Cheryl MacKelvie

CASA Membership Letter Campaign: Protect Federal Clean Water Infrastructure Funding The White House has again proposed eliminating the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program in Fiscal Year 2027. For nearly 40 years, the CWSRF has provided critical federal investment to help California clean water agencies meet [...]

Responses Requested: SWRCB Wastewater Rates Questionnaire This is a reminder for your agency to please submit responses by May 15 on the State Water Resources Control Board’s voluntary 2026 Wastewater Rates Questionnaire. On March 27, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) reissued its voluntary Wastewater Rates Questionnaire. Building on the SWRCB’s previous bi-annual survey, [...]

EVMWD welcomes nearly 1,600 attendees to Splash Water Festival Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) welcomed nearly 1,600 community members to its annual Splash Water Festival on Saturday, May 2, doubling attendance from last year and marking a record turnout for the event. The free, family-friendly event featured hands-on activities, educational exhibits and behind-the-scenes tours [...]

State Highlights Progress on California’s Water Resilience Efforts Last week, Governor Newsom highlighted California’s progress in strengthening long-term water resilience, including investments in water infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, climate adaptation, and supply reliability. The announcement underscores the critical role the wastewater sector continues to play in advancing water recycling, resource recovery, and sustainable water management across [...]

CASA and Clean Water SoCal Host Nutrient Workshops in LA, SB and Santa Cruz On May 18, 19, and 20, Clean Water SoCal and CASA are hosting three free workshops in-person that mirror our event last fall on HDR’s nutrient management evaluation of the Southern California Bight. In addition to a presentation on the report, [...]

Upcoming CASA Events Join us in the coming months as CASA hosts virtual and in-person events designed to engage members and non-members on issues important to the clean water community. Details and registration links are included below, but if you’d like to jump directly to events of interest, simply click the titles below. We hope [...]

CASA Takes Positions on 2026 Legislation The CASA State Legislative Committee met on March 13th and April 2nd to review and take positions on bills of interest that have been introduced in the 2026 Legislative Session. All bills were required to be introduced by February 20th and are now in the process of being referred to the relevant [...]

Senate Passes “Do Not Flush” Labeling Legislation On March 22, the Senate passed the WIPPES Act (S.1092) under unanimous consent, a procedure reserved for bipartisan, non-controversial legislation that has the support of the committee of jurisdiction's leadership and draws no objection from the full Senate. S.1092 would establish federal "Do Not Flush" labeling requirements for [...]

SWRCB Reissues Wastewater Rates Questionnaire On March 27, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) reissued its voluntary Wastewater Rates Questionnaire. Building on the SWRCB’s previous bi-annual survey, this 2026 version has been significantly streamlined and shortened from the versions issued in the 2010’s to reduce the administrative burden on public agencies and increase clean [...]

In Memoriam: James Barnard, a Global Force in Wastewater Treatment, Dies at 90 We are saddened to share the news of the passing of pioneering engineer James L. Barnard, whose innovations in biological nutrient removal transformed wastewater treatment worldwide and continue to shape our sector today. Read more about his life and legacy here.   [...]