This is a reminder that the Sanitary Sewer System Annual Report is due on April 1, 2024, as specified in section 3.9 (Annual Report) of Attachment E1 (Notification, Monitoring, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements) of the Sanitary Sewer Systems General Order (link: Sanitary Sewer Systems General Order.) General Order, Section 5.11(System Performance Analysis), outlines the requirements for including...

Application Deadline: February 27, 2024 The Water Environment Federation (WEF) believes that the water workforce should reflect the communities we serve. The WEF InFLOW (Introducing Future Leaders to Opportunities in Water) STEMpath program is a scholarship opportunity that engages undergraduate and graduate students representing historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups and introduces them to career...

Last week, the WateReuse California Board of Trustees selected Brenley McKenna as its new Managing Director. McKenna currently serves as the Chief of Subscriber Services for The Water Research Foundation (WRF).  Prior to joining WRF in 2017, McKenna served as Program Manager with Denver Water; as Reclaimed Water System Coordinator with the City of Westminster,...

The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts manage the sewage for 5.4 million people and serve 78 cities in Los Angeles County. The Districts own and operate a regional sewer system that receives sewage from the cities and unincorporated county areas within our service area. These flows are treated at their treatment plants throughout the County....

Following a thorough and competitive process, the State Water Resources Control Board has selected Eric Oppenheimer as its new executive director to lead the board’s managerial, programmatic and administrative functions. Oppenheimer currently serves as one of the State Water Board’s chief deputy directors, with over 25 years of experience, including with two regional boards. For...

The 51st annual P3S Conference promises to be one of our largest and most exciting. Learn what’s new, share what you’re experiencing, and get connected to a strong and supportive community. We’ll be in the heart of sunny Orange County at the Delta Hotels Anaheim, a location that can’t be beat. Over 154 agencies and...

On December 19th, the State Water Board made California history by granting approval for direct potable reuse regulations, also known as DPR. California’s water and wastewater associations are joining forces to celebrate this momentous achievement. United in the spirit of ‘One Water’ we are proudly working together to build California’s utilities of the future. Following...

As of January 1, 2024, every laboratory, regardless of certificate expiration date, is required to implement the 2016 TNI Standard incorporated by reference in ELAP’s regulations. ELAP will be verifying compliance! Read on to learn how and make sure your laboratory is prepared. Laboratories located in California If your laboratory has already had an assessment to...

>special note:  This is not a customer facing program and water and wastewater systems must apply on behalf of their customers. The State Water Board is starting to receive consumer calls that should go to the water agency. The State Water Resources Control Board has formally opened the process today for water and wastewater systems...

Click image for a larger view. Photos by Jim Aanderud, SSCSC (Southern Sections Collection Systems Committee of CWEA). All photos posted with permission of the photographer.  

Let’s put safety first within the wastewater profession. Join 150 wastewater pros representing 43 agencies and firms at the 2023 Southern Safety Day. 2023 Southern Safety Day Thursday, October 26 Learn more and register >   ACWA JPIA City of Alhambra City of Chino City of Corona City of Covina City of Culver City City...

As California’s water, wastewater, irrigation, and regulatory agencies face a wave of retirements, the state’s water associations are on a mission to elevate the profile of water-related careers. In recent years, California water agencies have witnessed a significant portion of their workforce retiring, up to 50% of the workforce at several agencies. “From finance and...

Learn more about Pure Water San Diego, the largest infrastructure project in City of San Diego history! The Pure Water Program will provide nearly one-half of the city’s water supply by the end of 2035. This video provides an overview of the Phase 1 construction projects and highlights the progress of the North City Pure...

The Office of Operator Certification is excited to announce a NEW online application submittal portal for the Drinking Water Operator Certification (Distribution and Treatment-Grades 1 and 2) and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification (Grades 1 and 2) Examination applications! You can now submit applications online for the following drinking water and wastewater examinations: Grade 1 Drinking...

Information from the State Water Board… NOTICE OF PROPOSED REGULATORY ACTION State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards CHAPTER 3.5 – Urban Water Use Efficiency and Conservation ARTICLE 1 SUBJECT: MAKING CONSERVATION A CALIFORNIA WAY OF LIFE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or...

Brown and Caldwell has announced the addition of further water reuse technical leadership as Sandy Scott-Roberts joins the firm as program management director to help California communities tap into drought-proof drinking water sources. Having spent most of her career at an internationally recognized water district, Scott-Roberts has 20 years of managing capital improvement projects, encompassing...

CWEA’s Laboratory Committee Chair Josie Teller from the City of Davis led an effort to craft a comment letter regarding the State Water Board draft regulations to raise ELAP fees. In summary, CWEA’s comment letter recommends: Request to Delay the Adoption and Initiate a Collaborative Process Regulatory Language Needs Clarification Reporting Mechanism (tools) Request to...

The mission of West Basin Municipal Water District is to provide a safe and reliable supply of high-quality water to the communities we serve. West Basin provides a variety of opportunities to help students explore the fulfilling and diverse careers in the water industry, including: Career-themed Water Treatment Facility Tours Live Classroom Career Presentations Pre-recorded...

This post was provided by WateReuse California… This week the California State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) released an advanced copy of the highly anticipated Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) regulations. The 45-day comment period and Administrative Procedures Act will formally begin on July 21. The Water Board is planning to conduct a workshop on...

Calling all CWEA members: you can provide a lasting memorial for California’s distinguished professor Dr. David Jenkins by donating to the WEF Operator Scholarship Fund. DONATE TO THE DR. JENKINS FUND Professor David Jenkins has left a distinguished and influential legacy in education, research, and scientific advances in the water sector. His hallmark was to...

Mark your calendar for August to attend the Drinking Water and ELAP Fee Meetings – attached is the schedule. FY 2023-24 Drinking Water, Water Quality & Water Rights Fees Stakeholder Meetings Thursday, August 3 9:00–11:00 am Water Quality Thursday, August 3 1:00–3:00 pm Water Rights Friday, August 4 9:00–11:00 am Drinking Water & ELAP Meetings...

