “Flushable” Wipes! November 21, 2019 The Honorable Alan Lowenthal United States House of Representatives The Honorable Tom Udall United States Senate Dear Senator Udall and Representative Lowenthal: On behalf of the undersigned coalition of public agencies providing wastewater, water recycling and biosolids management services in...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ December 20, 2019 Ms. Jeanine Townsend, Clerk to the Board State Water Resources Control Board 1001 I Street, 24th floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Re: Comments – Proposed Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program Regulations Dear Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel: The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) is a non-profit...

The State Water Resources Control Board recently hosted a 2-day Technical Seminar and concurrent Datathon on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Recordings of the seminar along with the agenda, speaker biographies and abstracts is provided on the State Water Board’s PFAS website at https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/pfas. The presentations from the PFAS Technical Seminar are available at: Link:...

View our full coverage of new ELAP regulations > CWEA Lab Community, This is a critical time in the world of California Lab Regulations.  With the latest regulations package being published on October 11th, we are down to the wire with having our voices heard of how these regulations will affect our labs, our agencies...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ By Christine Sotelo Chief of CA ELAP The California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) is on a path of improvement, and we are honored to be working collaboratively with CWEA and its members on this journey. Five years ago, the State Water Resources Control Board inherited...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ By David Kimbrough Pasadena Water & Power A hundred years ago, there had been a major revolution in public health. Fatalities from waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera were plummeting. Chlorinated water was being delivered via pressurized pipes to houses with in-door plumbing at very...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ By Stephen Clark Past-Chair, SWRCB ELTA Committee After the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) was moved from the California Department of Public Health to the State Water Board, the Environmental Laboratory Technical Advisory Committee (ELTAC) was re-formulated. Updated bylaws required ELTAC to be comprised of ELAP’s...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ Notice of proposed rule-making from the State Water Board, Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program office… NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) proposes to amend, adopt, or repeal the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) regulations described below after considering all...

The Significance City of Lodi’s 1923 Sewage Treatment Plant The CWEA History Committee published an article in the winter 2017 edition of the CWEA Wastewater Professional documenting the centennial of the use of the activated sludge process in California (1917-2017). As discussed in the article, the adoption of the activated sludge process by California utilities...

As many of you know, I am an old guy when it comes to environmental laboratories. To put it in perspective, the 13th edition of Standard Methods was in; the hip new thing was flame AA; and there were only 6 pesticides and 2 herbicides in the world. Both the Safe Drinking Water and Clean...

When I was a youngster growing up in Los Angeles, my family had a neighbor and friend who was an engineer working for the City of Los Angeles.  “Bud”, as he liked to be called, told a story of how one of the main sewers in Los Angeles was inspected by boat.  He described how...

“The 1935 Laguna Beach Sewage Treatment Plant is a significant surviving public works facility from a community that greatly upgraded its infrastructure in the 1930’s with New Deal assistance to accommodate projected growth.The town could not become the popular artistic and tourist destination without this facility.The facility design, intended to blend with the romantic geography...

The CWEA History Committee’s “Forgotten Facilities” series highlights historically significant California wastewater treatment plants that are connected to the history of our Association. So far, the treatment plants in the series have been decommissioned, repurposed, or demolished, thus the “Forgotten Facilities” title. The wastewater treatment plants documented by the History Committee are notable for being...

Please join us in congratulating staff member Norah Duffy, Director of Certification, as recipient of the 2019 Next Gen Professional Award from the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE). ​ ICE is a professional membership association providing education, networking, and other resources for organizations and individuals who work in and serve the credentialing industry. ICE is...

The CWEA History Committee produces articles about the people, programs and plants that are significant to the history of our Association. In this edition of Clean Water, we will highlight one of CWEA’s most popular and visible awards – the California Chapter of the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (CWEA 5-S). The Select Society...

Paula Zeller Senior Plant Operator, CWEA Past President 5S 1999 I got my shovel when we had mammoths and saber-toothed tigers in the treatment plant. The ceremony was conducted by guys who worked with pterodactyls and spinosaurus. I had done some behind-the-scenes stuff for SARBS, the biggest local section in CWPCA [now CWEA], like: Writing...

