ACWA News MAY 18 by ACWA

ACWA

NEWS

Attendees Welcomed to ACWA Spring Conference

ACWA’s 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition officially opened with a welcome by ACWA President Randy Record and a ceremony by the Color Guard of Monterey High School. A big thank you to ACWA members who attended the May 8-11 event in Monterey, and also to those who tweeted throughout the week using #acwaconf (a sampling of tweets is inside). Conference coverage begins in this issue and will continue in the next. Also, check www.acwa.com for conference presentations, videos and photos. Photo credits: Dale Kolke

Governor Rolls Out Revised State Budget

Slashes Spending, But Returns $1.9 Billion Borrowed From Local Government Like a dark cloud looming overhead with an ominous shadow, the annual state budget has brought its share of grim news in recent years. As Gov. Jerry Brown announced Monday, May 14, as he unveiled the May revision of his proposed budget, the current deficit has grown to nearly $16 billion due in part to optimistic forecasts that did not materialize.

remains scheduled for repayment in this year’s May Revise budget document.

There is some surprising and welcome news on the fiscal front for ACWA members, however. About $1.9 billion in local government property tax borrowed from cities, counties, and special districts by the state back in 2009

Voters sympathetic to local government’s recurring need to fend off property tax shifts by the state approved Prop. 1A by a wide margin in 2004. The measure, which took effect

Borrowing Under Proposition 1A The Legislature borrowed the property tax dollars in 2009 from local government under Proposition 1A, a measure supported by ACWA and many local government allies.

State Budget Continued on page 11

Delta Stewardship Council Releases Sixth Draft Plan ACWA’s • Twice-Monthly • Newsletter

Volume 40 | No. 10 may 18, 2012

The long-awaited sixth staff draft of the Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Plan was transmitted to the seven-member council Monday, May 14, for review and comment. The 332-page draft plan will be discussed by the council at its May 24 meeting as well as meetings set for June 14-15 and June 28-29.

Water Supply Statistics Compared

ACWA Voices Concern With Delay of BDCP

Council staff expects to make further revisions at the direction of council members and recirculate the draft environmental impact report to cover the final staff draft sometime this summer. A final Delta Plan is expected to be adopted by November or December. Delta Plan Continued on page 3

State Water Board Appointments Announced

Patterson Irrigation District Wins 2012 Clair A. Hill Award

ACWA News is a twice-monthly publication of the Association of California Water Agencies 910 K Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814-3512 Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, CA. POSTMASTER: send address changes and subscription requests to ACWA News, 910 K Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814-3514 Phone: 916.441.4545 Fax: 916.561.7124 Website: acwa.com

Photo credits: California Department of Water Resources

State Statistics Compare 2011, 2012 Water Years

Executive Director Timothy Quinn Director of Strategic Coordination and Public Affairs Jennifer Persike Editor Cindy Nickles Communications Supervisor Lisa Lien-Mager Communications Specialist II Sarah Langford Graphic Designer Katherine Causland Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Call ACWA News for Permission to Reprint. USPS 334030 Digital and Print

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The California Department of Water Resources’ fifth and last manual snow survey of the season was May 1 near Lake Tahoe. Statewide, snowpack water content measured in at 40% of normal for the date, and was 55% of normal the first of April, the time of year when it is historically at its peak. For details and videos of all five surveys, see the department’s Water Conditions website at http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/.

Vol. 40 No. 10

In the California Department of Water Resources’ Executive Summary dated May 1, a number of 2012 vs. 2011 water year comparisons are made. Here are excerpts from those “that was then, this is now” statistics. Statewide hydrologic conditions as of April 30: precipitation, 75% of average to date; runoff, 65% of average to date; snow water equivalent, 40% of average for the date (30% of the April 1 average); and reservoir storage, 115% of average for the date. Sacramento River Region unimpaired runoff observed through April 30, 2012, was about 8.5 million acre-feet, which is about 64% of average. For comparison, on April 30, 2011, the observed Sacramento River Region unimpaired runoff through that date was about 16.5 MAF, or about 124% of average. Precipitation in April was generally above average or near average across California. On April 30, the Northern Sierra 8-Station Precipitation Index Water Year total was 39.7 inches, which is about 87% of the seasonal average to date and 79% of an average water year (50 inches). During April, the total precipitation for the 8-Stations was 6.5 inches, which is about 167% of the monthly average. Last

year on April 30, the seasonal total for the 8-Stations was 64.3 inches, or about 141% of average for the date. On April 30, the San Joaquin 5-Station Precipitation Index Water Year total was 24 inches, which is about 65% of the seasonal average to date and 59% of an average water year (40.8 inches). During April, the total precipitation for the 5-Stations was 4.8 inches, which is about 137% of the monthly average. Last year on April 30, the seasonal total for the 5-Stations to date was 57.7 inches, or about 156% of average for the date. The latest National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center long-range, one-month precipitation outlook for May 2012, issued April 30, 2012, suggested below average precipitation for Northern and Central California. The outlook suggests no tendency for above or below average rainfall for the southern part of the state. Get all of the details at http://cdec.water. ca.gov/cgi-progs/reports/EXECSUM. Weather and climate comparisons were also discussed during the Winter 2011-’12 Water Conditions Wrap-up webcast May 10, archived at http://www.water.ca.gov/.

