California Association of Mutual Water Companies

Roundtable Discussion on Water Sector Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic
2021-10-27 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Webinar Only
U.S. EPA is holding a roundtable discussion to highlight lessons learned for the water sector from the COVID-19 Pandemic. This event will feature water and wastewater utility speakers from previously held state-level workshops in California, Indiana, and New York. The objective is to help prepare utilities and their response partners for possible future outbreaks by sharing lessons learned, experiences and information about how to address challenges and other topics related to a pandemic.
Please note that attendance for this webinar is limited to 500 participants to ensure audio quality. Receipt of a registration link does not guarantee that you will be able to join the webinar because of attendance limits.
A recording of the webinar will be made available after the webinar ends.

Webinar | Water Meter Efficiency Testing and AWWA Water Audits
2021-11-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Water systems throughout North America use the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Audit software to evaluate water supply and distribution system performance and revenue recovery. This presentation will provide an overview of the AWWA water audit process and highlight the importance of quantifying customer meter inaccuracies, including how these inaccuracies contribute to lost revenue. Quantifying meter inaccuracies requires testing of both source and consumption meters. The presentation will discuss how to select water meters for testing and apply results to an overall meter population. Replacing inaccurate meters can increase revenue that supports new capital improvement projects.
Presenters: John Heltzel, EPA Region 9, Environmental Finance Center at Sacramento State’s Office of Water Programs
Who Should Attend:
• Managers, owners, and operators of small water systems serving less than 10,000 people
• Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
• Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems
If you require a certificate: Each viewer must register and attend individually, and participate for the entire duration of the webinar. We cannot provide certificates to individuals watching the webinar as a group.
Partners Include: Government Finance Officers Foundation, NADO Research Foundation, Environmental Finance Center Network

Drinking Water Utility Spill Response Webinar
2021-11-10 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
This webinar will provide information to water suppliers on how to prepare and respond to a hazardous material spill that affects drinking water supplies. It will include an overview of the requirements of America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) Section 2018 which covers spill notifications to community water systems and access to hazardous chemical inventory data. Information will also be shared about lessons learned during real-world spill responses and spill response workshops held by EPA. Finally, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) will discuss their source water risk and resiliency plan and response capabilities, including real-world experience from Hurricane Matthew, and Nibley City, Utah will share their experiences responding to a 2015 diesel fuel spill.
Speakers: Dawn Ison and Jeff Fencil, EPA Water Security Division; Eric Hatcher and Lindsey Hallock, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA), North Carolina; Justin Maughan, Nibley City, Utah.
Please note that attendance for the webinar is limited to 500 participants to ensure audio quality. Receipt of a registration link does not guarantee that you will be able to join the webinar because of attendance limits.

A recording of the webinar will be made available after the webinar ends.

Water Laboratory Alliance 3-Day Summit
2021-11-16 08:00 - 2021-11-18 17:00 | Webinar Only
The Water Laboratory Alliance will host a 3-day virtual summit November 16-18,, 2021. The Summit will include an overview of the Water Laboratory Alliance/Environmental Response laboratory Network and EPA Water Security Resources, an abbreviated tabletop exercise designed to showcase resources and build connections among participants, keynote speakers, and an array of customizable track sessions available to a wide variety of stakeholders.
Day 1 will feature state of the art discussions of the challenges presented by climate change and cybersecurity. Speakers will present useful resources from EPA’s Water Security Division, partner utilities, and laboratories to support preparedness and response efforts for you and your stakeholders.
On Day 2, we are excited to host panel presentations on environmental justice, a spotlight on Tribal utilities, and a special session highlighting WLA emergency response planning. The resources presented in these sessions, paired with the expertise of our panelists, will enhance your water contamination response readiness.
Day 3 will walk participants through a collaborative WLA Tabletop Exercise, featuring a scenario-based contamination event as a backdrop for developing emergency response plans that address analytical support.