Gary Warren East Bay Municipal Utility District 5s 2019 Gary Warren was recognized by his peers in receiving a 5S Award in April at the Annual Conference 2019 in Palm Springs. His CWEA participation started simply, by attending various local dinner meetings and training seminars in the San Francisco Bay Area. These CWEA events provided...

Steve Jepsen Southern California Alliance of POTWs 5S 2016 After I did my cycle as first director through past president with the CWEA San Diego Section, I received the treasured gold shovel and a lifetime membership to the secret society of sludge shovelers.I proudly wear my gold shovel at professional events.One of my first public...

Robert Gerena, Utilities O&M Supervisor, City of Hayward  How did you get your first job in the wastewater sector?  After getting out of the Navy, I worked for the federal government at Camp Pendleton as a Boiler Plant Operator. I saw that as a dead-end job and looked for a way to a different career path. I...

Kevin Street, City of Riverside Public Works Department, Wastewater Division  How did you get your first job in the wastewater sector?  My first career oriented job was with a local air pollution control district. It afforded me the opportunity to inspect and become familiar with wastewater treatment plant processes and equipment. Wastewater quickly piqued my interest; it...

    How did you get your first job in the wastewater sector?   My entry into the wastewater sector was very unconventional.  I had been working for the City of Long Beach Water Department as the Procurement Officer for a few years already in 2014. The Sewer Superintendent was about to retire and my boss at...

By: Channing Vang, California Rural Water Association What’s your background? After being discharged from the military, I enrolled at DeVry University and earned my Associates degree in Electronics. I went to work for an oil company and focused on instrumentation. While working there, I was introduced to the field of environmental reporting and really enjoyed...

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) and Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) celebrated the Final Expansion of the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by elected officials, project stakeholders and industry professionals. The Final Expansion of the GWRS is the third and final phase of the project. The GWRS first began operating...

Competitive grant program will support training and career development opportunities for workers in the water and wastewater industries A new national grant program backed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission received a $1 million federal funding approval today by the United States Senate. The program will support training and career development for workers in...

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of L.A.’s Bureau of Streets joins the climate discussion during the WEX Global event in Porto, Portugal View full story by Angela Godwin for Water World here..

Chris Lehman Supervisor City of San Luis Obispo WRRF 6 years US Navy, Radar Electrician What is your role? Water Resource Recovery Facility Supervisor at City of San Luis Obispo. What inspired you to work in water? In 2010 I left the Navy and moved back to California  [San Luis Obispo]. I was initially exploring...

Kody Tompkins, Chief Plant Operator Army/Served 9 years What is your role? I’m the Chief Plant Treatment Plant Operator for the City of Barstow’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. I hold a Grade V Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, Grade IV Collection System Maintenance, Grade II Water Treatment Operator, and Grade II Water Distribution Certificates. What / who...

On October 17, 2019 the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) hosted their annual West Coast Event titled Climate Change: Water and Wastewater Agencies Adaptation and Resiliency at the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) Authority. The 2019 AAEES West Coast Event began with an alfresco networking dinner in the patio area....

The State Water Resources Control Board approved an ambitious, long-term plan to address the buildup of salt and nitrates in Central Valley groundwater basins and surface water, and ensure delivery of clean drinking water to disadvantaged communities impacted by nitrates until impaired aquifers are restored. Approved after more than 13 years in development by stakeholders...

SmartCover® is a leading technology provider specializing in wastewater solutions. The primary goal of every sewer system operator is to keep sewage out of the environment. SmartCover serves this mission through a suite of technology that gathers and monitors sewer pipeline data, performs analytics, and provides real-time reports to enable wastewater operators with reliable, actionable decisions...

Video interview by Water World magazine. Black & Veatch’s Lynne Moss discusses the relationship between PFAS substances and biosolids.    

Update 10/15/19: The LA Times used the State’s date and released an on-line PFOS/PFOA map detailing wells with the compounds at parts per trillion. Now Available Through Web-based Maps Comprehensive Assessment to Continue with Updated Data The State Water Resources Control Board posted the first results of testing for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid...

This article is reprinted with permission by Tunnel Business Magazine. Most large urban areas depend on interceptor sewers to convey sewage from subdivisions and suburbs to the treatment facilities. Whether the interceptor drains city neighborhoods or a neighboring town’s collection system, the pipe is large and usually deep. In an area like Los Angeles, interceptor...