Delta Decisions

ACWA Voices Concern With Delay of Bay Delta Conservation Plan Environmental review documents for the Bay Delta Conservation Plan will not be ready for release by the end of June as originally planned, the Natural Resources Agency announced May 4. In a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Natural Resources Secretary John Laird said there would be “some workable delays” in the release of the documents. Laird wrote to Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes, “The fish and wildlife agencies are currently reviewing and responding to a substantially improved scientific analysis of habitat restoration, water flows, and other ecological measures to achieve regulatory standards of the federal Endangered Species Act and Natural Community Conservation Planning Act. As a result, we anticipate that we will soon be able to announce some significant adjustments in the overall program that will reflect our commitment to using the best science. “This should not interfere in any way with our preparations for a public

announcement of the key elements of a framework for the proposed project with the governor and Secretary Salazar in mid-to-late July. Unfortunately, it does mean we will not be ready to release public review drafts of BDCP and its environmental impact report/statement at the end of June.” ACWA voiced concern with the delay. In a statement released on the day the delay was announced, ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn said, “The BDCP is a critical effort to address long-term ecosystem and water supply reliability problems in the Delta. Public water agencies have invested six years and more than $150 million to develop and analyze a plan that is based on the best available science and can meet the highest environmental bar in the nation. “While we recognize the complexity of the process, we are concerned to see any significant delay in making the decisions needed to improve water supply reliability and restore the Delta ecosystem. Since many other processes

hinge on information being developed as part of the BDCP, it’s critical that this planning effort move forward.” The State Water Contractors association also expressed concern. In a statement, General Manager Terry Erlewine said, “It is deeply troubling that, even with the substantial financial and scientific resources provided, the federal agencies are unable to make the decisions necessary to protect the water supply for 25 million Californians and protect the Delta environment.” For more information, contact ACWA Regulatory Affairs Director Mark Rentz at markr@acwa.com or 916.441.4545. ACWA’s website also features a Delta Decisions section at http://www.acwa.com/ spotlight/alternate-delta-plan.

Delta Plan Continued from page 1

Joe Grindstaff, the council’s executive officer, said the sixth draft reflects more than 10,000 comments received to date and analysis included in the draft environmental document circulated in November. The sixth draft also reflects changes to policies and recommendations in the areas of Delta levee priorities, flow objectives, land development and water quality, as well as clarifications to areas such as area of origin protection and covered actions. In a conference call with statewide media, Grindstaff described the draft plan as a “common sense approach informed by the best available science” and identified several core strategies for addressing the Delta’s water supply and ecosystem needs. “We can’t wait any longer to get started on achieving the coequal goals of restor-

ing the Delta ecosystem and providing a reliable water supply for California,” Grindstaff said. “California’s water supply is both scarce and sometimes mismanaged. The Delta ecosystem is deteriorating at an alarming rate.” In addition, he said, Delta communities, farms and infrastructure face significant flood risks that must be addressed. Core strategies identified by Grindstaff include reducing reliance on water from the Delta watershed through investment in local resources development and better water management; completing and permitting the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, including conveyance and habitat improvements essential to the coequal goals; identifying high-priority restoration areas and setting a deadline for the State Water Resources Control Board

to update flow standards for the Delta and tributaries; and improving flood preparedness and reducing the Delta’s exposure to flood risks. He said the plan also recommends actions to reduce pollution, address invasive species, protect the Delta as a unique place and encourage the beneficiaries pay principle for financing actions. Grindstaff noted that implementation of the plan will be a challenge and said an interagency committee will be established to guide implementation activities. ACWA and members of the Ag-Urban Coalition are reviewing the sixth staff draft and will meet in the coming days and weeks to discuss it. Access the draft plan at http:// deltacouncil.ca.gov/delta-plan/currentdraft-of-delta-plan. may 18, 2012 • 3

Delta Decisions

Chapter Updates, Economic Analysis on June 7 BDCP Meeting Agenda A public meeting on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is scheduled for noon3 p.m. Thursday, June 7, in The Pagoda Building, 429 J Street, Sacramento.

environmental review process, including preliminary draft EIR/EIS Chapter 5 (Water Supply), Chapter 6 (Surface Water), and Chapter 8 (Groundwater).

Meeting topics include an update on BDCP Chapter 3 (Conservation Strategy) and Chapter 5 (Effects Analysis), and an update on the

A presentation on the economic analysis prepared by Dr. David Sunding will also be presented.

The meeting will be available via conference call at 1.888.369.1427, access code 8278112. Additional details are at http:// baydeltaconservationplan.com/Home. aspx.

Governor Announces Two Appointments to State Water Board Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed Felicia Marcus and Steven Moore to the State Water Resources Control Board. The appointments were announced May 10. Marcus has been western director at the Natural Resources Defense Council since 2008 and has served as a member

of the Delta Stewardship Council since 2010. She previously served as administrator for Region 9 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1993-2001. Moore has been a civil and sanitary engineer at Nute Engineering since 2006 and has been a member of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board since 2008. He served in multiple positions at the San Francisco Bay Board from 1999-2006 and 1992-

’96, including resources control engineer. He was a senior engineer at Montgomery Watson Consulting Engineers from 1997-’98. Both appointments require Senate confirmation. The governor also announced that Charles Hoppin will remain chair of the State Board. He was appointed in 2006 and has served as chair since 2009. He is a partner in a family farm operation in Sutter and Yolo counties.

Water Community Tweets ACWA’s 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition was a twitter with tweets. A sampling follows; read the Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23acwaconf. ACWA @ACWAWater RT @LPAWater: Congrats to Max Sakato of Sutter Mutual Water Co & Rec District 1500 – winner of ACWA’s Leadership Award for 2012. #acwaconf

Ventura Water @venturawaterCA @ACWAWater Thanks for including us in the #acwaconf cities session to #talk about the cities journey.

San Gabriel Basin WQA @SGBWQA Congratulations to Patterson Irrigation District on winning the Clair A. Hill Award at the #acwaconf

ACWA @ACWAWater @acwaconf program on cities: Important to emphasize the purpose & need to update aging #infrastructure to ratepayers. #cawater

ACWA @ACWAWater Douglas Wheeler speaking on #ESA implementation at #acwaconf lunch. #cawater pic.twitter.com/Up4nLPgX

LCW Legal @LCWLegal Good morning! Make sure to stop by #ACWAconf booth 504 for the latest editions of our newsletters.

ACWA @ACWAWater @acwaconf delta flows forum: Bob Maddow “state board has huge task in front of it. Info coming in is like a Wikipedia process.” #cawater

CA Farm Water @farmwater We are at ACWA! Come visit us in booth 409. We have mugs, grocery bags and almonds among other goodies! #ACWAconf pic.twitter.com/abOHwok0

Paul Kelley @paulkelley2010 I’m using @Guidebook @ ACWA’s 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition! Get it: cvi.st/pwfrbz9y #acwaConf

ACWA @ACWAWater We’re excited to hear from author Dan McNichol the speaker at #acwaconf opening breakfast!