EPA Water Laboratory Alliance 3-Day Security Summit
2021-11-16 11:00 - 2021-11-18 11:00 | Webinar Only
The Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA) will host a 3-day virtual summit on November 16 – 18, 2021. The Summit will include:

An overview of the Water Laboratory Alliance/Environmental Response Laboratory Network and EPA Water Security Resources.
Exciting track sessions related to the Water Sector with subject matter experts in the areas of: Climate Resiliency, Environmental Justice, Cybersecurity, Technology Innovation, and Water Resilience in Indian Country.
A Tabletop exercise featuring a water contamination scenario and designed to showcase EPA tools and resources and emergency response planning. Participants will be guided through the process of enhancing response readiness by developing a roadmap to update analytical support Emergency Response Plans.

Day 1 will feature state of the art discussions of the challenges presented by climate change and cybersecurity. Speakers will present useful resources from EPA’s Water Security Division, partner utilities, and laboratories to support preparedness and response efforts for you and your stakeholders.
On Day 2, we are excited to host panel presentations on environmental justice, a spotlight on Tribal utilities, and a special session highlighting WLA emergency response planning. The resources presented in these sessions, paired with the expertise of our panelists, will enhance your water contamination response readiness.
Day 3 will walk participants through a collaborative WLA Tabletop Exercise, featuring a scenario-based contamination event as a backdrop for developing emergency response plans that address analytical support.
Sessions will run from 11am-4pm daily ET daily!
Nov 16, 2021 11:00 AM
Nov 17, 2021 11:00 AM
Nov 18, 2021 11:00 AM
There are a limited number of virtual seats, so register soon!

EFCN: 2022 Water Loss Series for Small Water Systems: Session 1: Importance of Water Auditing
2022-01-27 10:00 - 10:30 | Webinar Only
Join experts from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center for a no-cost webinar series on Water Loss. This series of six webinars will show small water systems why and how to complete a water audit, and will provide guidance on using the audit results to further water loss control within their utilities. Those interested must register for each session individually and are welcome to attend any number of the sessions.
View/Download | Water Loss Series Flyer
Session 1: Importance of Water Auditing
This 30-minute session will explain the big picture of water loss control for small water utilities. A water loss audit is only a part of water loss control, and alone does not reduce water loss. Therefore, systems should understand what a water loss control program includes and the role a water audit plays in such programs. This session will outline the benefits of implementing a water loss control program that includes water auditing.
Partners:

Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people
Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems

RCAC: AB54 & AB240: Ethics for Mutual Water Company Board Members
2022-02-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
By law, all mutual water board members are required to have two hours of ethics training within six months of taking office and every six years following. This training
is designed to provide system longevity and help ensure that board members meet their legal responsibilities. Required training topics include conflicts of interest,
fiduciary responsibilities, Safe Drinking Water Act compliance, long-term management and capital improvement planning. We will also cover the AB240 requirements,
which affect mutual water systems as of January 1, 2014. This workshop allows mutual water systems to comply with this regulation and helps prepare them to better govern their water company. This workshop meets the legal requirement for board members ethics training under AB54.
Participants will learn:
• Requirements of AB54 and AB240
• Financial conflicts of interest to avoid
• About strategic planning
• Financial responsibilities
• Capital improvement planning
• How to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act
Board Basics Series: The recommended audience includes directors, board members
and managers of mutual water companies.
Click here for brochure.
Accreditation:

2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded
Contact Hours have been approved for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program.
Certificates will be available through your profile.

