2021 In Review: Message to the Membership
As 2021 draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect on our accomplishments and celebrate the successes of the past year. CASA is pleased to share a summary of our key activities and accomplishments, and we truly appreciate the support of our membership and the entire clean water community. Read more here.
|
|
CASA Wins Pollution Prevention Award
Yesterday, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board presented CASA with the 2021 Dr. Teng-Chung Wu Pollution Prevention Award for leading efforts in California to pass wipes legislation (AB 818). We are honored by the acknowledgment of CASA’s past and ongoing efforts to prevent pollution at the source. The award was accepted by Jessica Gauger, CASA’s Director of Legislative Advocacy & Public Affairs at the virtual Board meeting on December 15. We would like to thank Jessica and the State Legislative committee for all their hard work making this happen as well as all of our members who supported the legislation and continue to promote the proper disposal of non-flushable products.
|
|
CASA Members Spread Holiday Cheer |
|
Parading Through Napa to Promote Sewer Health
The weekend after Thanksgiving, Napa Sanitation District (NapaSan) employees got into the holiday spirit to spread the word about only flushing the 3 P’s- pee, poop, and (toilet) paper in Napa’s holiday parade! Staff from every department, along with a few family members, decorated the agency's truck with an amazing number of lights, garlands, snowflakes, and shiny Christmas ornaments. On both sides of the truck, large signs in English and Spanish highlighted the message of only flushing the 3 P’s to keep the sewer system healthy. To really accentuate the theme, employees (willingly!) dressed up in pee, poop, and toilet paper costumes and walked beside the truck along the parade route giving out individually wrapped rolls of recycled toilet paper and candy to the crowd. The toilet paper was by far the more popular giveaway item! After more than a year with very few in-person outreach opportunities, it was great to come together as a team and do some in-person, covid-safe outreach. It was a fun time spreading the word to a large group of NapaSan’s customers about protecting the sewer system!
|
|
Another Successful Year for Central San Giving Campaign
For over 40 years, Central San employees have been giving back to the communities they serve via their Annual Giving Campaign. The month-long, year-end campaign features presentations by local non-profit organizations and weekly raffles in which employees can win prizes, including donations for their favorite charities. These innovations help foster community partnerships, boost engagement, and make the Giving Campaign a fun annual event. As part of a pilot program approved by the Board of Directors in 2019, Central San covers all administrative costs for the campaign, so every dollar of employee contributions goes to the charities of their choice. The campaign makes it easy for employees to support their chosen charities via automatic payroll deductions or one-time donations. For the first time this year, Central San retirees are also eligible to participate. Also new this year is a “Spare Change” program that lets donors automatically round up credit card purchases to give conveniently and affordably whenever they use their card. So far, this year’s campaign has raised close to $30,000.
|
|
RTP Day of Service
At Rising Tide Partners, they stay true to their mission of educating, supporting and keeping the local communities connected. They strive to be proactive in advocating for community organizations by preserving local landscapes and encouraging environmental stewardship. Putting words to action, in November, they brought Leucadia Wastewater District and the City of Carlsbad together to seed native plants at the Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center in Carlsbad. They will continue to volunteer throughout San Diego communities quarterly and look forward to spending time in their local communities!
|
|
Rancho Water- Parade Winner for the City of Temecula's Santa's Electric Light Parade
Each year, the city of Temecula puts on an annual Santa’s Electric Light Parade. Rancho Water has entered the contest for seventeen years! The goal is to help with outreach, messaging, and continue key partnerships with the city. On Friday, December 3, 2021, Rancho Water employees decorated a large dump truck, excavator, and an extended cab pickup truck. Employees made the vehicles festive with lights, tinsel, garland, fake snow, inflatables, large speakers, and a bubble machine for the kids. It was a great opportunity to show some holiday cheer. Rancho won first place in their category (commercial float) and was the overall parade winner!
|
|
Light the Night with DSRSD
A couple years back, Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) maintenance staff began a new holiday tradition, adding lights to the Odor Reduction Tower at their Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility in Pleasanton. The lights showcase a fun way for our industry to affect public perception by reminding anyone driving by (the plant is next to I-680) why the facility exists—to protect public health and the environment by treating wastewater and making recycled water.
|
|
12 Days of Christmas, the Rewrite by WMWD
Western Municipal Water District (WMWD) really showcased their creative magic on social media this year by rewriting the 12 days of Christmas song to bring attention to the importance of water and wastewater and to highlight the work of their employees. Check out the full version on their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/westernmwd/.
|
|
CASA Education Foundation |
|
Making a Positive Impact in 2021 and Beyond
Take the pledge! The CASA Education Foundation pledge program makes college more affordable by supporting students interested in working on becoming the next generation of clean water professionals. With help from CASA members, we can work together to offer critical scholarship aid through the CASA Education Foundation by making a contribution. Your contribution represents an investment in the future of wastewater, giving students the education and training necessary to enhance California’s clean water community. Through the CASA Education Foundation’s undergraduate scholarship program, students can focus on their studies in the fields of engineering, natural resources, public administration, wastewater operations and other areas that can contribute to the clean water sector. We thank you for your continuing support of this important organization.
