California Water Association

Buckle Up for Water Utility Challenges | NARUC 2024 Annual Meeting This month, leaders from the water utility industry—including?Sunil Pillai?(Golden State Water),?Ken Jenkins?(California Water Service), and?Suzanne DeLorenzo?(San Jose Water)—joined the?NARUC Committee on Water Panel?to dive into the complexities of managing water utilities in 2024. The session, themed "Buckle Up!" used thrilling metaphors inspired by nearby Disneyland attractions to address real-world challenges in water utility management. From navigating the regulatory landscape to tackling PFAS cleanup costs, the panel provided valuable insights into building resilience, ensuring clean water, and advancing infrastructure investment. Thank you to Sunil, Ken, Suzanne, and all the panelists for sharing their expertise and inspiring solutions to improve water quality and reliability for communities nationwide! #NARUC2024 #WaterUtilities #CWACommunity #CleanWater #Infrastructure #WaterManagement

ICYMI: Last week, Carmelitha Bordelon, CPA, VP of Regulatory Affairs and Finance at Suburban Water Systems, joined the panel "Avoiding Disconnected Data: Assuring Utility Disconnection Information is Useful" at the 2024 NARUC Annual Meeting and Education Conference. Carmelitha highlighted how comprehensive disconnection data can guide better policies, improve regulatory frameworks, and support customers in need. This engaging session brought together industry leaders across multiple sectors to discuss lessons learned from post-pandemic disconnection reporting practices and their impact on utility management. We’d also like to recognize the contributions of the other distinguished panelists, including: -Hon. Jeff Hughes, North Carolina Utilities Commission (Moderator) -Patrick Cicero, Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate -Chris Forist, Michigan Public Service Commission -Hon. Davante Lewis, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, LOUISIANA Thank you, Carmelitha, and all of the panelists for shedding light on the importance of leveraging data to shape effective utility practices! #NARUCANNUAL24 #UtilityLeadership #WaterUtilities #CWACommunity #DataDrivenPolicy #SuburbanWaterSystems

Highlighting California American Water’s Commitment to Clean Water! We’re excited to showcase our member,?California American Water, for their advanced PFAS treatment technology demonstration to?CPUC Commissioner John Reynolds?at the Nut Plains Treatment Plant. This is a shining example of the innovative solutions our members implement to provide safe, clean drinking water for Californians. Thank you, California American Water, for leading the way in water treatment and sharing your expertise with regulators to ensure the highest standards in water quality. #CWACommunity #PFAS #CleanWater #CPUC #Innovation #WaterTreatment

Welcoming John Tang as CWA’s New President CWA is proud to announce that?John Tang, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations at?San Jose Water, has officially stepped into the role of CWA President. With over two decades of leadership in the water industry, John brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong commitment to advancing water issues across California. As we navigate opportunities and challenges in water reliability, affordability, and sustainability, John’s expertise will guide us into a promising future. We extend our heartfelt thanks to?Edward Jackson, President of Liberty Utilities, California, for his outstanding leadership and contributions over the past two years. Looking forward to a new chapter with John Tang leading the way! Read more about this leadership transition: https://lnkd.in/gvZJKMCf?????? ????????????????????????????? #CWACommunity #WaterLeadership #CleanWater #CaliforniaWater

We’re proud of?Golden State Water Company?for hosting?NARUC?at their Imperial & Studebaker PFAS facilities in the Norwalk System. These plants highlight their commitment to delivering clean, safe water and tackling PFAS challenges head-on. #CWACommunity #GSWater #CleanWater #PFAS #WaterUtilities

California American Water’s Lacy Carothers, PE, Highlights Clean Energy Resilience at NARUC Annual Meeting We’re proud to share that?Lacy Carothers, PE, Director of Engineering at?California American Water, presented today at the?National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Annual Meeting. As a key speaker on the panel, “Microgrids: A Resilient and Sustainable Solution for Water Utilities,” Lacy shared California American Water’s pioneering work in microgrid technology to strengthen resilience, deliver cost savings, and enhance sustainability for water utilities. Lacy also highlighted the recent?$50 million GRIP grant?awarded to the?California Water Association (CWA)?from the?U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This initiative, reaching $100 million with matching funds, will bring clean energy resilience to water utilities across California, supporting climate equity, job creation, and infrastructure improvements. Alongside?Jeff Pontius?from?Generac Power Systems, Lacy showcased how CWA’s partnership with Generac will drive climate resiliency and make a lasting impact on California’s water utility infrastructure. Thank you, Lacy, for leading the conversation on sustainable water solutions! #CWACommunity #NARUC2024 #WaterUtilities #ClimateResilience #CleanEnergy #Microgrids #CaliforniaAmericanWater #GRIPGrant

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Attendees for a Successful CWA Annual Summit! A huge thank you to all our sponsors whose generous support helped make the 82nd CWA Annual Summit possible. Your commitment allows us to bring together industry leaders, experts, and advocates to advance safe, reliable, and sustainable water services for California. We’d also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended, participated, and contributed to the success of this year’s summit. Your engagement and dedication to the water industry drive meaningful change and inspire our work together. We look forward to building on the insights shared and continuing to collaborate for a resilient water future! #CWAAnnualSummit #ThankYouSponsors #WaterIndustry #CWACommunity #WaterLeadership

Enhancing Utility Operations Through Academic Collaboration Panel | CWA Annual Summit Today’s panel on?Enhancing Utility Operations Through Academic Collaboration?highlighted the value of academic research as a powerful tool for advancing water utility operations and programs.?Erik Porse?(California Institute for Water Resources, UC),?Ellen Bruno?(UC Berkeley), and?David Feldman?(UC Irvine) shared insights from their recent projects, discussing how research can support smarter decision-making and innovation across the water sector. Moderated by?Jonathan Morse?(California American Water), the panel explored how greater collaboration and mutual learning between academia and the water utility industry can lead to meaningful advancements. Thank you to our esteemed panelists for bridging the gap between research and real-world applications in water management! #CWAAnnualSummit #WaterResearch #AcademicCollaboration #WaterUtilities #CWACommunity #InnovationInWater

The Water AI Revolution Panel | CWA Annual Summit Today’s panel on?The Water AI Revolution?offered an exciting look into how Artificial Intelligence is shaping the future of water utilities.?Hudson Hollister?(HData),?Bridget Garlinghouse?(Voda AI), and?Christopher Tull?(California Data Collaborative) shared insights on using AI-driven analytics for smarter, more strategic decision-making. Moderated by?Sarah Musiker?(CWA), the discussion explored AI’s potential in asset management, predictive maintenance, and regulatory compliance—and what innovation in water could look like in the years to come. As the water sector faces growing data challenges, AI provides powerful tools to optimize operations and advance a more resilient, sustainable water future. Thank you to our panelists for leading the way in data-driven water management! #CWAAnnualSummit #WaterInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence #WaterUtilities #CWACommunity #DataAnalytics

Securing the Future of Infrastructure Panel | CWA Annual Summit Thank you to?Jonathan Reeder?(Wells Fargo Securities),?Anne Serewicz?(CL King & Associates), and?Greg Goodwin (Bluefield Research) for sharing their expertise on the economic impacts of water utility investments. Moderated by?Marty Kropelnicki?(California Water Service), this panel provided valuable insights into how strategic investments help ensure that water infrastructure remains robust, modernized, and resilient. Infrastructure investments are critical for delivering clean, safe, and reliable water service to communities now and in the future. We appreciate the insights from our panelists on navigating these economic challenges and opportunities! #CWAAnnualSummit #WaterInfrastructure #WaterInvestment #CWACommunity #SustainableWater