Leucadia Wasterwater District covers a total service area of 10,200 acres (16 square miles) which includes the original service area in Leucadia as well as portions of the cities of Carlsbad (the La Costa area) and Encinitas. With over 62,000 households in service, the District serves the public by collecting, transporting, recycling and treating wastewater...

Anaergia Inc. and its sister company Fibracast Ltd. are pleased to announce that they have been added to the team selected for the construction of the Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC) in the East Valley Water District. SNRC, being built in Highland, California, will be a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility. It will recover clean water,...

On July 18, 2019, Ms. Azya Jackson of City of Los Angeles – LA Sanitation & Environment presented the One Water LA 2040 Plan to a LABS dinner meeting group of 45-people in Downtown LA. The One Water LA 2040 Plan (Plan) takes a holistic and collaborative approach to consider all of the City’s water...

We are handing over the reins of our social sites, Instagram and Twitter to four accomplished and technically savvy wastewater operators during California Water Professionals Appreciation Week. That’s right, they will give you a first hand look into their lives next week and we can’t wait to go on that ride! Be sure to follow...

In the mid-1920’s, with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California just forming and the Colorado River water supply not yet secured, the LADWP recognized that its water supplies would be outstripped by the rapid growth and development of Los Angeles. In late 1929, because of the forecast water demands, LADWP officials decided to pursue...

The Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) Board of Directors voted to award the contract to construct the 30 million gallon per day (MGD) Final Expansion of the world-renowned Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) to Shimmick Construction Company, Inc. The overall project cost is $310 million with the construction portion being approximately $200 million. The...

WaterISAC relies on you to share information on incidents you’ve experienced to help identify threats and trends. This contributes to a more secure water sector. WaterISAC urges utilities and others sector stakeholders to report incidents and suspicious activity to our analysts. Reporting incidents and suspicious activity helps strengthen sector resilience, because it allows WaterISAC to...

Rhondi Emmanuel, Administrative Services Manager, Vallecitos Water District Tenure and certifications held: 7 years; IPMA-SCP Branch/years of service: USMC/9 years What is your role? As Administrative Services Manager, I’m responsible for multiple departments including human resources, public information/conservation, information technology, and risk management. What / who inspired you to work in water? To be honest, I never really thought about working in the water industry.  Since my...

Dale Austin, Senior Pump and Motor Technician Tenure and certifications held: 20 Years D3, T2, Mech Tech 2 Name of agency: Vallecitos Water District Branch/years of service: Army 82/85 Navy 85/90   What is your role? As a Senior pump tech, I’m responsible for all water pump and pressure stations. Sewer lift stations, Emergency generators,...

A message from the CWEA President I am pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the following 2020 CWEA State Board of Directors’ positions: Vice President from the South (will be President in year 3 of 4-year service); Director at-large from the North (3-year term); Director at-large from the South (serves as Treasurer in...

Industry leader Dr. Zeynep Erdal to deliver integrated ‘one water’ solutions for clients With clients’ growing focus on sustainable, resilient and reliable water solutions, Black & Veatch announced that CWEA member Dr. Zeynep Erdal, PE, has been named Integrated Solutions Leader in Black & Veatch’s Water business. Erdal is focused on global “one water” solutions,...

by Joe Haworth (as published in the Winter CWEA Bulletin 1996) That’s right! Members of the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers for the California Water Environment Association can proudly proclaim that American icon, Rube Goldberg, is a member and a colleague. Mr. Goldberg, a well known cartoonist famous for gadgets and strange looking machinery,...

Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD) was named Member of the Year by the Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce for securing more than $26 million in state and federal funding for the area’s first municipal sewer system. HDWD Board President Dan Munsey and directors Sarann Graham and Bob Stadum accepted the award June 27thduring a Chamber event...

Do you know an industrial user that should be recognized for their efforts and performance in process wastewater pretreatment technology, material recycling, waste minimization, pollution prevention practices, or stormwater runoff control? Here is your chance to provide them the recognition they deserve. The CWEA Pretreatment, Pollution Prevention, and Stormwater (P3S) Committee is currently accepting nominations...

The family of chemicals known as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, also known as PFAS and PFOA, continues to be a hot topic of growing concern at the state and federal level. The substances have been used in a variety of manufacturing industries around the globe, including food packaging and commercial household products. There is...