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Conference Wrap-up

Photos from left: “A Strong Foundation for Rebuilding California,” the ACWA 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition theme, fitted to a T the opening breakfast keynote address by best-selling author and infrastructure expert Dan McNichol. Bart Ney, senior communications manager, California Department of Transportation, also spoke about infrastructure issues. (l-r) Political commentator Kevin Eckery, president, Eckery Associates, was the keynote speaker at the Hans Doe Forum Breakfast. He’s pictured with ACWA President Randy Record, who presented him with ACWA’s centennial history book. Photo credits: Dale Kolke

Look at Infrastructure Reinvestment Kicks Off ACWA Spring Conference Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure as a means of recapturing our cultural vision was the focus of the opening breakfast of ACWA’s 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition, which kicked off May 8 in Monterey.

how vulnerable the nation’s infrastructure is, and threaten big projects.

Author and journalist Dan McNichol retraced America’s history of building infrastructure and shared insights into how the process has changed, including the role of government partnerships and vision. McNichol, a frequent contributor to CNBC News and other television programs, compared today to the 1930s and 40s when much of the nation’s modernday infrastructure was being built.

Noting that today’s infrastructure planning has changed drastically from years past, McNichol said the shift has been toward a concern for the environment that was not present in the early days. The Big Dig in Boston, for example, a $23 billion highway infrastructure project aiming to reconnect the city with its waterfront, quickly became an environmental initiative first and foremost.

“This is an exciting time in our history,” he said. “The BDCP is a megaproject with great potential to positively impact us for years to come.”

“It’s the only way to move forward anymore,” he said. “Infrastructure sustains us and the environment.”

McNichol said events like the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Mississippi levee failures and recent financial collapse remind us

“Infrastructure projects must be sustainable,” he said. “We have criminally neglected the maintenance of our infrastructure.”

Following McNichol’s address, Bart Ney, senior communications manager for the state’s Department of Transportation, shared lessons learned

from the state’s seismic retrofitting of the San Francisco Bay Bridge. The $7.2 billion project will be the world’s largest self-anchored suspension bridge when the department unveils it over Labor Day weekend in 2013. Ney, whose father, Bartholomew “Buzz” Ney, served as a water treatment plant operator for the City of Vallejo for 40 years and frequently brought home issues of ACWA News, provided strategies for helping water agencies implement successful infrastructure development programs. Tips included getting out of traditional silos, looking for efficiencies, and relating the communications plan to the public’s goals. “Communications is key to the success of your infrastructure projects,” he said. “Try to connect water investments with its importance to our culture, food and recreation. It’s a message people need to hear.”

Get Ready for Election Fireworks, Grudge Matches, Commentator Says With reapportionment and a new “top two” primary system in place, Californians should fasten their seatbelts for one of the most raucous and entertaining election seasons in recent memory, political commentator Kevin Eckery told ACWA members at the Hans Doe

Forum Breakfast on Friday, May 11. In June, primary elections for many House seats are turning into “grudge matches” that are fascinating to watch but may not lead to more moderate and centrist candidates for office, he said. Meanwhile, ballot measures on tobacco

taxes and term limits may generate plenty of advertising but are likely to go down in defeat. Fights are playing out in several congressional districts, including those in the Sacramento area, the Bay Area and Continued on page 8

may 18, 2012 • 5

“Implementation of the Endangered Species Act: Building the Bridge to Coequal Goals” was the topic discussed by, from left, Douglas P. Wheeler, partner, Hogan Lovells, and Michael J. Bean, counselor to the assistant secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of the Interior, at the ACWA conference luncheon program May 10. After receiving ACWA centennial books, they pose for a photo with ACWA President Randy Record and Vice President John Coleman. Photo credits: Dale Kolke

Keynote Panelists Say Candid Dialogue, Good Faith Collaboration Needed for Endangered Species Act Improvement The federal government is eager to work with water agencies on improving implementation of the Endangered Species Act and welcomes its input and ideas, a federal official told ACWA members May 10 at ACWA’s 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey.

The agency is seeking public input on ways to create incentives for landowners and others to take voluntary conservation actions to benefit species before they become threatened or endangered under the law, and to receive credit for their mitigation efforts even if listing occurs.

Michael Bean, counselor to the assistant secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks in the Department of the Interior, and Douglas Wheeler, partner, Hogan Lovells, and former secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, addressed conference attendees during a luncheon panel program on ESA implementation. ACWA President Randy Record served as moderator.

“By finding acceptable solutions that help species before they’re listed, the potential consequences of listing are avoided,” Bean said. “We thank you (ACWA) in advance for the benefit of your best thinking.”

Noting that the federal ESA is to be thanked for the return of several species in California, including the California condor, bald eagle, brown pelican and gray whale, Bean said there is still great room for improvement under the act, particularly for fish populations. Only four fish species have come off the list since the ESA was established 40 years ago, he said, and that is due to extinction. “Much has been accomplished, but there is more to do,” he said. “The law could be more effective at conserving species, but we need your help.” To improve implementation of the law, Bean said, FWS recently published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking. 6 • ACWA NEWS

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Representing the water agency perspective, Wheeler noted that ESA compliance and improvements is one of ACWA President Record’s priorities, and underscored the importance of working collaboratively to achieve solutions and seeking new ways to find balance. Wheeler said strategies for achieving this balance include: • Coordinate ESA requirements between state and federal endangered species laws. • Move away from the single-species approach and look at the whole ecosystem. “Regulations won’t solve species problems. The ESA currently has a single-species focus, is retroactive and is not holistic.” • Involve the private sector. “So much habitat has been conserved as a result of collaboration.”

• Receive reciprocity from federal agencies and a realization that for landowners, voluntary conservation is a business decision. • Incentivize agencies, since financial resources are lacking for effective conservation and ESA compliance. In response to the ANPR, ACWA convened an ESA Roundtable, which met in April to provide specific input to Interior on ways to improve ESA implementation. Wheeler helped guide the roundtable discussion and the effort to draft comments, which were submitted to the federal agency May 15. “The water community is committed to restoration, accepts its responsibility for the role it has played, and is interested in working together on a joint agenda, not just the agencies’ agenda,” he said. “California will continue to be an innovator if we find a truly effective partnership with the federal government.” From Bean’s perspective, an open and frank conversation with the water community on ways for both sides to be successful will be crucial to improving the law for both species and agencies. “[The key is] candid dialogue, understanding the other side, and a good faith search for solutions that work,” Bean said.

