Winter Conference Recap
CASA’s 2026 Winter Conference in Palm Springs kicked off the year with three days of collaboration, insight, and forward-looking discussions focused on building resilient, future-ready clean water agencies. The conference began with networking opportunities, including the Women of Wastewater gathering and a facility tour of Valley Sanitary District highlighting recent treatment plant upgrades, recycled water projects, and innovative biosolids management efforts.

The Wednesday afternoon concurrent technical sessions explored critical issues facing the sector, including climate adaptation and energy resilience, nutrient management, wastewater surveillance, regulatory updates, biosolids regionalization, and federal permitting reform. These discussions provided practical tools and perspectives to help agencies navigate evolving regulatory and infrastructure challenges.

Thursday’s program featured keynote speaker Jennifer Tabanico, who shared how community-based social marketing can drive behavior change related to PFAS, microplastics, and product stewardship. Attendees also heard from Antoine Walter of (don’t) Waste Water on creative approaches to engaging new audiences and reshaping public conversations around water reuse. The afternoon focused on agency funding and project financing, addressing one of the most pressing priorities for CASA members.

The conference concluded on Friday with a closing keynote from Will Sarni on the intersection of water, finance, and nature, and a panel discussion on workforce development and engaging the next generation of water professionals.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to a successful Winter Conference. We’re excited to build on this momentum throughout the year and to welcome you to our 2026 Annual Conference, happening August 4–7 at The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa. Stay tuned, registration will open earlier than usual this year!

 

Free Webinar on “BACEN”
Registration is open for a free webinar hosted by CASA and the Clean Water Summit Partners exploring how wastewater agencies can navigate near-term Biosolids, Air, Climate, Energy, and Nutrient (BACEN) regulations while maintaining affordability, resilience, and long-term climate alignment. Taking place virtually on Wednesday, February 11, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, the webinar will feature expert presentations on regulatory challenges, funding impacts and opportunities for more coordinated, systems-based approaches. Register today!

 

CASA’s 2026 DC Policy Forum
We’re excited to welcome our members back to the Willard InterContinental Hotel for the 2026 CASA Washington, D.C. Policy Forum, February 23–24, 2026. Taking place at a pivotal moment in the presidential administration, the forum will feature insights from Congressional staff, reporters, and national water leaders on key policy developments and what to expect heading into the 2026 midterms. Attendees will have opportunities for Congressional visits with support from our federal advocates and engage directly with USEPA officials. If you would like help in requesting a meeting be set up with your representative, please contact Sarah Sapirstein no later than February 5, 2026; if you are setting up meetings on your own, please keep us informed regarding when they occur. Join us to connect with peers, strengthen our advocacy, and advance our shared federal agenda. Register and view the preliminary agenda today.

 

Apply Now for CASA’s Prestigious Award of Excellence!
Your organization works tirelessly to support California’s water and environmental efforts. CASA’s Award of Excellence honors your dedication, showcasing your hard work, credibility, and innovation. We aim to recognize members who go above and beyond to protect public health and the environment. We invite all member agencies and associates to submit an application by Monday, April 27, 2026. Award recipients will be announced and celebrated at CASA’s Annual Conference this summer in Napa.

Your commitment deserves recognition, and we look forward to celebrating your outstanding contributions. For more information on award criteria and categories, please visit the Awards Program Webpage.

 

CASA Education Foundation Scholarship Applications
The CASA Education Foundation is dedicated to ensuring clean water for Californians and shaping the future of the clean water sector by awarding scholarships to promising students pursuing careers in the environmental field.

Does your local college or university know about CASA’s financial aid opportunities for students interested in a water-focused career? We encourage you to share this opportunity with students in your community! The Foundation is accepting scholarship applications through May 15, 2026. Download this scholarship flyer to distribute to local schools!

For details on how to apply, eligibility requirements, and scholarship guidelines, please visit the website. Let’s work together to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders!

 

CASA Agency Salary Survey
CASA would like to encourage your agency’s participation in the annual Agency Salary and Benefits Survey which was distributed on Monday, January 26. The survey provides valuable information for our members. The more responses we receive, the more accurate the statistical summary we can create. If your agency participated previously, your data is important for those agencies that use benchmarks. For those of you who have not participated in recent surveys, or have never participated, you will find this information very helpful when conducting a salary classification and review. Monterey One Water has again graciously volunteered to coordinate and produce the survey report. We look forward to providing as much comprehensive benefit information as possible with the distribution of the results. Please complete the survey by March 13. 

We can exclude listing salary data for any sensitive positions that you prefer not to have recorded on the report. However, we would still like to use that information in the calculations of the overall averages. To accomplish this, just make a notation on the survey. For inquiries about the survey, please contact Shacara Gamboa at sgamboa@casaweb.org.  Thank you for your participation in the development of this important member resource.