Conference News
Asset Management Expert Sam Paske to Speak at CASA Winter Conference
We're please that the upcoming CASA Winter Conference on January 23-25 in Indian Wells offers another strong program.

The Thursday morning session will feature a presentation from Sam Paske, assistant general manager of the Environmental Services Division of the Metropolitan Council (Minneapolis/St. Paul). For those of you who did not get a chance to see Sam at CASA’s asset management specialty workshops earlier this year, this is a great opportunity to learn how to integrate effective assert management into the culture of your organization. Sam has 20 years of utility experience including planning, technology and management consulting.

A preliminary program is now available.

Registration is open for the 2019 Winter Conference. Please join us in the New Year at a new location: The Renaissance Indian Wells on January 23-25, 2019.
Regulatory Update
Sean Maguire Appointed to California State Water Board
Governor Brown has appointed Sean Maguire to the California State Water Resources Control Board. He replaces Steve Moore, who is now general manager at Ross Valley Sanitary District, in the sanitary engineer seat on the board. Maguire has been supervising water resources control engineer at the State Water Resources Control Board since 2017. He was senior water resources control engineer from 2015 to 2017. From 2003 to 2015, he held several positions at Kennedy/Jenks Consultants. Additionally, Maguire is a member of the Groundwater Resources Association of California. Congratulations Sean!
Clean Water Community Leaders Appointed to Regional Water Boards
This month, Governor Brown appointed well known water leaders Celeste Cantú and Jim Stahl to the regional quality control boards of San Diego and Los Angeles respectively. Celeste is the former general manager of the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority and former chair of the State Water Board. Jim is the former general manager of Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts and has been president of JFS Environmental Engineering since 2015. Congratulations to Celeste and Jim!
Member News
Key Initiatives Identified at Board Strategic Planning Session
The CASA Board of Directors met in late September for its annual strategic planning session to assess the association's effectiveness and identify 2019 priority actions. Based on input from the planning session, staff developed a business plan to focus on several key initiatives:

  • Explore development of a non-flushable products legislative campaign
  • Implement a membership recruitment campaign for 2019
  • Develop and maintain an inventory of funding opportunities as a resource for CASA members
  • Review CASA's dues structure
Members in Action: Las Virgenes’ Response to Woolsey Fire
Protecting public health and safety is at the heart of what CASA members do every day. Increasingly our members are facing disasters that threaten to destroy core infrastructure and the communities they serve.

Less than one-month ago, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Board was forced to take decisive action to support the fire response and recovery efforts related to the Woolsey Fire that raged through Ventura and Los Angeles counties. The Board declared a state of emergency and approved a series of actions to support staff in its response and recovery to the fire. Efforts included authorizing staff to procure equipment and hire the contractors necessary to repair critical water and wastewater facilities damaged by the fire, thus granting relief to customers affected by the fire.
Inland Empire Utilities Agency Selected as a 2018 Cool Planet Award Recipient
The Inland Empire Utilities Agency was recently recognized as a 2018 Cool Planet Award Recipient. The award celebrates Southern California Edison business customers that incorporate sustainable practices into their long-term plans while demonstrating exemplary leadership.
Make an Impact in 2018: Year-end Giving to the CASA Education Foundation
With year-end just around the corner, we ask you to consider a contribution to the CASA Education Foundation ( Pledge form ). Your contribution will help forge a new future of young water professionals aiming for a career in the clean water community. The Foundation helps ensure clean water for Californians by awarding scholarships to promising students on a path to serving the environmental community. The Foundation relies 100 percent on individual and organizational donations and is an essential investment in the next generation of environmental professionals.
Mark Your Calendar
Save the Date
This is a friendly reminder that the CASA Washington D.C. Policy Forum is February 25-27, 2019. The conference will once again take place at the St. Regis.

We have an impressive slate of speakers to discuss how the midterm elections impact key committee leadership, infrastructure and wastewater priorities and what to expect in the new congressional session. Registration now open . 
Effective Utility Management Workshop
The Effective Utility Management Workshop takes place on January 10 in San Diego. The workshop is being presented by CWEA in partnership with the EPA. The workshop will help utilities address a full range of challenges to move toward sustainable management of their operations and infrastructure. This workshop is best for staff at the management level.
 
Jan. 23-25, 2019
Feb. 25-27, 2019
Aug. 21-23, 2019