SWRCB Adopts Direct Potable Reuse Regulations
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. “Adoption of the DPR regulations is a pivotal step forward for the clean water sector and all Californians. Increasing water reuse opportunities and maximizing options for resource recovery will provide an important public benefit, and help cultivate a sustainable water supply for the future,” said Adam Link, CASA Executive Director.

Following a final State administrative review, expected to conclude in April, the DPR regulations provide a roadmap and standards for municipal water agencies to follow when building advanced water treatment facilities (AWTFs). These state-of-the-art systems have a proven track record of transforming recycled water into pure water. Already, two pure water facilities are nearing completion in the San Diego area, with dozens of additional facilities in the planning pipeline. The purified water that flows from these advanced facilities holds the potential to be harnessed by water agencies for raw water augmentation or treated drinking water augmentation. The water is tested and treated one more time at a drinking water treatment facility before being sent into the distribution pipelines.

 

Charleston Water System Flushable Wipes Class Action Settlements
Federal District Court Judge Richard Gergel has given preliminary approval to wipes-related Class Action Settlements between the Charleston Water System and the defendants. The significance of these settlements is underscored by their similarity to Charleston Water System’s 2021 settlement with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and they are designed to benefit Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) nationwide. The settlements aim to ensure that the flushable wipes meet the national municipal flushability standard and that better warnings are provided on the packaging of non-flushable wipes. This, along with the previous Kimberly-Clark settlement, is expected to significantly reduce the impacts that POTWs face from wipes-related maintenance, equipment damage, and sewage overflows.

Settlement documents and information are provided at www.Charlestonwipessettlement.com. The final fairness hearing is scheduled for March 8, 2024, at 10 a.m.

 

Water Leadership Institute Program 2024
The 2024 application period for the Water Leadership Institute program is now open! Gain a supportive community of water professionals and mentors, sharpen your leadership skills, and grow professionally. The Water Leadership Institute program educates, trains, and provides opportunities that enable developing and emerging leaders to build strong, lasting relationships within the water sector. Participants engage in management training and leadership development through a blended learning approach that includes the examination of complex challenges facing the water and wastewater sectors and networking with public and private sector practitioners. The 2024 Application Period is Now Open through 11:59 pm PT on January 17th! Learn More About the Water Leadership Institute Program.

 

Water-Energy Nexus (WEN) Registry
The Water-Energy Nexus (WEN) Registry is a voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting program, open to all organizations with operations in California, including water suppliers, distributors, end users, wastewater managers and organizations with large water footprints. WEN participants will be provided a suite of tools and resources to measure their GHG emissions associated with various water processes for FREE until March 2025.

Some of the benefits for WEN participants are:

  1. Understanding the impact of water on GHG emissions
  2. Monitor Climate Action & Resilience Plans
  3. Standardized GHG accounting methodology

Read more about the Water-Energy Nexus and why it matters and subscribe to stay up-to-date The Climate Registry’s WEN Registry re-launch and be notified when WEN webinars such as “Ask the Expert” will be.