“The California Water Bond: Building A Path Forward” was the title of the ACWA conference luncheon keynote panel May 9. From left, ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn, who moderated; David Metz, partner, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3); Jim Earp, executive director, California Alliance for Jobs; and Maurice Hall, director, The Nature Conservancy’s California water program. Photo credits: Dale Kolke

Water Bond, Options for Moving Forward in Focus at Luncheon Voter weariness with ballot measures plus a growing distrust of state government are creating a difficult landscape for passing a water bond in the foreseeable future, ACWA members were told at the Wednesday, May 9, luncheon program. Though a majority of Californians believe we have long-term problems and need to invest in our water system, that support is dwarfed by the state’s economic woes and dissatisfaction with the Legislature, pollster Dave Metz said during a panel discussion on the water bond and how to move forward. “People believe we need to make investments, but don’t trust state government enough to leave them in charge in this tough economic environment,” said Metz, a partner in the polling firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates. “Do voters see a problem? Yes. Do they agree we need to make investments? Yes. Do they think that, given the state government and economy we have, that they are ready to approve these investments? That is the challenge.” Jim Earp, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs, said the $11.14 billion water bond currently set for the November ballot is vulnerable to opposition in its current form. Unions are concerned that additional debt

service will take funding away from other priorities, while some lawmakers and other groups have issues with the size and content of the bond. Water is a “particularly troublesome issue” to engage the public on because most people don’t realize there is a problem as long as water is there when they turn on the tap, he said. “Who takes ownership of saying we’re going to change public perception?” Earp asked. “If we don’t get our act together around a G.O. bond, different funding mechanisms may come to the forefront that some folks in this room may not like.” ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn said the association’s Board of Directors came to the conclusion earlier this year that moving the bond to a later ballot would be the best scenario for now. “The challenge of coming up with public funds to move forward with infrastructure investments is hugely important,” Quinn said. “Public funding for the public benefits of these improvements is very important in a world of coequal goals.” Maurice Hall, director of The Nature Conservancy’s California water program, said moving the bond to the 2014 ballot makes sense today.

“We want to see reliable water supplies for the ecosystem, and I think we get that by making your water supplies more reliable,” Hall said. “We are very supportive of the bond and the holistic 2009 package, but I think it’s not likely to pass this fall. “Putting it off for two years is the right thing to do at the moment, but if we don’t start investigating other options and ways to reduce opposition, we will be in the same place two years from now.” Earp suggested that a $2 or $3 charge on water bills would be one way to create a revenue stream for water system improvements. He also cautioned against viewing ratepayers as different people than taxpayers, saying the money ultimately comes from the same checkbook. “Some of these decisions will probably be made politically for us,” Earp said. “We have grappled with this for the better part of 50 years. The political problems are deep and long lasting.” Quinn said a water financing task force created last year by the ACWA Board will likely be reconvened to continue discussing options for funding water investments.

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Acwa awards

Max Sakato, general manager of Reclamation District 1500 and Sutter Mutual Water Company in Sutter County, received the ACWA 2012 Excellence in Water Leadership Award May 9 during the association’s 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey. In the group shot are, from left, Dan Meyer, vice president, Black & Veatch Corporation, which sponsors the Excellence in Water Leadership Award — Building a World of Difference; Sakato; and ACWA President Randy Record. Photo credits: Dale Kolke

ACWA Presents Excellence in Water Leadership Award to Max Sakato Longtime Water Leader Recognized for Contributions to Sacramento Valley Water and Flood Issues ACWA presented its 2012 Excellence in Water Leadership Award to Max Sakato, general manager of Reclamation District 1500 and Sutter Mutual Water Company in Sutter County, May 9 during its 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey. Sakato, who has led the two organizations since 1990, was recognized for his many significant contributions to California water. While his achievements are many, most notable is forming the Sacramento Valley Flood Control Action Workgroup in 2008. The group brought

together both rural and urban interests for the first time and worked to provide locally acceptable solutions to the state Department of Water Resources as it developed the comprehensive Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. “This award is ACWA’s way of recognizing leadership and contributions that make a lasting difference in California water,” said ACWA President Randy Record. “Max Sakato truly embodies the spirit of building a world of difference. Over the course of his 40-year career in California water, he has worked tirelessly to bring so-

lutions to flood control and water supply issues in the rural Sacramento Valley. “Max’s contributions to California water will be remembered for years to come, and we are pleased to present this award to such a deserving recipient,” Record said. The Excellence in Water Leadership Award – Building a World of Difference® recognizes groups or individuals who have made a remarkable and visible contribution to California water. The award is sponsored by Black & Veatch Corporation.

Continued from page 5

San Diego. But none is as entertaining as the bitter contest between two longtime Democratic representatives from Los Angeles, Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman, locked in a pitched battle for a newly configured 30th Congressional District. “It will be the most expensive House race in the country,” Eckery said. “They are spending money like there’s no tomorrow.” The two candidates will have spent $8 million to $10 million before June is out, then another $8 million to $10 million by November, he predicted. The November ballot will feature 8 • ACWA NEWS

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dueling measures on taxes, a controversial “paycheck protection” initiative and measures on the death penalty, state Senate redistricting, and auto insurance. Noting that the Legislature is expected to move the water bond currently set for November to a later ballot, Eckery said delaying the bond is a wise course given the importance of the issue. “Something that will require focus and public education does not belong on this November ballot,” he said. Despite high stakes riding on Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative, Eckery predicted that competition from the mea-

sure backed by millionaire Molly Munger will doom both at the polls this fall. “I’m betting at this point that both measures go down,” he said. “The blame game that will be started is going to be truly ugly and poisonous for California politics.” Voters should prepare for an avalanche of direct mail pieces and television advertising over the next several months. “You are going to want to unplug your TV sometime around Memorial Day,” Eckery said.