Visit CWEA’s WDR resource page supported by West Coast Safety. According to State Water Board ELAP staff members the decision to require accreditation in specific field of accreditations (FOAs) is determined by the WDR program and ELAP can provide some general guidance. The reason that ELAP has two distinct FOA tables for microbiological methods is because...

The Sacramento region can expect to see big changes related to how wastewater is treated and reused with the completion of Regional San’s $1.7 billion, decade-long expansion. Named the EchoWater Project, the immense upgrade was completed in spring 2023—on schedule and under budget. The result is a safe and reliable supply of treated water for discharge to the Sacramento River,...

This April the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts announced that its laboratories have been recognized for adopting a new standard that will ensure the quality and accuracy of laboratory data. The new standard, the 2016 TNI standard, is not required to be implemented until 2024. However, the Sanitation Districts upgraded its policies and procedures early...

A joint venture of AECOM and Brown and Caldwell (AECOM-BC Team) has been chosen to provide program and project management support and engineering design services for the Pure Water Southern California program, one of the largest water reuse programs in the world. The innovative program, being developed by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) in...

Anaergia Inc. announced it has been named Net Zero Carbon Champion in the water industry’s most prestigious awards program, the Global Water Awards. In addition, a wastewater project designed, built, and financed through the Company’s subsidiary SoCal Biomethane for Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority was named Wastewater Project of the Year. The awards represent a...

Letter was sent to the State Water Board on April 27, 2023 On behalf of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA), the American Water Works Association California-Nevada Section (CA-NV AWWA), and the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), we appreciate the opportunity to comment on the annual ELAP...

What a week! We hope you had a fantastic time at the CWEA Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego. AC23 was an opportunity to catch-up with friends and make new ones during the engaging technical sessions and at the exciting social events. Attendees got to participate in sessions, workshops, tours, social receptions, award lunches,...

Wastewater and recycled water permittees’ 2022 Volumetric Annual Reports are due on April 30, 2023, as required under the State Water Resources Control Board’s Water Quality Control Policy for Recycled Water. The 2022 Volumetric Annual Report is the same format as previous years and requires the entry of volumes in acre-feet per month for influent,...

The Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research (COE) unveiled a new water and wastewater workforce report at today’s Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA or Alliance) Leadership Roundtable meeting. The Alliance has formed a statewide advisory that will focus on developing collective deliverables that address the recommendations in the report titled “California Workforce Needs in the Water/Wastewater Industry.” This...

Last month, the Bay Area rang in — or perhaps more appropriately rained in — the new year with a barrage of storms. It started with an atmospheric river on New Year’s Eve that resulted in record-breaking rainfall. Oakland recorded its wettest day, with 4.8 inches of rain in 24 hours. San Francisco recorded its...

Wastewater 101 Citizens Academy, get registered soon > Download the informative flyer Who We Are What We Do Thursday, March 9 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. OC San the Nuts and Bolts Thursday, March 23 6:00‐8:00 p.m. Building for the Future: OC San’s Capital Improvement Program Thursday, April 6 6:00‐8:00 p.m. Protecting our environment: Fundamentals...

The Palmdale Water District (PWD) Board of Directors on Monday unanimously approved the name Pure Water Antelope Valley (AV) and adopted a new logo for the water augmentation program that will boost regional water supply through treating recycled water. Previously known as the Palmdale Regional Water Augmentation Program, it is now called Pure Water AV...

It’s official!!! OC San is now recycling 100 percent of our reclaimable flow. OC San is sending all the water we possibly can to our partners at the Orange County Water District (OCWD) for our joint project, the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). The GWRS is a collaborative effort of OC San and the Orange County...

At the Water Environment Federation, our vision for the future is life free of water challenges. As water professionals, this is our ultimate goal – a world where each person has access to clean water and sanitation, where communities prosper, and where nature thrives. To get there, our mission is to inspire the water community...

CWEA’s Student & Young Professionals Committee is thrilled to kick off the new SYP Local Engagement Subcommittee. To help get the innovative group off the ground, each local section needs to designate a representative. Interested in getting involved? Contact SYP Vice Chair, Julia Asbenson, at [email protected] Purpose: Invest in in-person SYP involvement and events at...

What are the big I.D.E.A.s when it comes to increasing diversity in the water profession?  That was the focus of an October 28th workshop in Oakland that brought together the CWEA Board of Directors, DEI Task Force members and several local section leaders. Twenty-eight volunteer leaders and staff members participated in the workshop facilitated by ...

From SFEI’s 2022, The Pulse of the Bay: 50 Years After the Clean Water Act. Reposted with permission. The Clean Water Act serves as the legal framework for how the clean water community views our mission. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program established by the Clean Water Act provides the regulatory structure for...

Just in time for the Clean Water Act at 50 celebration, the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI), on behalf of the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay, has released an in-depth retrospective on clean water regulations, strategies, studies and achievements within the Bay Area. Download The Pulse of the Bay 2022...

The Clean Water Act and Porter-Cologne provided California’s water professionals and regulators the support and funding needed to make monumental clean water achievements. Rivers, bays, and beaches across the Golden State are cleaner than ever and enjoyed by millions of residents and tourists. This webinar was recorded live on October 5, 2022. Now 50 years...

VenturaWaterPure (VWP) is a multi-benefit water reuse program that will recover, treat, and reuse water that is currently discharged into the Santa Clara River Estuary, creating a new, local, drought-resilient water source that isn’t dependent on rainfall. Ventura needs more water. A decade of comprehensive evaluations, studies, and piloting have allowed local leaders to consider...

With the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 1972, Congress provided billions of dollars in grants to local communities to construct or upgrade wastewater treatment facilities to meet secondary treatment standards. This investment allowed communities to reverse the impacts created by discharge of untreated wastewater, responding to what was then a significant threat to...

House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing chaired by Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano from California’s 32nd District. Streamed live on Sep 20, 2022, a hearing on “The Clean Water Act at Fifty: Highlights and Lessons Learned from a Half Century of Transformative Legislation.”

CWEA and WEF are undertaking large, strategic initiatives to bolster diversity, equity, and inclusion within the water and wastewater profession. WEF is rolling out new initiatives, and CWEA has developed JEDI-Openers – stories about diversity that can help leaders start meetings with a short diversity moment. We recently pulled our membership demographic data and found...

