Support for coverage of safety issues in provided by ehs The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is providing Notice of a 45-Day Public Comment Period of proposed code changes to California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 4, Chapter 1, related to California Underground Facilities Safe Excavation Board Fees. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking...

Introduction  East Bay Dischargers Authority (EBDA) is a joint powers agency consisting of five local agencies including Oro Loma Sanitary District, Union Sanitary District, City of San Leandro, City of Hayward and the Castro Valley Sanitary District. EBDA conveys treated wastewater from its member agencies together with treated wastewater from Livermore-Amador Valley Water Management Agency (LAVWMA),...

Follow the Flush is a uniquely humorous, educational and participatory 5K walk that follows the path of Santa Cruz wastewater through natural and urban landscape. The free family-friendly event, recently held in May began at UC Santa Cruz and concluded at the City of Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility where free tours were offered. The...

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) proudly announces that Braden Milford has won the 2018 U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP), the nation’s most prestigious youth competition for water-related research. Milford, a student at Cascia Hall Preparatory School, developed a system using naturally occurring bacteria to remove heavy metals from contaminated abandoned mine sites. He won...

The much-anticipated Regional Environmental Sewer Conveyance Upgrade (RESCU) program begins construction soon at Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW). Beginning in July, SVCW will break ground for the Front of the Plant (FoP) facilities and the gravity pipeline tunnel, culminating four years of planning and design to rehabilitate the agency’s aging infrastructure and facilities. The first...

Thank you Student Design Competition Supporters We’ve started an important, new tradition at CWEA. We held our first ever Student Design Competition on Saturday, May 19th. A panel of distinguished CWEA members served as judges and five teams from California universities gave their best pitch for engineering designs. The judges were assembled by WEF Past President Jim Clark from Black...

CWEA President Debi Lewis updated attendees at the April 20th Annual Business Meeting on the State of the Association. The Association received a clean audit for FY16-17 with one departure from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), which we anticipated (for treatment of membership dues on a cash basis). CWEA’s fiscal year ends June 30th; a...

Reprinted from National Water Research Institute (NWRI) To continue our celebration of the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Clarke Prize Award, NWRI is pleased to showcase Laureate Dr. Perry McCarty, who won the award in 1997 for his research in environmental biotechnology.  McCarty is the Silas H. Palmer Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Emeritus...

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris introduced the Water Affordability Act of 2018, legislation that would help low-income families across the country pay for rising sewer and water bills. As municipalities work to comply with The Clean Water Act, the cost of compliance is placing a high burden on low-income families who pay for sewer and water...

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is asking utilities to help assemble baseline data on the amount of resource recovery taking place at facilities in the U.S. and Canada. WEF is asking water resource recovery facilities to complete a survey by June 29 on current practices for water reuse, nutrient recovery, and energy generation. By participating...

Six years ago, 2017 Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Fellow Ed McCormick led the development and implementation of an energizing program for the water sector. The program cemented East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD; Oakland, Calif.) as the first North American water resource recovery facility to be a net producer of renewable energy. But according to McCormick,...

Energy and sustainability expert Schneider Electric announced it has been selected to pursue a $2.7 million grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board to help fund an infrastructure improvement project at the City of Anderson’s Water Pollution Control Plant. When approved, the proposed project will improve energy efficiency in the plant’s aeration process...

The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) announced the winners of its 2017 awards program at its Annual Conference in Sacramento on April 20. Nominations that advance through CWEA’s 17 local sections’ awards programs plus a select group of special awards are eligible to compete statewide. To kick off the ceremony, Small Plant of the Year winner,...

Coverage of biosolids and co-digestion supported by Anaergia East Bay Municipal Utility District Waste Received: fats, oil and grease (FOG), poultry blood, food waste (e.g., dairy, winery, brewery), cheese waste and more Stats: plant receives a total of 100 trucks per day, or 500,000 gallons per day – about 40% of this, or 200,000 gallons...

CWEA is excited to announce that Visala Tallavarjula of Santa Clara, California will once again represent the state of California for her project titled, “Irrigation Water Usage Efficiency Improvement by Modification of Root Zone Soil Properties Using Carbon Sequestration.” Visala was California’s winner in 2016, 2017 and this year! Visala Tallavarjula, one of 57 state winners announced by the Water...