California Association of Sanitation Agencies announced the selection of CASA’ s new Executive Director. Following an open process, the Board of Directors was pleased to select Adam Link, CASA’s current Director of Operations, to assume the role in January upon Bobbi Larson’s retirement. CASA’s President Traci Minamide noted “This is a very exciting time for...

Upcoming State requirements will affect all water laboratories in California. Mammoth Community Water District (MCWD) laboratory staff are prepared for the changes and will serve as leaders in the industry. At the MCWD Laboratory, from left to right Bruce Medhurst, Sharon Dehmlow, Christine Sotelo, Diane Anderson and Blair Hafner The Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP)...

CWEA recently selected Shloka Janapaty of San Jose to represent the state of California at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition for the project titled, A Novel, Fast, Low-Cost Approach to Achieve Near 100% LDPE Degradation and Leachate Remediation: Phanerochaete chrysosporium Landfill Bioremediation. Shloka’s project was selected as the first place project for California out...

The California Water Environment Association, an association with 10,400 members working in California’s water sector, selected Jenn Jones, CAE, IOM, as their new Executive Director. Based in Oakland, CWEA is one of California’s largest associations dedicated to education and certification for water professionals. Jenn has over 20 years of association management experience and is a...

The CWEA History Committee recently had the good fortune of acquiring a 1943 CSWA Annual Convention and Conference program from the estate of the late Roy E. Ramseier, consulting engineer and longtime member of CWEA.  In 1943, Mr. Ramseier was serving as Senior Sanitary Engineer, Pacific Division of the U.S. Engineering Department and was actively...

Support for our coverage of Women in Water is provided by DN Tanks. The Professional Development Committee and the Students and Young Professionals Committee of the San Francisco Bay Section of the CWEA held a Supporting Women in Wastewater Workshop and networking dinner on May 9, 2019. The event had almost 90 attendees and kicked...

Support for our coverage of Women in Water is provided by DN Tanks. At AC19 Palm Springs, CWEA held it’s Second Annual Women Impacting Water Breakfast. It was a morning of networking, inspiration, encouragement and career advice. Megan Yoo Schneider of Seven Management Consulting lead the audience and panelists on an interactive discussion on challenges,...

Dr. Boroditsky’s TED talk in 2017. September 23, 2019 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM McCormick Place The Opening General Session sets the tone for the conference that draws thousands of water quality professionals from around the world each year. This year’s kick-off event will feature a keynote presentation from Dr. Lera Boroditsky, an Associate Professor of Cognitive Science...

Message from the President As you may have heard, CWEA’s longtime Executive Director, Elizabeth Allan, will soon be enjoying a well-earned retirement. Over the last few months, the Board of Directors and the Board’s Executive Committee conducted an extensive search for the best person to fill this important role. The Board of Directors is pleased...

Get Involved: Submit your application for the WEF House of Delegates Now Accepting Nominations for Delegate-at-Large (4 available positions) Join WEF’s House of Delegates in advancing WEF’s mission and vision by encouraging individuals who have distinguished themselves as leaders in the water environment profession to apply for this position. WEF’s visibility in the water sector...

Marc Serna named Chief Engineer at South Coast Story by Sonja Wassgren Morgan     South Coast Water District (SCWD) is pleased to announce CWEA Member Mr. Marc Serna recently joined the executive management team at the District. On May 1, 2019, Marc assumed the role of Chief Engineer that was held previously by Rick...

Each year the WEFTEC Program Committee takes on the huge task of creating the WEFTEC technical program. This group of more than 200 water sector experts volunteers their time and knowledge to solicit, review, and choose the papers and presentations that you will see in Chicago in September. With an acceptance rate of only about...

Governor orders new portfolio approach on water to protect the future health of communities and the environment As climate change continues to threaten the state’s water infrastructure and reliability, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order directing his administration to think differently and act boldly by developing a comprehensive strategy to build a climate-resilient water system....

As a token of appreciation for being a part of the Annual Conference, speakers, track facilitators, panelists and tour guides were honored by a donation in their name to the CWEA Kirt Brooks Scholarship or The Water Project – per their choice. CWEA is happy to report the final amount donated to both charities: The...