Vote for this project! Can you imagine a better toy than LEGO? What about a LEGO Sewer Set? LEGO recently announced on their product idea page SEWER HEROES: FIGHTING THE FATBERG, a new model “Playfully educating kids and adults about what’s going on beneath our cities’ streets, this 360-degree underground cutaway display & play set...

Following a tour of the Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project at the Irvine Ranch Water District today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton announced the allocation of $309.8 million in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $1 million in appropriated funding for the planning, design and...

East Valley Water District held a community ribbon cutting to officially open the Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC) and celebrate the completion of the new community facility. Over 1,300 people enjoyed the event activities, which included a free community concert, food truck vendors, and facility tours. “East Valley Water District made a commitment to the...

The purpose of the Facility of the Year (FOTY) Award is to create incentive on the part of industrial users taking proactive steps to meet current environmental pollution control standards. The FOTY Award gives an opportunity for CWEA members to provide positive publicity and recognition of the industrial user’s efforts and successes with protecting the...

The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board announced in June the appointment of CWEA member Eileen White as its executive officer, succeeding Michael Montgomery. Her first day is July 11. White most recently served as director of East Bay Municipal Utility District’s Wastewater Department, where she recently led the development of EBMUD’s Integrated...

Return to the Drought Success page > These articles focus on  water professionals and the projects helping California crush this drought. I Drank Recycled Sewage To Get A Taste Of SoCal’s Water Future – Erin Stone, KPCC Cheat on water restrictions? This tiny disk tames the thirstiest water hogs – Jaimie Ding, LA Times In face of...

On June 1st, the East County Advanced Water Purification Program broke ground, marking an important milestone for the project, East San Diego County, the region and the entire water industry.Program representatives, elected officials and water industry leaders gathered at the future site of the treatment facility in Santee to celebrate the Program that will create a new, local, sustainable and...

Be part of the inaugural 2024 Enhanced Source Control Workshop on February 6 at the Delta Hotels in Anaheim. Learn more > What’s driving the need for enhanced source control research and regulations? AB 574 requires the State Water Board to develop draft direct potable reuse (DPR) regulations by December 31, 2023. An expert panel...

Today, the first operating advanced water purification facility in San Diego County was officially dedicated in the City of Oceanside. Elected officials and water leaders throughout southern California commemorated the milestone aptly celebrated on “World Water Day.” Pure Water Oceanside purifies recycled water to create a new local source of high-quality drinking water that is...

Governor Gavin Newsom visited a Metropolitan Water District of Southern California water recycling facility to discuss the administration’s response to the ongoing megadrought affecting the western United States. January through March were the driest first three months in the state’s recorded history, the state’s largest reservoirs are currently at half of their historical averages, and...

The City of Santa Monica has taken a significant step toward a self-reliant water future as expansions to the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and restorations to the Olympic Well Field break ground. The key water infrastructure improvements are a component of the City’s goal of becoming water self-sufficient by 2023. Santa Monica’s water system...

The West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors announced that Gregory R. Reed, P.E. will serve as the new General Manager of the District. Bringing more than 30 years of public service and executive leadership in the water industry, Reed will support West Basin in achieving its water resiliency goals. “Mr. Reed brings exactly the...

Anaergia announced that its Rialto Bioenergy Facility in Rialto, California, received the Distinction Award for Wastewater Project of the Year at the Global Water Awards 2022, one of the water industry’s most prominent international awards programs. The award was presented at a ceremony in Madrid, Spain, on Tuesday evening. The Rialto Bioenergy Facility is a $185 million...

The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (Sanitation Districts) protect public health and the environment by providing wastewater management for 5.5 million people. The agency operates and maintains a regional wastewater collection system, which includes approximately 1,400 miles of sewers, 48 pumping plants and 11 wastewater treatment plants that convey and treat about half the wastewater...

State Water Resources Control Board NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP Making Conservation a California a Way of Life: How forthcoming efficiency standards may impact local wastewater management Wednesday, May 11, 2022 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. PST Registration (Remote Participation Only) Apply to Speak – Virtual Speaker Card Form NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the State...

This opinion article originally appeared in the Marin Independent Journal newspaper and website. Subscription required. Republished with permission. We are water, literally, by weight and so much more. It’s the sparkle in your eye, the sweat on your brow and the blood in your veins. All life and communities are totally dependent on a healthy water...

Wastewater surveillance can provide a leading indicator of rising COVID-19 cases, several days before positive cases and with no individual clinical testing. This is extremely critical in correctional facilities, where close proximity can lead to large outbreaks. It is crucial that correctional facilities quickly identify potential outbreaks and isolate infected individuals to protect the rest...

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) recently updated the regulated community and the public on the Board’s statewide investigation to study and sample potential sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).  The State Water Board’s investigation is aimed at public agencies involved in drinking water and wastewater treatment, as well as private...

Today, Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) introduced the Protecting Infrastructure and Promoting Environmental Stewardship (PIPES) Act, which would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish standards for the flushability of disposable wipes and would impose civil penalties on companies who are knowingly incompliant with these standards. “The PIPES Act would...

CalRecycle has been appropriated $19 million dollars to award as grants to expand food waste co-digestion projects at existing wastewater treatment plants. Eligible projects may include the design and construction of integrated organic food waste preprocessing and anaerobic digestion systems that will divert significant amounts of food waste from landfill disposal to co-digestion, achieving greenhouse...

Calling all WEF Members – It’s time to nominate candidates for the WEF Awards! Canham Scholarship Now Open! Open to WEF members currently enrolled in a graduate-level education program. For consideration, applications must be received by March 1, 2022. Learn More Additional WEF Awards Now Open! WEF offers a number of professional recognition awards to...

Pump system misconceptions create missed opportunities for greater efficiency and cost savings.  With pumps typically accounting for 40% of the energy use in industrial fluid systems, facilities cannot afford misunderstandings around the technology and its requirements. Whether for food and beverage production, wastewater disposal, or anything in between, designing your fluid system with these five...

On behalf of the California Department of Community Services & Development (CSD), you are invited to attend an informational webinar regarding the disbursement of the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) funds. LIHWAP provides financial assistance to low-income Californians to help manage their residential water and wastewater utility costs. The federal LIHWAP funds are administered...