On Friday April 20th the gavel was passed from CWEA’s Outgoing President Debi Lewis to our new President Connie Leonard.  Connie is a Project Manager for CDM Smith, based in the LA region. Congratulations Connie! Members unanimously approved the slate of nominees for the 2018-19 Board of Directors as recommended by the Board: Vice President...

One month ago CWEA held its Annual Conference in Sacramento to a record number of 1,628 attendees. “We need to serve our communities – communities where we all live with our families. Stronger together means you can ask for help and it also means that you will find it.” – Debi Lewis CWEA Past President,...

The lead sponsor for the Women Impacting Water breakfast is CDM Smith. CWEA held its first Women Impacting Water breakfast meeting at the Annual Conference in Sacramento this past April. The event was so popular it sold out. It was an inspiring morning of networking and discussion with California water leaders, engineers, operators and scientists....

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...

The Utility of the Future (UOTF) concept is being promoted as the nation’s water systems transform operation through innovation and technology.  The Utility of the Future model for utilities of all sizes to achieve more efficient operations, enhanced productivity, and long-term sustainability. “It is inspiring to see the many ways utilities are using innovation to...

WEFTEC® 2018 will host the seventh annual Operator Ingenuity Contest. Not all innovations come from a research lab. Sometimes, you need to tackle a persistent problem using just what’s at hand and a big shot of ingenuity. The competition is open to all clever ideas related to treatment processes, maintenance practices, safety measures, collection systems,...

Story provided by Society of Women Engineers A joint Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) research study recently released found that there is a lack of role models for women of color in engineering, gender and racial biases encountered in the workplace, and a level of disillusionment regarding the level of...

Today, EPA announced the availability of approximately $5.5 billion in credit assistance for water infrastructure projects under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. This financing will help support approximately $11 billion in total infrastructure investment. In the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), the WIFIA program solicits letters of interest from prospective borrowers seeking credit assistance from EPA....

Energy and sustainability expert Schneider Electric today announced it has secured a $1.6 million grant to help fund a facility improvement project at the El Centro Wastewater Treatment Plant in Imperial County, California. Representatives from Schneider Electric presented a check to El Centro city officials during a recent City Council meeting to mark this important...

The 45th Annual Pretreatment, Pollution Prevention and Stormwater Conference was held in Riverside at the Riverside Convention Center on February 12–14, 2018. The conference offered up to 19.1 CWEA contact hours toward all technical certifications, up to 5 SWRCB Drinking Water contact hours for distribution hours, and 2.4 SWRCB WastewaterCEU’s. Conference brochure (pdf).

UC Riverside researchers conduct first blind taste test of recycled wastewater by J.D. Warren Here’s a blind test taste like Pepsi never imagined. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, recently published a study of recycled wastewater that did not focus on its safety-which has long been established-but rather its taste. After years of drought, the...

IDE Technologies, a world leader in water treatment solutions, today announced that its technology will be used in two new wastewater reuse demo facilities in California: The Central Coast Blue Advanced Water Purification Demo Facility, in partnership with the City of Pismo Beach, and the Regional Recycled Water Advanced Purification Center Demo Facility, in partnership with the Metropolitan Water...

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is sponsoring SB 966 that requires the State Water Resources Control Board to establish regulations for risk-based water quality standards for onsite non-potable water systems in multi-family residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings. See factsheet for more information. The bill has been referred to the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and...

Every two years, the odor community comes together to share the latest developments, resolve challenges, and network, and this year the Odors and Air Pollutants Conference takes place in Portland, Oregon from March 25-28.  A committed team of volunteers have worked for months to develop the conference program, including speakers from across the world who will share...

CWEA members 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 20 at 11:00 AM—11:30 AM at the beginning of the Awards Luncheon at CWEA’s Annual Conference. You do not have to register for the Annual Conference to attend the Annual Business...

California’s water and wastewater agencies need approximately 6,000 new workers every year and that number continues to grow as more and more water professionals retire. To highlight the wide variety of career paths available in the sector, several California associations have launched CAWaterInterns.org. The site lists available internships, apprenticeships and operator-in-training opportunities at California water...

At WEFTEC® 2017, the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) named James H. Clark, WEF past president, to its latest class of WEF Fellows program honorees. This program celebrates the outstanding contributions WEF members have made to the water and wastewater sectors. Clark, who currently is a Los Angeles-based senior vice president for Black & Veatch (Overland Park, Kan.),...