A letter to CWEA members from CWEA’s President Collection Systems Committee Chair… Dear CWEA members, CASA is urgently seeking help from water professionals and agencies for wipes legislation they are supporting. We want to pass along their request on this important issue. CASA is sponsoring AB 1672 (Bloom). The bill would require proper labeling for wipes...

Leonard R. McNeil also known as “Mac”, member and former President of the West County Wastewater District’s Board of Directors, died earlier this week, the agency announced. The West County Wastewater District (WCWD) is based in Richmond, CA. McNeil was a retired Political Science Professor at Contra Costa College and had been a District Board...

The Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) and the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) received a Silver Mercury Award for their Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) Bottled Water Campaign.  The International Mercury Awards competition honors the best in public relations, public affairs and corporate communications. The GWRS Bottled Water Campaign spanned a year and included a...

By now you’ve heard about the new Advanced Water Treatment Operator certification launching in May 2019 that CWEA and CA-NV AWWA have jointly developed. The AWTO certification is designed for drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment Operators working at facilities using advanced treatment technologies and related control processes. What does AWTO mean for you as...

By Zoeanne Tafolla We lost a friend and safety pioneer in the wastewater field on February, 24, 2019 when Lorri McAuliffe lost her six-year battle with cancer.  She and her husband, Chris, were a power couple in the field of wastewater. She was knowledgeable not only on all things safety, but she had first hand...

By Michele Farmer CWEA member with 30 years of experience in the water sector A research study was recently published in the International Journal of Organizational Analysis (IJOA) by Emerald Publishing Limited that references the Utility of the Future’s (UOTF) challenges for water and wastewater agencies in the US.  These challenges include climate change, drought,...

CWEA Member and Vice Chair for the Santa Clara Valley Section, William Jennings Bryan Jr., of Gladstone, passed away unexpectedly, on the 25th of February, 2019. Comments from Silicon Valley Clean Water Manager Teresa Herrera The level of intensity has been high here at SVCW over the past month. Of course there are the normal...

Today, the US Water Alliance and the UNC Environmental Finance Center are proud to release a new report, Strengthening Utilities through Consolidation: The Financial Impact. This report synthesizes the financial impacts of consolidating water utility service by looking at the real-world, diverse experiences of eight communities from across the country. There are tens of thousands...

Coverage of asset management topics is supported by MentorAPM Access leading-edge content on trenchless technologies and infrastructure asset management. Trenchless Technology and Asset Management, Third Edition will help municipal managers, contractors, consulting engineers, and municipal staff engineers guide asset management programs and pipeline repair and rehabilitation efforts. Its contents provide detailed, straightforward coverage of the assessment, management,...

This is a friendly reminder that the Division of Financial Assistance (DFA) is conducting a survey of sewer rates and connection (capacity) fees for Calendar Year 2018. The survey information assists us with providing communities with financing to address water quality problems throughout California and also benefits communities to better serve their constituents. In order...

As a member of CWEA, you are invited to attend CWEA’s Annual Business Meeting and vote on the incoming CWEA Slate of Officers. This year, the voting session will occur April 12 at 11:00 AM—11:30 AM before the Awards Luncheon at CWEA’s Annual Conference. You do not have to register for the Annual Conference to...

Last year, the CWEA Students and Young Professionals Committee participated in its first ever Community Service Project during the Annual Conference in Sacramento. The Water Project is a nonprofit organization helping sub-Saharan African communities gain access to clean, safe water through training expertise and financial support. The Students and Young Professionals Committee hosted an informational...

Join CWEA’s sessions on cannabis cultivation and wastewater pretreatment standards at the P3S19 Conference, Feb 11-13, and AC19, April 9-12 in Palm Springs. There will be a cannabis cultivation tour at AC19. Press release from the State Water Board… The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) fine-tuned its pioneering cannabis cultivation policy Tuesday...

Opening General Session: Leaders Aren’t Just Born at the Top Drew Dudley, Leadership Expert and Founder of Day One Leadership Wednesday, April 10th, Palm Springs Convention Center Leadership isn’t just for top bosses. Everyone, at every level of an organization, is a leader—and they likely don’t even recognize it. But, getting people to see their...

ABOUT WATER REPLENISHMENT DISTRICT Formed in 1959 to protect groundwater resources, the WRD mission is: “To provide, protect, and preserve high quality groundwater through innovated, cost-effective and environmentally sensitive basin management practices for the benefit of residents and businesses of the Central and West Coast basins.” In 2003, the WRD’s Board of Directors developed a...