Anaergia (TSX: ANRG) announced today that its subsidiary SoCal Biomethane will officially commission operations at the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) facility in Victorville, California. The facility is the first wastewater treatment plant in California to inject renewable natural gas made from both wastewater solids and food waste into a utility pipeline. The Anaergia subsidiary...

The mission of the US Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. An excellent example of an EPA program that achieves this goal is the Clean Water Act’s National Pretreatment Program. Established in the 1980s, Federal Pretreatment Requirements were established to prevent harmful industrial pollutants from being discharged into municipal wastewater...

With a tweet on January 4th, the City of Oceanside officially announced its brand-new advanced water purification facility was operational. Kicking off 2022 with another large-scale water reuse facility serving California. The project, called Pure Water Oceanside, is the first AWTF to become operational in the San Diego region and will purify recycled water to...

The California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) has been named the winner of the 2021 Pollution Prevention Award for leading efforts to pass state legislation in October that will require “Do Not Flush” warnings on packaging for baby wipes, cleaning wipes and cosmetic wipes, and will compel manufacturers to educate the public on the harmful...

SCCWRP and its partners have found that variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – including mutations found in the virus’s Eta variant lineage – can be detected in wastewater influent streams across Southern California using next-generation DNA sequencing methods. The proof-of-concept study, published in September by the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, was able to strongly correlate viral levels in...

As part of its continued commitment to empowering future, diverse generations of industry leaders with financial aid, global design firm Stantec has launched the Stantec Equity & Diversity Scholarship Program. Designed to positively impact to historically underrepresented groups while fostering a more balanced workforce in the architecture, engineering, and consulting services industry; the program is...

On October 3 the Harris & Associates Board of Directors officially welcomed Steve Winchester as the firm’s new CEO in concurrence with the retirement of former CEO Lisa Larrabee. The Board selected Steve from a strong pool of internal candidates after a thoughtful and rigorous succession planning process. Since joining the firm in 2016, Steve has...

A long-running local program that benefits the San Luis Obispo community and Cal Poly science and engineering students received international recognition on Oct. 19. San Luis Obispo’s Sustainable Utilities Research and Education (SURE!) program, which is a partnership between City of San Luis Obispo’s Water Resource Recovery Facility and California Polytechnic State University, was awarded the Ralph Fuhrman Medal for Outstanding Water Quality Academic-Practice Collaboration at...

Note: This advisory uses the MITRE Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge (ATT&CK®) framework, version 9. See the ATT&CK for Enterprise for all referenced threat actor tactics and techniques. This joint advisory is the result of analytic efforts between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the...

Christopher Young, 45, of El Dorado Hills, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 18 months in prison and a $50,000 fine for tampering with monitoring equipment, unlawful discharge of industrial wastewater, and conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Young was Director of Operations for Community Fuels from 2010...

In June, West Basin Board President Gloria D. Gray publicly declared the District’s ongoing commitment to support and celebrate the diversity of its workforce and the communities served by the District. Commenting on a number of recent events that have occurred throughout the country, President Gray also stated that racial bias and injustice should never...

Construction of Escondido’s $65 million Membrane Filtration Reverse Osmosis Facility for Agriculture (MFRO Facility) commenced recently, marking a milestone in the City’s goal of providing agriculture growers a high-quality irrigation supply and easing the burden on its wastewater infrastructure. The MFRO Facility will treat a portion of the City’s existing Title 22 recycled water supply...

Here’s a summary infographic designed by CWEA explaining how to qualify, apply and navigate the State Water Board’s new computer based testing process. For more details be sure to visit the SWRCB Office of Operator Certification website. Please don’t contact CWEA Member Services as we are not involved in administering the operator certification exam in...

Current Status Updated 2/24/21 from State Water Board announcement All examinees approved and scheduled for the Spring or Fall 2020 Drinking Water Distribution (D1-D5), Drinking Water Treatment (T1-T4) or Wastewater Operator (I-V) Certification examinations will be approved to schedule a testing opportunity for Operator Certification CBT. Due to the backlog of candidates awaiting testing, the...

Who is providing the computer-based testing? Prometric is partnering with the State Water Resources Control Board to provide computer-based Operator Certification testing for the Drinking Water Treatment (T1-T4),Drinking Water Distribution (D1-D5) and Wastewater Treatment (I-V) examinations. I already applied in 2020, will I have to reapply? If you already applied for an exam in the...

Brian Prenger Maintenance Worker 1 Costa Mesa Sanitary District Certifications : CWEA Grade 1 Collection Systems Maintenance Branch and Years of Service: USMC 1988-1992 What is your role? My role is of a Maintenance Worker 1 for the  Costa Mesa Sanitary District and our Mission is protecting the health and the environment. My tasks are preventive...

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...

As a member of the City and County of San Francisco’s leadership team, a father of two young sons, a black man and a human being, I am outraged and horrified at the environment in which we find ourselves today. It is a difficult conversation that I am having, yet again, with my children. They...

Irrespective of gender, race, or culture, young people have unlimited opportunities in clean water and other ‘green’ professions. “They only need to knock and doors will open,” says Mark Harris, operations superintendent at the Town of Hillsborough. “I know that because I’ve lived it,” he adds about his 32 years in the field–from apprentice to...

For Cheyanne Harris, it all started in middle school. Growing up in Sacramento, she attended the School of Engineering and Sciences – a specialized school that invited guest speakers from the math, science and engineering industries. What appealed to Cheyanne about engineering was the opportunity to make a positive impact on the community using math...

Don’t be surprised if Alejandro (Alex) Lopez becomes president of the California Water Environment Association someday. Just a fifth-year senior at Cal Poly Pomona, Alex already has enough internships, scholarships, and projects in the water environment field to fill out an impressive resume. And it all began in sixth grade. “I went on a camping...

Akin Babatola entered the industry as a professional microbiologist at the City of San Jose’s Wastewater Treatment Plant in 1992. Having earned his degrees in Microbiology and Molecular Biology, he worked as a Research Microbiologist at Sola Barnes-Hind in Sunnyvale until it was sold and the R&D program was released in 1991. It seemed an...