acwa awards

The Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence winner and scholarship recipient were announced at the luncheon May 10 during ACWA’s 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey. Photos from left: Mark Oliver, program manager, CH2M Hill, provided background on the award. Patterson Irrigation District General Manager Peter Rietkerk accepted the 2012 Clair Hill Award on behalf of his district for its Fish Screen Intake Project. He is pictured with ACWA Vice President John Coleman. Among the honors in receiving the award is the opportunity to bestow a $5,000 student scholarship. East Bay Municipal Utility District, the 2011 winner, selected Nicholas Depsky, a fourth-year student at the University of California, Davis, who is majoring in hydrology and minoring in environmental policy analysis. Photo credits: Dale Kolke

Patterson Irrigation District Wins Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award District’s Fish Screen Intake Project Honored May 10 During Statewide Conference ACWA presented the prestigious Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence to Patterson Irrigation District for its Fish Screen Intake Project. The award was presented May 10 during the annual ACWA Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey. The district was selected from among six finalists to receive the award. “Patterson Irrigation District is an outstanding example of a local agency implementing creative solutions to manage California’s water resources,” ACWA President Randy Record said. “The district’s program demonstrates innovation and achieves real benefit to endangered fish by preventing them from entering the intake. It does all this while maintaining a reliable water supply to its customers.” The new facility is the largest onriver fish screen along the banks of the San Joaquin River. With an automated brush-cleaning system to keep the screens free of debris, the new pump station prevents endangered fish like Chinook

salmon and Central Valley steelhead from being harmed at the intake while maintaining a reliable water source for local farmers. ACWA’s Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence is an annual award program that recognizes outstanding achievements by public water agencies. The winning agency has the honor of awarding a $5,000 scholarship to a deserving student in the name of Clair A. Hill, founder of the consulting engineering firm CH2M Hill. Other finalists were: • Coachella Valley Water District, for its Thomas E. Levy Groundwater Replenishment Facility, which allows 40,000 acre-feet of new recharge water to percolate annually. • Nevada Irrigation District, for its Auburn Ravine Fish Passage Project, which restored 200 feet of creek channel to a more natural state for native salmon.

• San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority, for its Integrated Groundwater Quality Management and Remediation Plan, which has guided the construction of more than 54 clean-up projects in one of the nation’s most contaminated groundwater basins. • Santa Margarita Water District, for its Upper Chiquita Reservoir, which holds more than 244 million gallons of treated water and provides water supply reliability. • Sweetwater Authority, for its Perdue Treatment Plant Upgrades Project, which updated its 50-year-old water treatment plan to comply with today’s more stringent standards with no adverse impact to its ratepayers. Information on ACWA’s awards program is at http://www.acwa.com/ content/awards/awards.

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region news

A Region 4 tour April 23 showcased the progress that’s been made in upgrading Delta levees in recent years. “Our resource speakers gave us an in-depth look at several Delta levees and the current approaches to maintaining and improving the performance of levees in critical Delta locations,” blogged ACWA Region 4 Vice Chair Mike Hardesty on www.acwa.com. “Delta levees are vital to maintaining water supply and quality, multiple land-uses and public safety. It was great to see first-hand how much work is being done to improve the system.”

Region 4 Takes Up Close and Personal Look at Key Delta Levees Region 4 spent April 23 touring the Delta to get a firsthand look at levee improvement projects. The focus of the tour was to showcase the progress that’s been made in upgrading Delta levees in recent years. Starting the day in Clarksburg, 15 miles south of downtown Sacramento, the group then headed south to see Beaver Slough, Bouldin Island, Holland Tract, Byron Tract Pump Station, and the Lower and Upper Jones Tracts. Attendees crisscrossed the Delta islands and tracts with guides and heard from guides, including Gilbert Cosio Jr., civil engineer, MBK Engineers; Christopher Neudeck, civil engineer, KNS, Inc.; and Melinda Terry, executive director, California Central Valley Flood Control Association. The first stop was Beaver Slough to discuss the Habitat Improvement Project, which is a project to stabilize eroded sections of levee while providing marsh and shaded riverine. The group

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also discussed the slope variation on the levees at Bouldin Island and Twitchell Island’s high winds and tides, which have extreme impacts on levee erosion in the area. Next, Holland Tract was visited to discuss splash berm and habitat restoration on a levee. While traveling through the tract, the group discussed Delta levee vulnerabilities and risks such as subsidence, seepage, erosion, rodents and other critical surface failures. At the Byron Tract Pump Station, the group discussed the East Bay Municipal Utility District Aqueduct Protection Levee Projects, which are designed to create habitat to help improve and protect the levees. The group next visited Upper and Lower Jones Tract to view the ongoing repairs and improvements from a levee failure in June 2004. The breach that occurred at Middle River was approximately 275 feet and cost approximately $8.5 million to repair.

The failure required major improvement include the raising of Trapper Slough Road by five feet – approximately 65,000 tons of dirt fill was used for the project. In his remarks concluding the tour, Region 4 Vice Chair Mike Hardesty said, “It was great to see first-hand how much work is being done to improve the system.” Hardesty also posted a blog entry on Voices on Water about the tour, which can be found here, http://www.acwa. com/content/voices-on-water. The tour was underwritten by Region 4 and sponsored by Kjeldsen Sinnock Neudeck Inc., MBK Engineers, Downey Brand, California Central Valley Flood Control Association, Herringer Winery and Old Sugar Mill. For more information about ACWA Region 4, contact ACWA Regional Affairs Representative Tiffany Giammona at tiffanyg@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

Region news

ACWA Regions Welcome New Board Members for 2012-’13 Term ACWA Regions 2, 4 and 8 filled vacancies to their boards for the 2012’13 term of office. Vacancies are filled by appointment of the current region board. Each newly appointed region board member takes office immediately and will finish out the two-year term ending on Dec. 31, 2013. The Region 2 board has appointed Sandy Denn, vice president, Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District Board of Directors, ACWA Membership Committee chair, and a former Region 2 chair and vice chair, to fill a vacancy on its board. She also serves on the California Farm Water Coalition Board of Directors and Tehama

Colusa Canal Authority Board. For eight years she served as board president of the Central Valley Water Association. Region 4 recently appointed Dave Brent, interim general manager, City of Sacramento, Department of Utilities, to its board. He has 30 years experience in water resources, including the last 20 years at Sacramento’s Department of Utilities. He has worked on many issues over his career, including storm water management, floodplain management, and resources planning and policy development. Most recently, his focus has been on policy and legislative efforts.