In 2015 WEF released The Nutrient Roadmap with an aspirational goal: The next generation of wastewater treatment has zero net impact with regard to energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient discharge by 2040. Achieving this goal requires a dedication to overcoming technical barriers, financial constraints, and regulatory disincentives limiting nutrient removal, greenhouse gas emission...

  Union Sanitary District (USD) is celebrating 100 years of providing wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal services to its communities with a look back at its history, a look forward to the future, and an Open House event on Saturday, May 19, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to share some family-friendly fun with customers. CWEA members are invited to attend as the District features treatment plant tours, kid-friendly activities,...

Groundwater Replenishment System Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Record and Community Event Attended by Hundreds The Orange County Water District (OCWD) and Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) succeeded in the attempt to set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the Most wastewater recycled to drinking water in 24 hours. The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title was achieved by the...

ACWA, WEF join with U.S. EPA to host seven workshops  Mark Patrick McGuire and Katie Foreman In early December 2017, representatives from 24 state clean water programs involved in managing nutrient pollution as well as headquarters and regional staff from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) met for 3 days to learn, discuss, and confer...

According to the Workforce Survey from Baywork, Bay Area utilities will need aboutt 828 new workers over the next three years in the electrical, mechanics and instrumentation categories. Electrical Instrumentation techs is one of the most in demand practice areas in our profession . Every agency is looking for one it seems. The water sector...

This season’s FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. and FIRST® LEGO® League Challenges focused on problems within the human water cycle, or the way people find, transport, use, or dispose of water.   CWEA member Matt Kallerud is extremely familiar with this year’s FIRST® LEGO®League Jr. and FIRST® LEGO® League themes – as a civil/environmental engineer, he designs water and wastewater treatment plants. Matt was inspired to pursue a career...

The State Water Resource Control Board has released the draft final report Monitoring Strategies for Constituents of Emerging Concern (CECs) in Recycled Water.  The deadline for submitting comments on the draft report is Friday, March 2 at 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time.  Please see below for additional information: The draft final report updating monitoring recommendations by...

CWEA is gathering nominations for an Emerging Leaders story to appear in the Summer 2018 Clean Water. We are looking for accomplished water professionals who are making a significant, positive impact on California’s water and they have not yet been recognized for that effort. CWEA Definition of Emerging Leader Emerging leader describes an individual who: Has...

The Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) received the 2017 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for environmental education, California’s highest and most prestigious environmental honor. OCWD’s entry was deemed “exceptional for its innovative spirit and value to California’s environment and economy.” Governor Brown recognized OCWD and other GEELA recipients at an award ceremony in...

The chance to participate in the Singapore International Water Week Scholarship Program was a wonderful opportunity to see how the rest of the world was approaching the same problems I encounter at our agency in Northern California. Singapore has made its approach to water management a business strategy for the country that it uses for...

The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) is opening the application process for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP), an annual water research competition for California high school students. Applications are due by April 15, 2018. The Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition is the world’s most prestigious water-science competition for students. The winner of the California...

Coverage of biosolids and co-digestion supported by Anaergia These estimates were developed by contacting some of the largest agencies in the state, plus one medium sized plant, which collectively represent 35% of wastewater flow in the state. Using data on volume of digester capacity and current Mean Cell Residence Time (MCRT) in anaerobic digestion, flow...

FEATURED TRACKS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 Are Regulations Spoiling the Co-Digestion Party? Sarah Deslauriers, Engineer, Carollo Engineers State-driven methane reducing mandates are under development that require the wastewater sector’s and local air district’s support to achieve them on time. Collaborate with state and regional regulators to determine if your agency can be part of the solution....

Coverage of the wipes issue is supported by Aqualitec. WEF and NACWA File Amicus Brief in Support of District of Columbia’s Wipes Law By: Brianne Nakamura and Steve Spicer On Nov. 14, 2017 the Water Environment Federation and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies filed an amicus brief in support of a District of Columbia...

A policy perspective By: Amy Kathman In August 2017, a 2-day experts’ workshop, titled Creating the Space to Innovate, culminated a year’s worth of progress in advancing innovation. Leadership, culture, procurement practices, regulatory programs and policies, and permit conditions all contribute to putting innovation into practice as much as does the development of new technologies....

Being honored by the CWEA awards program improves the professional status of all personnel working in the wastewater industry and related fields and stimulates public awareness of the importance of wastewater treatment to public health and the water environment. CWEA has a many special awards that are awarded to individuals in addition to the standard state awards. Follow the links to...