Name: Alexander Avila Title: Compost Worker Tenure and certifications held: 7 Months/Confined space, Lockout Tag out, Respirator fitting Name of agency: Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) Branch and years of service: Army National Guard/ 8 years What is your role? In the Army I was a team leader responsible for supervising 6 soldiers. Today I...

  Name: Kenneth Monfore Title: Manager of Asset Management Certifications: Certified Reliability Leader (CRL), Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) – Expected completion 2021 Name of agency: Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) Branch and years of service: United States Navy – 24 years as a Nuclear Submarine Naval Officer I am the Inland Empire Utilities...

Name: Manuel Moreno Title: Operations Supervisor Tenure and certifications held: Wastewater Treatment V, Potable Treatment II, Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) Name of agency: Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) Branch and years of service: Air Force 4 years active duty What is your role? As Operations Supervisor, I ensure we maintain safety and compliance through day...

We are handing over the reins once again of our Instagram page to two CWEA members during California Water Professionals Appreciation Week. They will give you a first hand look into their lives as wastewater champions. Be sure to follow along: CWEA Instagram: @cweamembers Tyler Lee: Tyler is a WRRF Operator for the City of...

Name: John Philip A. Nolasco Title: Water Reclamation Plant Operator Tenure and certifications held: CA Water Resource Control Board Grade III Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate CA Water Resource Control Board Grade D1 Water Distribution CA Water Resource Control Board Grade T2 Water Treatment Name of agency: Eastern Municipal Water District Branch/years of service: U.S....

Name: Dr. Kumudini Dharmawardana Title/Agency: Public Works Supervisor – Laboratory Certifications: CWEA Laboratory Analyst Grade IV Dr. Kumudini Dharmawardana always knew she wanted to pursue a scientific career that would make a positive impact in the world. After receiving her master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry and PhD in Biochemistry, Dharmawardana began working in medical research...

Name: Lisa Boyko-Davidson Title/Agency: Laboratory Technician, City of Livermore Certifications: CWEA Laboratory Analyst Grade IV, CWEA Environmental Compliance Inspector Grade I Lisa Boyko-Davidson had an early start in the science field. “Growing up, my dad worked in an environmental laboratory and I remember helping him run biochemical oxygen demand tests when I was six years...

Name: Farnoush Levers Title/Agency: Associate Civil Engineer, City of Livermore Certifications: Professional Engineer (PE), Construction General Permit Qualified Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Practitioner/ Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSP/QSD) Only one in ten civil engineers are women, but that statistic did not deter Farnoush Levers from being drawn to the field. After completing her civil engineering...

Name: Brenda Gastelum Title: Water Utility Mechanic II Tenure: 2 years, 3 months Agency: Long Beach Water Department What is your role? My role as a Water Utility Mechanic ll is to clean, inspect and make repairs on sewer lines. Currently, I am a member of our sewer section Pipe Patch crew. This is a...

Name: Alondra Soto  Title: Water Utility Mechanic 2 Tenure and certifications held: 2 years and 2 months.  Distribution 2, CWEA 1 and scheduled to take my CWEA 2 on October 2!  Name of agency: Long Beach Water Department  What is your role? I work in the sewer division of the Long Beach water department. My...

Name: Anna Bell Title: Lab & Compliance Supervisor Certifications Held: Wastewater Operator Grade V and Laboratory Analyst Grade II Employer: Valley Sanitary District Tenure: With VSD since 2013, In Industry since 2007 What is your role? I am the Laboratory & Compliance Supervisor and a Wastewater Grade V Operator. When not directly overseeing the Laboratory...

Eric Magee, P.E., has joined LEE + RO, Inc. as a supervising engineer working out of the San Diego office where he brings more than 23 years of engineering experience in water, wastewater, and recycled water engineering. His experience also includes master planning for wastewater collections and stormwater projects, as well as projects for private,...

 We’re honored to welcome managers from the California State Water Board Office of Operator Certification (OOC) to an informative webinar for water professionals and utility leaders focused on the State’s drinking water distribution, treatment and wastewater treatment operator exams. About the speakers Annette Caraway, Chief of the Office of Operator Certification.  Ms. Caraway has dedicated...

Anna Bell not only knows her laboratory, she understands the treatment process and how the lab data affect plant operations.  That’s because she’s not only a certified laboratory analyst, she’s also a grade V wastewater operator, and that enables her to know exactly what the analytical data mean out there where the wastewater meets the...

Oyuna Jenkins has been working all her professional life to serve the public.  That ethic goes back to her native Mongolia, where she earned a university degree in chemical engineering. In the U.S. she says she wanted to find a job that capitalized on her education, and she worked for a small analytical laboratory for nine years...

Joey Hilliard does a little bit of everything for the Goleta West Sanitary District.  As a Utility 4 worker, sometimes he runs the Vactor unit or the CCTV truck, other times he’s maintaining lift pumps, implementing the utility’s FOG program, inspecting projects like lateral replacements, taking care of billing, and filling out permitting forms. He was named Collection...

Those familiar with Jose Rodriguez know he’d rather be out in the field than stuck in an office.   “I enjoy being out in nature,” he says, “doing Mother Nature’s job and getting my hands dirty.”  Jose is supervisor of both water and wastewater at the Sunnyvale County Water District in Hollister. He’s been in his current position for...

Thomas Johnson started in the wastewater business by answering the phone, filing customer information, taking out the trash, and shipping products for his father’s company.  And he was only 15 years old.  Today, 17 years later, he is sales manager at WECO Industries, and poised to take over the business someday. “I grew up with...

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...

“It was inspiring to see our community work together to help each other out. We’ve learned some important lessons. We did not have enough cleaning supplies and PPE to get us through the pandemic, and adjusting to social distancing is tough.”  – Kody Tompkins, CWEA WEF Delegate Director, City of Barstow “I learned when something as big as the pandemic hits, the community rallies together to help each other beyond all...

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...

New Roles at CASA! We are excited to share that Jessica Gauger and Jared Voskuhl have taken on new roles here at CASA. Jessica has been promoted to Director of Legislative Advocacy and Public Affairs. In this newly created position, Jessica will continue her role as our primary state legislative advocate and will also take...