Region 8 appointed Ronald C. Smith, board treasurer, West Basin Municipal Water District, and a former member of the Region 8 board, to fill its recent vacancy. He has also served on the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission Board of Directors, the National Water Research Institute Board of Directors, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Legislative Committee and on several Chamber of Commerce boards. For a full list of region leadership, please visit the ACWA Regions section of ACWA’s website at http://www.acwa. com/content/acwa-regions.

state budget Continued from page 1

in 2006, has protected local government from outright raids of property taxes such as those experienced in 2004-’05 and 2005-’06. Prop. 1A included a clause that allowed for a suspension of the proposition and tightly controlled borrowing by the state under specific conditions, including a declaration by the governor of a “severe state fiscal emergency.” Another condition was a requirement that the Legislature enact a bill with a two-thirds’ super-majority threshold to approve any borrowing. The Legislature voted to allow the state to borrow almost $2 billion in 2009. Prop. 1A requires that any funds borrowed by the state be repaid with interest before further borrowing can take place. It also limits future borrowing to no more than two times in a decade and only if any previous borrowing has been repaid.

ACWA’s Policy Principles The property tax grab by the state in 2004 lasted for two fiscal years and had a major negative impact on water agencies throughout California. As a result of that imbalanced grab, enterprise special

districts, which are water and wastewater agencies, paid a disproportionate share of the funds that were shifted to the state to assist in paying for the budget shortfall that year. Water and wastewater agencies paid $300 million out of a total of $350 million from all special districts — enterprise and non-enterprise. (Non-enterprise special districts include park, cemetery, fire, mosquito and vector control, transit, and library districts.) In 2005, ACWA adopted policy principles to guide the association through any future borrowings under the umbrella of Prop. 1A. Those policy principles call for ACWA to oppose the use of the formula previously used in 2004 in any future borrowings under Prop. 1A. The principle helped ACWA and its member agencies lead a successful education and lobbying campaign against another inequitable special district property tax shift and helped to usher in a fair across-theboard borrowing of 8% of all local agencies’ prior year property tax allocations.

were skeptical that the state would honor its commitment to return the borrowed amount with interest. But the repayment provisions of the borrowing were airtight leading to the inclusion of the repayment in this year’s governor’s proposed May Revise (to his January) budget document. The state collected the 8% across-the-board formula in property tax dollars from cities, counties, and special districts beginning Dec. 1, 2009. County auditors who collected the borrowed funds gave this property tax money to the state in two fund shifts: Jan. 15, 2010, and May 1, 2010. The deadline for repayment by the state is June 30, 2013. ACWA will continue to keep its members apprised of any state budgetrelated issues as they appear during this legislative session. Senior Legislative Advocate Wendy Ridderbusch, who handles state budget issues, may be reached at wendyr@acwa. com or 916.441.4545.

Repayment by State At the time of this initial borrowing in 2009 under Prop. 1A water agencies may 18, 2012 • 11

Water in brief

The completion of the Delta-Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie Project was celebrated with an event May 2 near Tracy. Among the speakers were Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor, Congressman Jim Costa and Mark Cowin, director, California Department of Water Resources. Dan Nelson, executive director, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, was the master of ceremonies who also led a “flipping of the switch” ceremony to symbolically activate the Intertie’s pumping plant. The Intertie will be fully operational this summer. Photo credits: California Department of Water Resources

Delta-Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie Project Completed The Bureau of Reclamation, in partnership with the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority and the California Department of Water Resources, celebrated the completion of the Delta-Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie Project with a May 2 ceremony near Tracy. Among those attending the event were local, state and federal elected officials. Speakers included Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor; U.S. Rep. Jim Costa; Ameen Khan on behalf of U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer; Gary Prost on behalf of U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney, in whose congressional district the Intertie is located; and Mark Cowin, the department’s director. After the program, Master of Ceremonies Dan Nelson, the authority’s

Michael Connor

12 • ACWA NEWS

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executive director, led the group in a “flipping of the switch” ceremony to symbolically activate the Intertie’s pumping plant. The Intertie will be fully operational this summer. The Department of the Interior committed $15.8 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to complete the Intertie. CALFED funding was $8.8 million. The remaining funding came from contributed funds and Reclamation’s budget. The total project cost was $29 million.

Background The Intertie connects the federal Delta-Mendota Canal and the California Aqueduct through two 108-inchdiameter pipes and a pumping plant with a pumping capacity of 467 cubic feet per

Jim Costa

second. This new connection between the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project will help address certain canal water conveyance limitations, enhance flexibility of water deliveries and allow for infrastructure maintenance and repairs without disrupting water deliveries. The Intertie will also address canal conveyance conditions that presently restrict use of the CVP’s Jones Pumping Plant to less than its design capacity, potentially restoring as much as 35,000 acre-feet of average annual deliveries to the CVP. For additional information on the project, including a series of construction photos, please visit http://www.usbr.gov/ mp/intertie/index.html.

Mark Cowin

Dan Nelson

newswatch

Left: Newhall County Water District’s new office facility features drought-tolerant landscaping and a pervious parking lot, which allows rain water to recharge the local aquifer and reduce stormwater runoff issues. Middle and right: Western Municipal Water District’s open floor plan provides natural light and requires very low levels of artificial light, reducing its energy use and carbon footprint. The reception counter is made entirely from recycled buttons.

ACWA Member Agency Green Efforts Awarded With Gold, Silver Green-related accomplishments by ACWA member agencies include the following announcements related to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.