This is a sponsored post from ehs International, Inc. The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) has partnered with ehs International, Inc. (ehsInc) and Aramsco-Interlink (Aramsco). The goal of this partnership between three leaders of their respective industries is to provide client companies and future members with the best in indoor air quality safety standards while also lowering costs. In both...

The National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems released a new set of resources for developing and implementing regulations for water systems that collect, treat, and reuse non-potable water within a building or at the local scale. The success of onsite non-potable water systems (ONWS) depends on strong collaboration between water and wastewater utilities and...

Support for our coverage of Women in Water is provided by DN Tanks. CWEA had the fortunate opportunity to conduct a round table discussion with four inspiring California water leaders. Debi Lewis, Kathy Suter, Tracy Stigers and Heather Collins shared personal experiences of being a woman working in water. Our conversation included the narrowing gender...

  State SJWP Competition Entry Deadline: April 15, 2018| ENTER COMPETITION To be eligible for the state competition, students must complete the online entry form and electronically submit their research paper. There are no specific paper guidelines at the state level, however the file cannot be larger than 2MB. Teams of one or two students may enter....

The WEF Disinfection and Public Health Committee is seeking your input on your current practices regarding the design, operations, and performance of disinfection facilities. This survey was developed to update previous 1979 and 1989 surveys.  Your name and any information you provide will be kept in the strictest confidence, and will only be reported as...

The California Water Environment Association and the California Association of Sanitation Agencies were proud to present the  Seminar on November 14 and 15 in two locations. The focus of the seminars were on successful biosolids management practices and innovative treatment technology for biosolids, renewable energy production and utilization, and climate change mitigation. Download and view...

Parsons—in a design-build joint venture—will design and construct the Silicon Valley Clean Water’s (SVCW’s) Front of Plant project in Redwood City, CA. This project is part of SVCW’s Regional Environmental Sewer Conveyance Upgrade Program, which incorporates conveyance system improvements to transport wastewater from member agencies to the SVCW wastewater treatment plant. The Front of Plant...

An Interview with Garry Brown,  DPR Advisory Group Chair The State’s recent steps toward direct potable reuse (DPR) might seem like an out of the blue solution to many people. Not to Garry Brown, the Executive Director of OC Coastkeeper. A long-time veteran of Southern California’s battles over water and water quality, Garry has watched...

The Water Environment Federation (Alexandria, Va.) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (Washington, D.C.) filed an amicus brief in support of a District of Columbia law to regulate disposable wipes. This law, the Nonwoven Disposable Products Act of 2016, aims to protect sewer systems from backups by requiring a regulation that defines the...

INTRODUCTION: A subcommittee of the Orange County Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) Collection Systems Steering Committee (Committee) was formed to look at the current Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) program being implemented in central and northern (Northern) Orange County. The current FOG program is over ten years old and has continued to be improved over that...

The State Water Board is about to approve a new regulatory testing procedure on Toxicity. We spoke with Adam Link, Director of Government Affairs for the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), Steve Jepsen, Executive Director of Southern California Alliance of Publicly Owned Treatment Works (SCAP) and Lorien Fono, Regulatory Program Manager, Bay Area Clean Water Agencies...

Support for coverage of safety issues in provided by ehs Article provided by the CWEA Safety Committee By Michael S. Estep Confined Space work is inherently dangerous. There is nothing normal or routine about confined space work. It has many dangers that are often unseen and hidden. Often this work is approached in a very relaxed...

For Lisa Arroyo, wastewater systems manager for the City of Santa Barbara, the hardest part of being a women in the clean water profession is balancing family with a job. “I have two small children,” she explains. “Sometimes it is hard to turn off work and concentrate on being a mom. Changing your focus is...

 Years ago, Amber Baylor read Marc Reisner’s Cadillac Desert, packed up her car, and headed for California. She’s never looked back. “California represented the most complex water system in the world,” she says, “and I wanted to be part of it.” She got her wish and after 10 years managing a water quality laboratory, she...

Only one in seven engineers in the United States is a woman, according to the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress. And in wastewater, only one in 20 treatment plant operators across the country is a woman (The Institute for Women’s Policy Research). So, is the gender ration any more balanced in California? Yes...