View all Coronavirus stories > CASA and CWEA once again brought together leading national and California experts on the coronavirus for a free webinar. Learn the latest scientific information from this webinar recording. The webinar provided an update on the following topics: Reopening guidance and essential workers Testing wastewater for community surveillance Wastewater worker exposure...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > Throughout CWEA’s three COVID-19 webinars we’ve been surveying wastewater professionals about their experiences during the pandemic. Here is a summary of their responses. For the April 15th collection systems webinar, we asked attendees if their agency is experiencing INCREASED maintenance because of wipes? 64%...

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...

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...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > The new website is: covid19waterblog.wordpress.com One of their first posts focuses on the transmission of COVID-19 via wastewater. There has been quite some talk about SARS-CoV-2 shedding in faeces and what that might mean for the water industry.  As I see it, there are...

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 > From the CDC Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 To ensure continuity of operations of essential functions, CDC advises that critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to...

While the TP is scarce, however you choose to wipe, make sure you properly dispose of your items in the trash can ????. The ONLY 3️⃣ things that belong in the toilet are Pee, Poo toilet Paper. #WipesClogPipes #PeePootoiletPaper #DontRushToFlush pic.twitter.com/3VAlpNChtJ — RanchoWater (@RanchoWater) April 2, 2020 Way to go CWEA member Tony Martinez. Watch...

We are gathering photos of safety items for wastewater workers. To share one, please email a photo to [email protected] Several CWEA members have asked about coronavirus and working around wastewater. According to WEF, the scientific community has found no evidence yet of viable COVID-19 virus in wastewater systems. While there is still a lot we...

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 > 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...

View CWEA’s round-up of Coronavirus (COVID-19) worker safety information here > This article is from the covid19waterblog.wordpress.com, a blog run by several international water researchers. By Stuart Khan Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales The possibility of monitoring the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewers has been flagged as an...

This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board As a result of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, and state and federal guidance related to social distancing, the April 18th Wastewater Operator Certification Examination has been cancelled. The State Water Resources Control Board understands this decision will have negative effects on a lot...

waterTALENT has over 600 licensed, qualified, experienced water and wastewater operators (mostly Grades 3, 4, and 5) who deploy to districts and utilities around California that are enduring a staff transition and in need of experienced operators for water/wastewater treatment, distribution, collections, control systems technicians, electrical-mechanical technicians, and a number of other specialties. With COVID-19 causing...

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,...

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...

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...

With the retirement of current BACWA Executive David Williams at the end of January, the BACWA Executive Board has appointed Lorien Fono as the new Executive Director effective February 1st. Dr. Fono has served BACWA as Regulatory Program manager since 2012, and has supported its committees, engaged with regulators on key issues, and been involved...

David Malm, IEUA Don’t be the next victim of ransomware or scammers! This webinar focused on the nationwide phishing epidemic. The details of a ransomware incident at Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) is presented, and steps the Agency has taken to prevent a repeat of this incident. David Malm Deputy Manager of Integrated Systems Services...

It was a full year for CWEA members: responding to proposed ELAP regulations; honoring our Veterans in Water; celebrating the third annual California Water Professionals Appreciation Week and welcoming our new Executive Director Jenn Jones. Thank you for being a member, volunteering your time and dedicating your career to clean California water! “The beginning is...

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...

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....

Water professionals from all over California were once again recognized for the significant impact they are making in our water environment. CWEA joined hundreds of agencies throughout California to celebrate the third annual Water Professionals Appreciation Week between Oct. 5-13. In an effort to encourage more women and veterans to join our profession, we again...

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...

Coverage of water workforce topics supported by waterTALENT Dear Fellow Water Professionals, During CA Water Professionals Appreciation Week, Oct 5-13, we encourage all water professionals, agencies and firms to get out there and celebrate their amazing people. Download the CA Water Professionals Week logo and artwork from the toolkit below. In addition next week, CWEA...

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...

Coverage of water workforce topics supported by waterTALENT The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Water Workforce Initiative to help cities and communities across the country that are facing critical staffing shortages for the operation and maintenance of essential drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. The goal of this new initiative is to provide federal leadership,...

The Underground Facilities Safe Excavation Board (Dig Safe Board) has put out an education survey. They want to learn about safety, which education materials you find most useful, and where you think the Dig Safe Board should direct its education and outreach efforts. The survey closes on August 30th. Please take the short education survey HERE.

Thanks to the awesome TriState Committee for organizing a week full of amazing speakers and training classes last week. 3,800 people registered for the conference – an amazing gathering of CA, NV and AZ water professionals.⠀ ⠀ Great job TriState! Thanks for all the awesome memories.⠀ ⠀ Let’s do it again August 2020!⠀ ⠀ Photos...

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...

Nataly Dakak loves what she does, encourages other young women to get into water and other STEM fields, and sees potable reuse of wastewater as the practice of the future.  She’s an environmental engineering associate at the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, and has responsibility for enforcing the Industrial Waste Control Ordinance and the USEPA wastewater pretreatment standards..  Her passion with water systems developed during her undergraduate studies...

Manuel Zapien never stops learning.  He discovered water science while studying geology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  He took biology, chemistry, and physics classes.  Later he applied for a laboratory job at Ventura County.  He learned from those he worked with there, and he continues to study laboratory procedures in preparation for future requirements.  “I never stop learning,” he says. “There are new challenges every day.” ...

“Professional approach with all assignments.  Excellent communication skills. Participation and excellence in leading edge and special assignments.  Creative thinker. Thorough and very high quality work.”  These are words his nominators used to describe Ibrahim Hafeez.   “He uses technical knowledge and sound engineering to resolve complex issues,” says Mike Sarullo, principal civil/division engineer with the city’s Bureau of Engineering.  “Of the...

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...

 Lucia Diaz used to hang around her dad’s construction firm, an experience she says taught her well about contractors, construction drawings, plans and specs, and big projects.  She’s put that background to good use as Facilities Program Supervisor for the Inland Empire Utilities Agency. She’s been working for IEUA for 13 years, and now supervises a staff of seven.  She admits that...

There’s hardly anything in wastewater treatment that Chris Christean hasn’t done.  “I started as a college student cleaning sludge beds as a part-time job,” he says. “The operators in Turlock convinced me to get into the industry. I picked up a couple of books and studied the profession, then joined the staff at Patterson as an operator-in-training.”  Later, he...