RCAC: Do the Math: Operator Math 101 Series Part 1 of 2
2022-02-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Webinar Only
At a minimum, every public water system regardless of size and complexity requires a certified water distribution operator. In addition, those systems using treatment also must have an operator that holds a water treatment operator certification. The most significant hurdle for many grade 1 and grade 2 operators in passing the operator certification exam, however, is the math portion of the test. Typically, the math section of the certification exam constitutes about 35% of the total exam score so proficiency in math is necessary to pass the test.
The math included in each session is based on the expected-range-of-knowledge for the California distribution D1/D2 exams.
The target learner for this training wants (and needs) one specific thing: the ability to accurately calculate operator certification exam math questions. Accordingly, the
learning event design focuses solely on this need. This training is not designed for “contact hours “or participant “entertainment”. This is a hands-on training with an
expectation of continuous participation — working and answering math problems – throughout the entire session.
In Part 1, participants will learn how to convert:
• Water units (ft3 to gal, gal to wt)
• Distance (in to ft, ft to m, ft to mi)
• Areas (ac to ft2, in2 to ft2, yd2 to ft2)
• Volumes (ft3 to gal, gal to L, L to mL)
Operator Basics Series: The recommended audience includes operators and managers.
Accreditation:

2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded per session
4 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded for attending both sessions
Contact hours have been approved for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program.
Certificates will be available through your profile.

Do the Math: Operator Math 101 Series Part 2 of 2
2022-02-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Webinar Only
At a minimum, every public water system regardless of size and complexity requires a certified water distribution operator. In addition, those systems using treatment also must have an operator that holds a water treatment operator certification. The most significant hurdle for many grade 1 and grade 2 operators in passing the operator certification exam, however, is the math portion of the test. Typically, the math section of the certification exam constitutes about 35% of the total exam score so proficiency in math is necessary to pass the test.
The math included in each session is based on the expected-range-of-knowledge for the California distribution D1/D2 exams.
The target learner for this training wants (and needs) one specific thing: the ability to accurately calculate operator certification exam math questions. Accordingly, the
learning event design focuses solely on this need. This training is not designed for “contact hours “or participant “entertainment”. This is a hands-on training with an
expectation of continuous participation — working and answering math problems – throughout the entire session.
In Part 2, participants will learn how to calculate:
• Area of a circle
• Area of a rectangle
• Volume of a cylinder
• Volume of a rectangular tank
Operator Basics Series: The recommended audience includes operators and managers.
Click here for brochure.

RCAC: Groundwater Well Operation & Maintenance
2022-02-16 10:00 - 12:00, 2022-02-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Webinar Only
How is your well performing? How do you know what is going on deep in the ground? What goes into the process of choosing a well site? Well equipment must be
maintained to ensure long life and quality water within the system. Wells need to be monitored regularly to compile vital information on the health of the source.
Participants will learn:
• Well site selection process
• Well inspection
• Well maintenance
• Groundwater qualities
• Measuring drawdown
• Well sounders: Which one is right for me?
Operator Basics Series: The recommended audience includes operators, management, water system personnel or anyone with an interest in better understanding the value of operating a safe drinking water system.
Click here for brochure.
Accreditation:

2 California Drinking Water Contact Hours awarded
Contact Hours have been approved for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program.
Certificates will be available through your profile.

Webinar: Diversity in California Water Webinar CUWA's DEI Toolkit and Lessons Learned
2022-02-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Webinar Only
Continuing our Diversity in California Water webinar series, two California water leaders will share lessons learned to support DEI efforts within their agencies. The agencies are members of the California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA).
CUWA has developed a DEI Toolkit for water and wastewater agencies to help support their diversity programs. The toolkit shares ideas and progress stories to support the development of DEI programs in California’s water sector.
The toolkit summarizes best practices from member agencies, including: sharing lessons learned through DEI program implementation; compile resources/examples; and complement broader frameworks.
Wednesday, February 16th, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Register for the webinar >
Information flyer >
Download the CUWA toolkit
Join the webinar early at 11:50 a.m. to hear one of CWEA’s new Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Openers (called a “JEDI-Opener”).
Established in 1990, the California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA) is a non-profit corporation of 11 major urban water agencies that are responsible for serving drinking water to about two-thirds of California’s population. As the collective voice for the largest urban water purveyors in California, CUWA provides a technical perspective to promote common understanding and consensus solutions among the urban water community.
Moderator: Dale Hunter, California African American Water Education Foundation
Panelists

Alejandra Haro, Alameda County Water District
Monique Earl, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

The Diversity in California webinar series is supported by California’s water associations, including: ACWA, CASA, CA-NV AWWA, CWEA and BAYWORK.