Michelle Beason, regional manager for National Plant Services in Hayward, is responsible for her company’s sewer and storm water services throughout northern California, Oregon, and Washington. After a student internship with EPA in her home state of Michigan piqued her interest in environmental work, she earned a Civil Engineering degree from Purdue University, and worked...

Michelle Tarantino is one of only two women in the group of 20 operators at the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District in Martinez. Yet she sees no particular barriers keeping women from the field, as long as they are determined to succeed and willing to put in the time. “The sky is the limit for...

California’s first-ever Water Professionals Appreciation Week launched this past October 7th-15th as part of a new annual designation intended to highlight the important role of water industry professionals and local public water agencies in ensuring safe and reliable water, wastewater, and recycled water in California. Established by Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 80, it was approved by...

Whether you’re selecting a school, a medical professional or a testing laboratory, one of the key factors to consider is always: “Are they accredited?” When dealing with the protection of public health and the environment, accreditation is critical. The Orange County Sanitation District’s (OCSD) Laboratory has always been accredited by the State, but now they...

The West County Wastewater District (WCWD) received the 14 Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). This platinum award is the highest given by NACWA and recognizes public wastewater treatment facilities for their outstanding performance and ongoing compliance with EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements. Established in...

Story from the Sacramento Bee Roseville City Council members voted unanimously to expand the city’s sewer plant and build facilities that recover energy from waste, including natural gas to power city garbage trucks. “It provides us an opportunity to be innovative with this construction,” said Councilman Scott Alvord, who lives near the treatment plant. “The...

One of the most anticipated events during WEFTEC, the Operations Challenge is a unique and fast-paced test of the essential skills needed to operate and maintain wastewater treatment facilities, their collections systems and laboratories — all vital to the protection of public health and the environment. This year’s competition included 44 teams from the U.S.,...

Increasingly faced with finding creative ways to afford major capital programs, many utilities are exploring alternative funding options that will help expedite their projects and reduce the burden to ratepayers. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has accomplished an impressive step in this direction by being selected for a new Environmental Protection Agency WIFIA...

Below is the joint comment letter CWEA and CA NV AWWA have submitted focused on the operator certification piece of the DPR Report to the Legislature on the Feasibility of Developing Uniform Water Recycling Criteria for Direct Potable Reuse. Dear State Water Resources Control Board: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the State Water...

Anders Wistrom of Centriair will be presenting a session on Odor Control at the Biosolids and Renewable Energy Technology Seminar next month. He answered some questions for us on the subject and says most of the odor work is “proprietary” and not readily available and, when available, often not very useful for the design or...

After two years with the city, Milpitas Public Works Director and CWEA member Nina Hawk is leaving to become the chief operating officer of water utility enterprise at Santa Clara Valley Water District. “Nina is a rare talent, and I’m very sad to see her leave our city.  But I am also very excited to...

FROM EPA: Preparedness and Response – Tools for Water Utilities Wildfires have caused major damage to homes and infrastructure in communities across California. EPA has developed several tools to help utilities respond to and recover from a variety of hazards, including wildfires. For area-specific information, pay attention to current watches and warnings issued by your...

City of Rialto, Veolia, and BDP EnviroTech Partner Under California Energy Commission Grant to Evaluate Promising Wastewater Treatment Plant Technology As California continues to pioneer energy-saving initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases, state and local officials gathered in Rialto to witness the launch of one of the country’s most promising technologies under a demonstration project at the City of...

  During WEFTEC 2017 in Chicago, US Water Alliance along with National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) announced the release of a new report on addressing nutrients & protecting our waterways. Addressing Nutrient Pollution in Our Nation’s Waters: The Role of a Statewide Utility Nutrient pollution is a complex...

Congratulations to San Francisco Public Utility Commission’s (SFPUC) Karri Ving! Effective at WEFTEC, Karri will serve as the new incoming vice chair for the residuals and biosolids committee for the Water Environment Foundation. Karri also chairs California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) Science & Research Workgroup. CASA has stated they commend her for her ongoing...

(Alexandria, VA) – On Tuesday October 3, 2017, during WEFTEC in Chicago, IL, the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF) awarded Shaily Mahendra, Ph.D., with the 2017 Paul L. Busch Award. With the $100,000 prize, Dr. Mahendra proposes to encapsulate enzymes in nanoparticle cages called vaults. Ultimately, if one or more enzymes involved in biodegradation...