Need an invoice in order to contribute? Please send your pledge request to Joanie at PledgeCEF@casaweb.org.
|
|
Buy American Deadlines and Guidance
As most of you know, the President has signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The $1.2 trillion package provides the largest federal clean water federal investments in decades for communities to update aging infrastructure, as well as helps address growing climate, water quality, and affordability challenges. One area of concern is that the new law includes provisions that expand Buy American/Build American mandates across all infrastructure sectors, including water. The mandates include “manufactured products” used in drinking water and wastewater projects, in addition to iron and steel products that are currently subject to the domestic procurement requirements. It is important for wastewater agencies to understand that these requirements will apply not only to projects funded with direct appropriations but also to all future CWSRF loans after the Act takes effect, 180 days from November 15.
The Office of Management and Budget is working on guidance for implementing the law, but we understand it is possible that the 180-day period before the law takes effect will be considered the grace period, and no additional grace period would be offered. Thus, if your agency has a project in the funding queue with the State Water Board, it is in your interest to try to expedite the process and secure a loan commitment before May 15, 2022, if you want to avoid being subject to the new broader Buy American requirements.
We will keep you apprised as implementation guidance is developed, in the meantime, feel free to reach out to us directly if you have any questions.
|
|
AAEES Webcast on the Role of Leadership in Water Organizations
The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) hosted their 2021 Virtual West Coast event highlighting the role of leadership in accelerating change in the US public sector water organizations. The keynote speakers were the general managers of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Adel Hagekhalil, and the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Robert Ferrante, who highlighted the importance of their agencies’ partnership on the Regional Recycled Water Program. If you were unable to catch the live presentation, the recorded version is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWJFb25TjHo.
|
|
EPA Announces Appointment of Martha Guzman as Regional Administrator for EPA Region 9
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced that President Biden will appoint Martha Guzman to become EPA’s Regional Administrator for Region 9. Guzman will lead the implementation of the Biden-Harris environmental agenda in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 Tribal Nations. “Given Martha’s extensive background in successfully delivering access to underserved communities, I am confident she is an excellent choice to lead our Region 9 team. Martha is an experienced leader that values economic justice and will represent the best interests of the residents in the region,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. Read more in the full press release.
|
|
2022 CASA Winter Conference Returns to Palm Springs
Join us at CASA’s 2022 Winter Conference at the Hilton Palm Springs, January 19-21. Bring your colleagues and join the panel sessions on hot topic items facing all our agencies, including infrastructure funding, climate resiliency, public messaging, PFAS, and much more! We are also bringing back the popular round-table discussions, live panels, stellar speakers, and plenty of networking opportunities. You won’t want to miss this!
As we ease back into in-person events, we appreciate your patience and willingness to follow all COVID protocols to ensure that we all remain as safe and healthy as possible.
The hotel block closes on January 4th and is almost full so be sure to register now to lock in the best hotel rates and please be sure to follow the safety guidelines, notices, and waivers in place. We hope to see you in Palm Springs!
|
|
Join us in the Nation’s Capital
2022 holds great possibilities and opportunities for our federal legislative priorities. That’s why we urge you to join us at our Washington D.C. Policy Forum February 28-March 1. The event will feature an excellent program with speakers that include Congressional staff, reporters, and national water associations providing their perspective on the infrastructure package and other exciting developments of importance to California’s clean water professionals. We also plan to continue our partnership with ACWA and host a joint reception along with other networking opportunities throughout the event.
This year, we have set aside time for agency representatives to make their own appointments for Congressional visits, with the assistance of our federal advocates Eric and Sarah Sapirstein. Greg Kester will also be scheduling EPA meetings to discuss biosolids and renewable energy. Help strengthen our advocacy and promote the clean water community’s federal agenda by going directly to the source. Our event takes place at a fabulous new venue this year: the Hotel Washington directly across from the White House. Register today, and we hope to see you there!
|
|
CASA represents more than 125 local public agencies engaged in the collection, treatment and recycling of Wastewater and biosolids to protect public health and the environment. Our mission is to provide trusted information and advocacy on behalf of California clean water agencies, and to be a leader in sustainability and utilization of renewable resources. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