During this holiday season, our office will be closed Monday, December 24th and will reopen on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019. To leave a message with questions or issues that are not urgent you can call our office at (510) 382-7800 and leave a message at extension 0.  Questions about items with early January deadlines will be responded...

In this edition of WEF’s Words on Water Podcast, three leaders from the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District share their experiences from the November 2018 Woolsey Fire. It decimated communities in Malibu and Ventura County, destroying 1,643 structures, killing three people and forcing 250,000 people to evacuate. Staff at Las Virgenes did not evacuate and...

Great things happening in our Monterey Bay Section…. Hello Again, this is the last quarterly report for the 2018 CWEA-MBS Year These past few months have turned cold and thankfully brought some much needed rain.  But that hasn’t stopped the dedicated Sewer Rats from congregating!  This past October we had a great stormwater training luncheon at the...

It’s the new “abnormal” as Governor Jerry Brown calls it. Bigger and more intense fires have killed more people in California and destroyed more property than ever before. Even as the fires are put out, water professionals know there’s a new threat. Floods. Fires and floods happen so often throughout California’s history, some regions have...

The LA Wrecking Crew from Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts represented California in this year’s WEFTEC Ops Challenge competition. Photos by Michael Spring (New England WEA and Alec Mackie, CWEA). Team members included Will Hoeing, Carlos Vasquez, Joseph Gevas and team captain Nicholas Janicke. Other CWEA members attending included Stephen Johnson (Jr.) from LACSD and...

Member Value Report  This year CWEA is celebrating 90 years. In those years many things have changed, but many things have remained the same. One of the stalwarts of CWEA is the diversity of its membership, and the willingness of those members to share their knowledge with others.  Three CWEA life members, all former Presidents of the...

Dear CWEA Members: I wanted to let you know that I will be retiring as CWEA’s Executive Director at the end of April 2019. A new phase of life awaits me. Choosing to retire from CWEA is definitely bittersweet for me. I love CWEA, our members, our staff, and our mission. I will miss you...

In keeping with the October Wastewater Professional theme of “Women in Water,” the CWEA History Committee has produced a brief profile of a woman who was a pioneer in the history of CWEA’s governance. Background Historically, the wastewater collection and treatment field in California was dominated by men through most of the 20th century.  And,...

“The CWEA has divided the state into 17 geographical Local Sections to accommodate its members’ needs across the State in a local format. Local Sections are grouped into two regions, Northern and Southern, and have quarterly Regional Committee meetings to discuss regional or statewide issues, and to share information with other Local Sections. Each CWEA...

Director of Wastewater at EBMUD treatment plant, Eileen White, discusses her career in the industry. #womenimpactingwater

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...

Dear Fellow CWEA Member, 2017 will go down in the California history books as an incredibly challenging year. January 2017 started with record breaking floods; February saw the dam spillway collapse; two of the State’s largest fires in history occurred in October and December; and now, January 2018 begins with tragic mud slides along Southern...

Did you know that CWEA’s second President was an early leader in the field of collection system maintenance? The CWEA History Committee uncovered this little-known fact when we started documenting our early Association leaders. The CWEA History Committee introduced its “Past President Project” in the January 2015 issue of the Wastewater Professional. The goal of...

Coverage of biosolids and co-digestion supported by Anaergia Wastewater reclamation authority unveils retrofitted anaerobic digester by Jennifer Fulcher, WEF Highlights In 2008, the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA; Victorville, Calif.) set two goals: offset operation and maintenance expenses and increase revenue. After reviewing its entire facility, VVWRA came up with an idea of repurposing its...

100 Years of Activated Sludge in California 1917-2017 This article describes some of the research process into the history and development of the activated sludge process in California.  This research will be used for a paper that discusses the history of the activated sludge process in California from 1917 to 2017.  If you have additional...

On November 10th 2016 CWEA’s Southern Sections Collection Systems Committee (SSCSC) held it 64th successful Workshop. The host site was at the city of San Diego’s Water Utility Center on Topaz Way. Two hundred fifty (250) attendees traveled from San Diego County, the Inland Empire and Orange County areas. Seventeen vendor firms and their representatives...