From US Water Alliance We are pleased to announce the release of the Water Equity Clearinghouse, an online database that showcases innovative and promising practices in equitable water management. We encourage you to visit the clearinghouse–users can search for organizations by focus area, strategies, populations served, location, and more. The clearinghouse showcases the work of utilities,...

Dear CWEA Member, I wanted to share with you the news the Legislature has created California Water Professionals Appreciation Week for the first full week of October each year. This year it’s October 7-15th. “Resolved by the Senate of California, and the Assembly concurring, the Legislature designates Water Professionals Appreciation Week during October. The Legislature...

View and download CWEA’s social media graphics you can use: 2017 California Water Professionals Appreciation Week Member Letter from CWEA President Debi Lewis Social Media Graphics IMPORTANT NOTE – be sure to click on the graphic you want to use and the HIGH-RES version will open. Please download and use the HIGH-RES graphic, these are low-res previews. Thank you!...

Significant Risk of Flooding in Northern California Flood Preparedness and Response Tools for Water Utilities Widespread flooding can cause major power outages and damage to drinking water and wastewater utilities. EPA has developed tools to help you mitigate the threat of flooding and take action during an emergency. You can use the resources below to increase your overall...

Do you feel the love? Can you hear the noise? It’s a resounding “THANK YOU” bouncing off the walls of the State Capitol. That’s right! Coming in the first week of October and every October from here to eternity will now be Water Professionals Appreciation Week! California’s first-ever Water Professionals Appreciation Week will launch this...

Meet Michael Cunningham, EIT, a recipient of the Kirt Brooks Memorial Water Environment Scholarship in 2013. Michael graduated from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Switzerland where he focused on water/wastewater treatment process modeling and experimental work. He is grateful for his colleagues at Central Contra Costa Sanitary District who knew he was planning to...

WEAT-North Texas Section Harvey Relief Fundraiser The Water Environment Association of Texas – North Texas Section will match donations up to $5,000 for Hurricane Harvey Relief to help assist water and wastewater utilities during this time as they wait for the water to recede. The utilities will be faced with many challenges ahead as they...

Support for coverage of safety issues in provided by ehs By Laura Gantt, OHST, Senior Consultant, Safety Compliance Management (SCM) Article submitted on behalf of the CWEA Safety Committee While the title of this article suggests it is about driving, it really isn’t. It is about safety. And it is not about driving safety either, even...

Black & Veatch has named CWEA member Joe Lauria as its Vice President and Director of Planning and Growth for the Americas in the company’s water business. In this new role, Lauria will help clients identify and implement sustainable solutions to evolving water challenges. Based in Irvine, California, his primary focus will be on fast-growth U.S....

From University of California, Riverside UC Riverside research shows residential conservation during drought can hinder wastewater reuse. Conventional wisdom dictates water conservation can only benefit communities affected by drought. But researchers at the University of California, Riverside have deduced that indoor residential conservation can have unintended consequences in places where systems of wastewater reuse have...

John Robinson, CWEA LABS President will be speaking to the Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) AWWA/CWEA chapter on November 9th. This is his 3rd year speaking to the chapter while mentoring a senior design class for the last 4 years. The senior class last year won the 2016-2017 Engineering Project Showcase: Wastewater Sanitation and Reclamation: Solutions for Sustainable...

The National Water Research Institute (NWRI), Orange County Water District (OCWD), and Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF) are pleased to announce that Jeffrey J. Mosher, Chief Research Officer at WE&RF, was selected as the 2017 WateReuse Person of the Year for his outstanding leadership in advancing vital research and addressing significant challenges in the...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ CWEA submitted the following letter on the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) Preliminary Draft Regulations. ELAP comment letter: Submitted via electronic mail: [email protected] Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) Preliminary Draft Regulations Comments P.O. Box 100 Sacramento, CA 95814 Subject: ELAP Preliminary Draft Regulations Comments The California Water...

Press Release from siwi.org Contact: Ms. Rowena Barber Communications Manager, Outreach & Media Relations [email protected] In its citation, the Stockholm Water Prize Nominating Committee recognized Professor McCaffrey’s “path-breaking leadership and legal scholarship in international water law. He has made a unique contribution in three specific areas: his seminal work on Treaty negotiation; his major scholarly works, including his...

Two U.S. high school students – Rachel Chang and Ryan Thorpe of Manhasset, N.Y. – have won the world’s most prestigious competition for water-related research for their novel approach to detect and purify water contaminated with bacteria. Chang and Thorpe were awarded the 2017 Stockholm Junior Water Prize on August 29 in Stockholm for their...