Pump stations, lift stations, and piping layouts were nothing new to Bob Stiles when he took a collections system job at the Novato Sanitary District six years ago. He’d worked with his dad on construction projects involving these kinds of jobs since he was a teenager. But he says he still had a lot to...

Amy Hwang wanted to be where the action was. Water. Wastewater. Water reuse.  So after receiving her engineering degree from the University of Texas, she came to California, and got her master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. After working a bit as consultant, she joined the engineering staff at Central Marin Sanitation Agency.  “I decided to...

Originally published on LinkedIn, reprinted here with permission… Ahhh. That feeling that comes over you when you come home after a hard days work, plopping yourself onto that every so comfy couch that envelops all of your achy tired bones. Your twin toddlers come running out of the rear of the house, screaming with joy...

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...

The Jurupa Community Services District (JCSD) Board of Director’s announced that Chris Berch, a twenty-year veteran of the water industry, will become JCSD’s General Manager, beginning on June 3, 2019. Mr. Berch brings a wide range of operational knowledge and management experience to JCSD. Berch comes to JCSD from the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA)...

After 13 years at the helm, longtime Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) General Manager Logan Olds has stepped down to pursue new opportunities. Logan has been the face of VVWRA for a number of years and has been committed to the local community, especially Victor Valley College, where he served on the VVC Foundation...

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...

The 2019 Annual Conference (held at the Renaissance Palm Springs and Palm Springs Convention Center) included tracks on Leadership, Water Reuse, Biosolids, Pump Basics, Laboratory TNI Standards, Declining Flows, Asset Management, just to name a few. With over 1,000 attendees and 720 vendor attendees, the week was full of energy, learning, networking and fun! You can...

Thank you Xylem for supporting our annual awards program! The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) announced the winners of its 2019 awards program at its Annual Conference in Palm Springs on April 12. Nominations that advance through CWEA’s 17 local sections’ awards programs plus a select group of special awards are eligible to compete statewide....

Upcoming events: CWEA’s annual WDR training workshops will be held in May. Workshops will be held in San Ramon (May 8th); San Luis Obispo (May 15th); and Los Angeles (May 22nd).  One of the most talked-about topics is the update to the Statewide Sanitary Sewer Systems General Order.  The State Water Board is holding five...

The Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) announced that sewer spills on the Coastside were at an historic low, zero in 2018, thanks to the dedication, hard work, and proactive measures taken by management and staff. “As part of its 2017 Strategic Plan, SAM committed to making operational and maintenance changes to achieve zero sewer spills within...

Angela Lowrey was named by the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) as the state’s Communicator of the Year for 2019, recognizing her dedication to clean water education and resource recovery outreach, her overall expertise in the communications field and for her award-winning creativity in her work. She was presented with the Communicator of...

“Atmospheric River” is a meteorological term coined in the 1990s that’s recently entered common public usage. They are bands of concentrated moisture traveling in the air over a region.  Atmospheric rivers can contain as much moisture as major river, such as the Amazon. On February 5th, the Scripps’ Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes...

Cástulo Estrada grew up in the eastern end of the Coachella Valley – an area that had little if any water and wastewater infrastructure. Today, as a member of the Coachella Valley Water District board of directors, he’s proud of a special program bringing clean water infrastructure to disadvantaged communities in eastern Riverside County. Called the...

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,...

Judge Gordon Bennett Cologne, a California legislator, jurist, and recycled water advocate, died January 4, 2019 in Rancho Santa Fe, California at the age of 94. During his tenure in the California legislature, he was Chairman of the Senate Water Resources Committee and became recognized for his role in championing water quality issues. “Judge Gordon...

CWEA is gathering nominations for an Emerging Leaders story to appear in the Summer 2019 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...

City of Modesto recently featured Thomas Sinclair, an Environmental Regulatory Compliance Manager for the City of Modesto in their Friday Feature on Facebook. Thomas is responsible for planning, developing and overseeing the work of staff involved in pretreatment and storm water inspection and enforcement programs that promote a safer environment for the citizens of Modesto....

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...

Valerie Leone became interested in the water profession when she was working for a metal finisher. It was there she learned about wastewater regulations and decided she wanted to be a part of something that allowed her to benefit the environment, community and future generations. As the Industrial Source Reduction and Control Program (ISRCP) manager at...

CWEA joined hundreds of agencies throughout California to celebrate the second annual Water Professionals Appreciation Week between Oct. 6-14. This year, we focused on Women In Water and Veterans in Water by highlighting career opportunities and recognizing women and veterans dedicated to serving their communities. CWEA partnered with CASA, Katz and Associates, ACWA, and several...

Past CWEA President Christoph Dobson describes the important role clean water pros play in their community. “We provide a very important service for the community and we’re all very proud we’re able to provide this for the community.”  

by Scott Carroll, General Manager of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District Firefighters statewide are being praised for their valiant and heroic efforts to save property and lives in the countless wildfires that have burned recently throughout California, and they absolutely deserve this praise.  In particular, their courage and commitment to protecting the community was demonstrated in...

If you selected a 2018 all-star team among clean water professionals in California, this year’s Emerging Leaders would be good choices to fill the positions. The seven selected for this year’s Emerging Leaders honors cover the field from collections to treatment, from compliance to environmental services, from laboratory analysis to engineering and project management. And...

CWEA’s coverage of the water workforce issues is supported by WaterTalent In a recent interview published in TPO Magazine, Ingrid Bella of Santa Clara Valley Water District shares how their agency partners with organizations like BAYWORK to recruit the next generation of water professionals. BAYWORK, in the San Francisco area, is taking a regional collaboration...

Coverage of water workforce topics supported by waterTALENT Debi Lewis Past President 2017-2018 Professional Engineer Stantec Debi Lewis’ career began in business administration working for an ad agency. She started as a secretary in the Pasadena office of James M. Montgomery, which later became MWH and is now Stantec. Eventually she became an office manager...

Robert Wilson is an environmental professional who embodies the concept of multi-tasking. As the environmental services supervisor for the City of Petaluma, he is responsible for regulatory compliance of wastewater discharges, storm water, air quality and biosolids, water conservation, as well as pollution prevention, recycled wastewater, and pretreatment. And away from the office he’s taken...