EFCN: 2022 Water Loss Series for Small Water Systems: Session 2: Developing a Results Oriented Water Loss Control Program
2022-02-17 10:00 - 10:30 | Webinar Only
Join experts from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center for a no-cost webinar series on Water Loss. This series of six webinars will show small water systems why and how to complete a water audit, and will provide guidance on using the audit results to further water loss control within their utilities. Those interested must register for each session individually and are welcome to attend any number of the sessions.
View/Download | Water Loss Series Flyer
Session 2: Developing a Results Oriented Water Loss Control Program
Session 2 will define the elements of a water loss control program, discuss how to establish a utility water loss control team, who to include, and how the utility can develop goals for the water loss control program.
Partners:

Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people
Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems

Webinar: EPA: Small Systems Monthly Series: Underground Storage Tanks: How They May Impact Small Drinking Water Systems
2022-02-22 11:00 - 12:30 | Webinar Only
In the United States, there are over 500,000 active underground storage tanks (USTs) that store petroleum or hazardous substances, and about 62,000 leaking UST sites that need cleaning up today. The greatest potential threat from a leaking UST is the contamination for ground water, which serves as the source of drinking water for nearly half the population in the United States. Given the proximity of these leaking USTs to water supplies, it is important for small drinking water systems to understand where the leaking UST sites are to protect the water supply and to understand the water demands in proximity to the leaking underground storage tanks. This is especially needed where ground water wells are located on the property for the tank facilities. EPA developed the first national database and application (UST Finder ) on underground storage tanks, a user-friendly tool that provides the needed geospatial data for these tank facilities and source water protection areas.
Presented by Fran Kremer and Alexander Hall, EPA’s Office of Research and Development
About the Presenters:
Fran Kremer serves as a Senior Scientist in the Office of Research and Development’s Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. Fran works with Agency Program Offices, Regions and States and public/private partnerships to further research and its implementation in managing contaminant sources to protect water resources.
Alex Hall is a Geographer in EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. He is responsible for the data analytics and the development of geographic information system tools in addressing source contaminants and impacts on water quality. His work included the development of a national database and web mapping application for storage tanks and private domestic wells and the development of tools to prevent contamination of source waters to protect public and private water supplies.
Note: A certificate of attendance will be offered for this webinar
Who Should Attend?
State primacy agencies, Tribes, community planners, technical assistance providers, academia, and water systems interested in issues facing community water systems and solutions to help solve them.

Webinar: EPA: Small Systems Monthly Series: Low-cost solar powered control systems in non-PRASA drinking water treatment systems
2022-02-22 11:00 - 12:30 | Webinar Only
There are 242 small communities in remote and rugged locations not connected to Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) for their drinking water. This research seeks to develop, install, evaluate, and monitor affordable and sustainable treatment technologies to support non-PRASA systems achieving regulatory compliance. Over the past 14 years, substantial improvements have been made and EPA’s most recent upgrades from May 2021 are showcased in this presentation.
Presented by Daniel Williams and Page Jordan, EPA’s Office of Research and Development
About the Presenters:
Daniel Williams is a Physical Scientist with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. He has a B.S. in environmental science from University of Cincinnati in Ohio. Since joining EPA in 2001, his research has focused on the development of pilot design, fabrication and installation. Daniel has been awarded a patent for his Portable Evaluation Pilot Skid (PEPS).
Page Jordan is a Physical Scientist with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. She received her B.S. and M.S. in environmental science from Miami University in Ohio. Her research focuses on chemical and microbial contamination in drinking and storm waters.
Who Should Attend?
State primacy agencies, Tribes, community planners, technical assistance providers, academia, and water systems interested in issues facing community water systems and solutions to help solve them.