By Debi Lewis, 2017-2018 CWEA President & Executive Committee Chair, Stantec, Inc., [email protected] I am pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 2018 CWEA State Board of Directors positions. Your local section and committee officers will receive the Executive Committee request for nominations for CWEA Directors and Officers next week.  Below is a...

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) proudly announces 11 distinguished members as the 2017 WEF Fellows recipients. This prestigious designation recognizes members’ achievements, stature, and contributions in the water profession. Jim Clark and Ed McCormick are WEF Past President’s and CWEA Members. “WEF Fellows have significant professional accomplishments and have made impact in fields relevant to...

Twenty-five water utilities have been selected for recognition of their leadership in community engagement, watershed stewardship, and recovery of resources such as water, energy, and nutrients. Utility of the Future Today recognition celebrates the achievements of forward-thinking, innovative water utilities that are providing resilient value-added service to communities. The Utility of the Future framework provides...

From State Water Resources Control Board Former Federal Official Eileen Sobeck Brings 40 Years of Government Experience The State Water Resources Control Board has named Eileen Sobeck as its next Executive Director. She replaces Tom Howard, who retired in May 2017. After reviewing a wealth of qualified applicants, the State Water Board selected Sobeck due...

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 programs? Here is your chance to provide them the recognition they deserve. Currently, the CWEA Pretreatment, Pollution Prevention, and Stormwater Committee is in the...

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) and six other associations in the water sector issued a guide that assesses the feasibility of rate-funded customer assistance programs (CAPs) in each state to assist low-income households in the U.S. with rising water and wastewater rates. Water and wastewater rates in the United States are increasing sharply as utilities...

  National Green Infrastructure Certification Program celebrates a first year of successes By Pallavi Raviprakash The National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) has two main purposes: to encourage water quality improvements via green infrastructure (GI) projects and to create jobs for those who know how to build them. NGICP took several major steps in the...

Members attending CWEA’s April 28th Annual Business Meeting unanimously approved the slate of nominees for the 2017-18 Board of Directors as recommended by the Board: Vice President from the North (becoming President in 2019-20): Kevin Calderwood, Senior Project Manager at HDR Director from the South: Vicki Conway, Departmental Engineer, Wastewater Management, Sanitation Districts of Los...

The Bay Area Consortium for Clean Water Education is offering community college classes and scholarships for students seeking a career in the water and wastewater industry. Registration is now open for continuing or new students. The first class begins Wednesday evening, August 30th in Redwood City at 1400 Radio Road, from 6 to 9 p.m....

The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Volunteer Service Recognition Program honors a member’s significant contributions to WEF’s successes and achievements. The WEF Committee Leadership Council and House of Delegates (HOD) created this program to recognize outstanding volunteers who serve WEF through a committee or the HOD. “This program is a token of our deep appreciation for...

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) is considered the world’s most prestigious award presented to a high school student for a water-research project. The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has coordinated the U.S. competition since its inception in 1997, and partners closely with their Member Association (MA) to execute the program. Initially a paper competition from...

The Kirt Brooks Scholarship Fund is a grant-making program for students who are engaged in the water environment field and who are members of CWEA or sponsored by CWEA members. CWEA established the endowment for an academic scholarship fund in 1988 with the main purpose of the program to provide educational funding assistance to individuals in the...

Chris Lundeen, CWEA Director of Certification, has accepted a position at a heath care professional certification board based in San Francisco. “It’s an exceptional opportunity for Chris, one that doesn’t come along often,” said CWEA executive director Elizabeth Allan, “so I’m thrilled for him on a personal level while at the same time very sad...

CWEA members 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 28 at 11:00 AM—11:30 AM at the beginning of the Awards Luncheon at CWEA’s Annual Conference. You do not have to register for the Annual Conference to attend...

The following CWEA members recently became WEF Life Members. Congratulations! Richard F. Luthy Roger V. Stephenson Adam Olivieri Walter Bishop 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. The WEF Life...

Is your Operations and Maintenance (O&M) team feeling overloaded and struggling to prioritize work orders? Maybe you see the need for more strategic approach to maintenance? This workshop provides an in-depth look at asset management philosophies used by many wastewater agencies across the country. The system is known as reliability centered maintenance, or RCM, and...