Shannon Simmers has covered a lot of ground in the last seven and a half years…from earning a college degree, to volunteering and then working at the Riverside Water Quality Control Plant and now for Redlands Municipal Utilities, and chairing the CWEA’s P3S committee. That takes determination and persistence, and she has it. “When she...

Mark Koekemoer finds laboratory work very fulfilling. “It’s not just a day job where you collect a paycheck. It is an opportunity where you can go home to your family and feel good about what you have accomplished,” he says. “We are supporting the greater industry, providing data for operators to use, identifying trouble spots,...

Helping others was nothing new for Felipe Carrillo when he joined the Santa Clara Water and Sewer Department five years ago. He had spent the past 11 years working at an at-risk youth center, teaching students construction and general trade skills. So it’s little surprise that in his relatively short tenure at Santa Clara he’s...

Projects at the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District are hallmarked by transparency, open communications, and disappearance of the traditional silos that often plague the clean water profession. That’s in great part due to the efforts of Jordan Damerel, Director of Engineering. “Jordan manages the District’s Capital Improvement and Asset Management programs, and he’s constantly working towards more...

Theodore Higgins has moved steadily taking on roles of greater responsibility in his 16 years at the Industrial Waste Management Division at the city of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. Now he’s helping create advancement opportunities for his inspections colleagues through the creation of the Professional Development and Work Exposure Program. The program encourages the...

In a profession dominated by men, Dorien McElroy stands out. She manages the sewer Collections System for the Irvine Ranch Water District. “One usually doesn’t associate collections system management with a woman,” says Judith Marquez, Environmental Analyst/Consultant of Innovare Environmental who nominated her. “But she is passionate about her job in a way that makes...

There is no doubt that CWEA has played a huge role in my career and continues to open doors and present opportunities for my future growth in our exciting industry. It feels like yesterday I was attending my first workshop and studying for my first certification. Little did I know that one day I would...

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. Water careers provide an incredible opportunity for individuals who enjoy working with their hands, working outdoors and working as part of a larger team. Water careers offer great salaries and...

Support for coverage of safety issues in provided by ehs Much of the country has been dealing with a heat wave and California is no exception. With the increase in temperature comes the dangers of working outside. Knowing how to work safely in hot weather can help prevent heat related illnesses and heat stroke.   According to the Centers...

Press release from the Brookings Institute… Building off previous workforce research, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program has released a first-of-its-kind analysis of jobs involved in the construction, operation, and maintenance of the country’s water infrastructure. Nearly 1.7 million workers fill jobs in utilities, construction firms, and numerous other employers across the water sector, while facing...

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

The landmark Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) began operation in January, 2008. Located in Fountain Valley the facility is operated by the Orange County Water District (OCWD) using secondary effluent produced by the  Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD). State-of-the-art technologies including microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection are used to produce up to 70 million gallons...

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....

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

About this series:  Each month CWEA is interviewing an innovative thinker in the water profession. We’re asking each person “The future of the water profession is …” Juan Guerreiro Deputy Director City of San Diego, Public Utilities Department Grade V Wastewater Treatment Operator, SWRCB Dual-Associate Degrees, Water and Wastewater, Cuyamaca College Bachelors Degree, San Diego State University...

This is a special report and perspective from outside the water/wastewater community. We invited Meg to share her insights from the 2018 Society for Economic Anthropology Conference which had a special focus this year on water. By Meg du Bray, Ph.D. EPSCoR MILES Post-doctoral researcher Idaho State University Water is life. These words have been...

  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,...

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...

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...

Coverage of the wipes issue is supported by Aqualitec. Ten years have passed since the fierce battle began to wipe out sewer clogging wipes. How close are we to a solution? Sadly, not close. Mainstream wet wipes were introduced in the early 2000s for cleaning and as a “flushable” wipe. They’ve become a major challenge...

This story was originally posted on the Woodard & Curran blog.  CWEA’s coverage of wipes issues is supported by Aqualitec.  Those of us who have witnessed the destruction non-woven wipes are having on our pipes and pumps understand the impact a simple word like ‘flushable’ can have. Since the mid-2000’s, the wastewater industry has been battling...

CWEA’s coverage of safety issues is supported by ehs inc. Heart-breaking news from Illinois – a 22-year old working on a sewer re-lining project was killed when the liner collapsed around him. He was 20′ underground, possibly cutting out sewer laterals. The pipe diameter was estimated to be around 20-24″. The construction worker’s name is...

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...

On Friday Sept 29th Baywork released their long awaited report on water workforce reliability before a gathering of 65 representatives from water utilities, associations and community colleges. The Bay Area will need over 828 new water professionals in the next three years and there are not enough students in the training pipeline right now the...

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!...

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...

  As the problem of “flushable” wipes clogging sewer pipes and pumps gets worse – every sewer agency is on its own in developing a public outreach campaign to share with people exactly what they should and should not flush down the toilet. Clogged sewer lines were becoming a challenge for City of Santa Rosa crews, so their...

At this year’s Annual Conference in San Diego a room packed with wastewater professionals listened intently as a panel of experts provided updates on wipes, rags, pills and other debris getting flushed down the toilet. What’s being done to bring this nightmare to an end? The panel of experts agreed we saw some major breakthroughs...

Mark McGrath, Collections System Supervisor in Hayward, California, knows what it’s like to be part of the collections crew, because he’s been one of them. “I know their needs, because I’ve been there,” he says. “I understand the adverse conditions, the outdoor elements. I acknowledge their efforts when they’ve done well. I treat them as...

“You need to be able to handle it in the dark with your eyes closed.” That’s the way Emerging Leader Joe Gregory views safety training. “When we come on the scene, people need to know what to do,” he says. “You should be able to handle the situation in your sleep.” Now thefor the Carmel...

Marc Oliver Quijano moved from lizards to water, and the results have been very impressive. “I studied Biology in college,” he says, “and conducted research on lizard population genetics, determining how human overpopulation affects the environment. An internship at West Basin Municipal Water District’s water recycling facilities and good mentors sparked a new career. I...