Newhall County Water District Newhall County Water District was honored April 26 as a green building leader among Southern California public agencies for its new LEED Gold Certified office building. The Award of Recognition, which acknowledges municipal and government entities committed to sustainable building, was presented to the district during the Municipal Green Building Conference & Expo. “Public agencies need to set the example for sustainable practices because it’s both the right thing to do and demonstrates a more efficient use of taxpayer money by using less of our natural resources,” said board President Maria Gutzeit. District General Manager Steve Cole said, “Newhall County Water District certainly enjoys being recognized for this accomplishment, but we also remain committed to showcase our facility as inspiration for others to take similar steps to be more sustainable at home and at work.” The district’s new office facility attained

a Gold certification, the second highest level, for a variety of sustainable features and operations. These include the use of drought-tolerant landscaping and a pervious parking lot, which allows rain water to recharge the local aquifer and reduce stormwater runoff issues. Super-insulated walls reduce heat loss in the cooler months, while computer-controlled air-conditioning monitors the individual requirements of 19 rooms. Solar tubes in the ceiling bring in more natural sunlight to offices, thus reducing demand for electric-powered lighting. Solar panels on the roof also generate significant free energy for the office. The new office replaced a 40-year-old facility that did not meet today’s energy or water efficiency standards.

Western Municipal Water District Western Municipal Water District’s Administrative Office in Riverside was awarded LEED Silver for Commercial Interiors certification. “Receiving LEED Silver certification is a prestigious accomplishment that speaks to Western’s commitment to sustainability and employee well-being,” said district General Manager John Rossi. “Many of the items that qualified our building for Silver certification are healthful, green features that support both our employees and the environment.”

Rossi added that when the district outgrew the old building it made more financial sense for the district and ratepayers to purchase an already existing building at a lower cost than building one from scratch or expanding the facility. However, Western staff was committed to making sure the new building was able to be retrofitted to meet the district’s commitment to the environment. Western’s LEED Silver certified Administrative Office has the following features: 20% of new materials used were made from recycled content; cork, which is used on the flooring in the space, is a sustainable, renewable resource and is produced without destroying any trees; natural light that pours through the work space minimizes the need for artificial lighting and is shown to improve employee productivity; low flow toilets, urinals and faucets in the building reduce water by 40%; 85% of equipment and appliances installed are ENERGYSTAR; bicycle racks, changing facilities and showers provided for at least 5% of employees encourages alternative transportation resulting in healthier lifestyles, energy savings and decreased pollution The district’s Operations Center, also in Riverside, is a LEED Silver certified building.

may 18, 2012 • 13

CALENDAR

ACWA Events

June

ACWA Region 3 and Mountain Counties Water Resources Association will hold a joint meeting Friday, June 15, at El Dorado Irrigation District, Placerville. For more information, contact MCWRA Executive Director John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury.mcwra@gmail.com.

18-20

The Western Coalition of Arid States 2012 Annual Conference is June 18-20 at the Catamaran Resort Hotel, San Diego. More information is online at http://westcas.org/index.html.

An ACWA Region 1 Program and Tour, “Take It From the Tap: Developing a Regional ‘Drink Local’ Water Campaign,” is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, June 22, at the Santa Rosa Utilities Field Office in Santa Rosa. The program will feature a discussion on how to develop and implement a regional Local Tap Water campaign. Hear from agencies on implementation of Drink Local Water campaigns; learn about potential partnerships with the state’s “Rethink Your Drink” campaign; and find out about the tools available from ACWA’s Value of Water Campaign. Region 1 is encouraging its members to officially proclaim tap water as its drink of choice and share the proclamation at this event. Attendees will be the judges as Region 1 Board members bring samples of their local tap water to compete for the title of “Best Testing Tap.” The day will conclude with a tour of Sonoma County Water Agency’s drinking water facilities. Registration and additional details are at http://bit.ly/Hobfcj. For more information, contact ACWA Regional Affairs Representative Marcia Wulff at marciaw@ acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

3-4

ACWA Region 5 will host an event June 3-4 featuring a tour of Alameda County Water District recharge facilities and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s historic Sunol Headquarters and Temple and Hetch Hetchy projects. Kicking off the event is a program and networking reception 5 p.m. Sunday, June 3, at the Fremont Marriott. On June 4, attendees will meet in Fremont at the district’s administrative offices before departing on a tour of its recharge facility, rubber inflatable dams, quarries and fish screens. Next is lunch at the commission’s historic Sunol Water headquarters with a visit to the restored Sunol Temple. Following lunch, lead project and construction managers will take attendees on a tour of the Hetch Hetchy water system improvement projects, including the New Irvington Tunnel, Alameda Siphon No. 4 and seismic upgrades to the system’s water treatment plant. Register at http://acwa.eventready. com/events/Spring2012Region5. The registration fee is $50, which includes meeting materials, tour transportation, reception, lunch, along with and snacks and refreshments on the bus. Questions? Contact ACWA Regional Affairs Representative Marcia Wulff at marciaw@acwa.com or call 916.441.4545.

The Three Valleys Leadership Breakfast is 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday, June 7, at the Avalon Restaurant, Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, Pomona. The guess speaker will be Edward G. Means, III, senior consultant for Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Water Division of ARCADIS, who will speak on the topic of “Communicating the Value of Water.” RSVP at 909.621.5568 or cdechaine@ tvmwd.com.

13-14

“Salt and Nitrate in Groundwater: Finding Solutions for a Widespread Problem” is a symposium to be presented by the Groundwater Resources Association of California June 13-14 at the Radisson Hotel and Convention Center, Fresno, in collaboration with the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability Initiative and Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Access the agenda at http://www.grac.org/saltandnitrateagenda.pdf. Register at http://www.grac.org/saltandnitratereg. Questions? Call GRA at 916.446.3626.

13-15

A Bay-Delta Tour (field trip) is a three-day, two-night tour June 13-15, which takes participants to the heart of California water policy — the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. Details are online at http://www.watereducation.org/toursdetail. asp?id=837&parentID=821 or call the Water Education Foundation at 916.444.6240.

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July

Other Events

A Region 9 Program is Thursday, July 12, in San Bernardino. Please save the date; details will be announced at www.acwa.com. For more information, call ACWA at 916.441.4545.

An ACWA Joint Regions 6 and 7 Membership Meeting is Friday, July 13, at the Fresno County Farm Bureau. The program will focus on groundwater quality and irrigated lands regulatory issues. Look for registration information June 15 at www.acwa.com. For more information, call ACWA at 916.441.4545.

“Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources – A California Perspective,” the Groundwater Resources Association of California’s first

symposium in its series on groundwater and energy, is Tuesday, July 24, at the Westin Long Beach. The symposium is presented by GRA in cooperation with ACWA and the California Division of Oil and Gas and Geothermal Resources. Contact GRA at http://www.grac. org or 916.446.3626.

August 1-3

The National Water Resources Association Western Water Seminar is Aug. 1-3 at the Sun Valley Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho. For more information, call 703.524.1544. http://nwra.org/events/2012/8/westernwater-seminar-2/

ACWA’s Regulatory Summit is Wednesday, Aug. 15, at the Doubletree by Hilton Sonoma Wine Country, Rohnert Park. ACWA committee meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 14. Look for more information to be available at www.acwa.com. For more information, call ACWA at 916.441.4545.

28-29

“Wells in California – Are We Protecting Our Groundwater Resources” is a Groundwater Resources Association of California workshop Aug. 28-29 in Sacramento. Contact GRA at http://www.grac.org or 916.446.3626.

october 3-5

The 5th WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition is Oct. 3-5 at the South Point Hotel and Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Details and registration information are online at http://www.watersmartinnovations. com/index.php.

4-5

ACWA’s 2012 Continuing Legal Education Workshop for Water Professionals is Oct. 4-5 at the Marriott Hotel Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, 3425 Solano Avenue, Napa. Not for lawyers only, this two-day workshop is important to anyone in the water community who needs to stay on top of key water issues. Look for more information at www.acwa.com.

4-5

The 21st Annual GRA (Groundwater Resources Association of California) Conference and Meeting is Oct. 4-5 in Rohnert Park. Contact GRA at http://www.grac.org or 916.446.3626.

17-19

A Northern California Tour (field trip) is a three-day, two-night tour Oct. 17-19, which travels the length of the Sacramento Valley, a major source of water for California. The tour begins and ends at Sacramento International Airport. Details and registration information are online at http://www.watereducation.org/ toursdetail.asp?id=841&parentID=821 or call Water Education Foundation at 916.444.6240.

september 9-10

An ACWA Joint Regions 5 and 8 Program is Sept. 9-10 in Santa Barbara. Please save the date; details will be announced at www.acwa.com. For more information, call ACWA at 916.441.4545.

ACWA Region 3 and Mountain Counties Water Resources Association will hold a joint meeting Friday, Sept. 14, at the Ridge Golf Club and Events Center, Auburn. For more information, contact MCWRA Executive Director John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury. mcwra@gmail.com. An ACWA Joint Regions 6 and 7 Membership Meeting is Friday, Sept. 14, at Kern County Water Agency in Bakersfield. The program will focus on groundwater management and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. Look for registration information Aug. 17 at www.acwa.com. For more information, call ACWA at 916.441.4545. The annual Steve Hall Fierce Competitor Golf Tournament is Friday, Sept. 21, at DarkHorse Golf Club in Auburn, Northern California. For more information, contact ACWA Meetings and Membership Director Paula Currie at paulac@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

31-Nov. 2 The National Water Resources Association Annual Conference is Oct. 31- Nov. 2 at the Hotel Del Coronado. For more information, call 703.524.1544. http://nwra.org/events/2012/10/ annual-conference-2/

December 4-7

ACWA’s 2012 Fall Conference & Exhibition is Dec. 4-7 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego. For more information, call ACWA’s Meetings and Membership Department at 916.441.4545.

ACWA Region 3 and Mountain Counties Water Resources Association will hold a joint meeting Friday, Dec. 14, at El Dorado Irrigation District in Placerville. For more information, contact MCWRA Executive Director John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury.mcwra@gmail.com.

may 18, 2012 • 15

California Water Plan Update 2013 Draft Assumptions, Estimates Report Released

Association of California Water Agencies 910 K Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814-3577

Periodicals Postage Paid at Sacramento, CA

Time Valued Material

The state Department of Water Resources released a draft of the Assumptions and Estimates Report for the California Water Plan Update 2013 May 2. This report, which consists of a brochure and companion web page, describes significant data, methods, and references that DWR plans to use to prepare the update. Several key technical components of Update 2013 are described in the brochure with web links to the assumptions and estimates that are being used to develop them. The Draft A&E brochure and companion web page are online at http://www.waterplan. water.ca.gov/cwpu2013/ae/. California Water Code Section 10004.6 requires DWR to release a preliminary draft of the assumptions and other estimates upon which the California Water Plan will be based, to interested persons and entities throughout the state for their review and comments. DWR is required to provide an opportunity to comment on the assumptions and estimates and will consider these comments when adopting the final assump-

tions and estimates for Update 2013. The draft report includes the following categories of information required by the Water Code and much more: basin hydrology, current and projected water use, groundwater supplies, evapotranspiration rates for major crops, current and projected water supplies provided by water recycling and reuse, current and projected adoption of urban and agricultural water conservation practices, environmental water needs, current and projected land use patterns, and current and projected population.

Comments are sought by July 31, 2012, to improve the data and information that go into Update 2013. Please send email comments to Rich Juricich, DWRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Division of Statewide Integrated Water Management, at cwpcom@water.ca.gov or send them by mail to: Rich Juricich, Division of Statewide Integrated Water Management, California Department of Water Resources, P.O. Box 942836, Sacramento, CA 94236-0001. For more information, call 916.651.9225.

ACWAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Preferred Provider Program Releases RFP for Translation Services The ACWA Preferred Provider Program released a Request for Proposals May 4 for the purposes of augmenting its current group of APPs with a translation service provider. Proposals are due Friday, June 15. This provider will assist members in meeting legislative requirements, as prescribed by recent legislation. For example, AB 938 (Perez) requires Tier 1 notices (do not drink, boil water notices) be translated

into multiple languages based on specified population percentages. The provisions of this legislation go into effect on July 1, 2012. This provider would have demonstrated knowledge, experience and capability with translating into all the languages specified in the bill, and others that will arise from time to time, from an English writing of the message or messages. This provider would need to include evidence of

its ability and resources to provide translations within the 24-hour period. These translations would be in writing but the provider may also be asked for oral translations of the same information. For more details on this RFP, contact ACWA Business Development Coordinator Linda Anderson at Lindaa@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.