BAYWORK Webinar: Drought: How Utilities Are Managing the Lack of Water
2022-03-03 10:00 - 11:30 | Webinar Only
Drought is on all of our minds, and may be here to stay. Hear panelists from four BAYWORK agencies discuss how their utilities have responded to the drought, the challenges they are facing and future plans for dealing with climate change. The panelists will address various aspects of drought response, such as public communications, water supply and watershed management.
PANELISTS
Tami Church – Associate Water Resources Planner, Zone 7 Water
Linda Hu – Manager of Water Supply Improvements, East Bay MUD
Pam Jeane – Assistant General Manager – Operations, Sonoma Water
Kirsten Struve – Assistant Officer – Water Supply Division, Valley Water
Alice Towey – Manager of Water Conservation, East Bay MUD

Contact Hours: SWRCB contact hours (1.5) pending approval. All participants will receive a certificate of attendance that can be used to verify educational hours for other organizations, such as CWEA.

EFCN Webinar: ARPA Final Rule Updates for Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Projects
2022-03-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Webinar Only
Join experts from the Environmental Finance Center Network for an overview of the U.S. Treasury’s Final Rule for Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Participants will learn more about the updated guidance provided in the Final Rule and the implications it has for water, wastewater, and stormwater projects.
Presenters: Elsemarie Mullins, Project Director, UNC Chapel Hill Environmental Finance Center; Kimberly Kirkhart, Graduate Research Assistant, UNC Chapel Hill Environmental Finance Center
Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people
Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems

Partners:

EFCN Webinar: Session 4: Taking Action to Address Apparent Losses
2022-03-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Webinar Only
Session 4 will focus on taking action to address apparent water loss identified in the audit. In this session, experts from the EFCN will discuss the resources and tools available for small systems to reduce apparent losses.
Who Should Attend:

Managers, owners, and operators of water systems serving less than 10,000 people
Decision-makers for water utilities, including mayors, finance officers, utility managers, public works directors, city councilors, board members, tribal council members, and clerks
Consultants and technical assistance providers serving water systems

Partners:

DWR & SWRCB: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Template Development for Small Water Suppliers
2022-04-20 14:00 - 16:00 | Webinar Only
CONTEXT: In September 2021, Senate Bill 552 (SB 552) was signed by Governor Newsom and enacted into law. SB 552 includes new responsibilities and requirements at both the state and local level to help small water systems and rural communities reduce their risk of inadequate water supply amid a water shortage event.
MEETING PURPOSE: The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), in collaboration with the State Water Board, is hosting a series of stakeholder meetings to inform the development of an abridge Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) template as part of a comprehensive effort to assist small water systems in meeting these new requirements. At this first meeting, DWR and State Water Board staff will provide an overview of the legislation requirements, review a proposed abridge WSCP template outline, and solicit participants input on the template content and function.
INTENDED AUDIENCE: Community water systems with 1000-2999 connections or K-12 schools that are public water systems. Water systems technical assistance providers who can assist with these requirements.
LOGISTICS: The meeting will be held on a Zoom meeting platform on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, 2PM – 4PM. Registration is required to attend the meeting:
https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpdOGrqj8oHd3qvvBEdMHsaGXe51VRy4Y4
MEETING MATERIALS: Meeting agenda and related materials will be shared ahead of the meeting.

BAYWORK: Water Workforce - Women Mentoring Women - Speed Mentoring Event
2022-06-23 11:30 - 13:00 | Webinar Only
Thursday, June 23rd ~ 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Join us for a unique speed mentoring event to learn from your fellow women industry peers and leaders about their challenges and opportunities, and the various actions they took to enter in and grow within their work function. This limited seating virtual event will provide participants 4 rapid sessions in which you will engage with mentors to ask questions and seek advice on your interest within the various work functions. Limited Seating!
Register Here

SAFER Advisory Group Meeting #3
2022-09-09 10:00 - 17:00 | Webinar Only
The Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Advisory Group will hold its third meeting of 2022. A quorum of State Water Resources Control Board members may be present, but no action will be taken.
SAFER Program: Advisory Group Meeting
September 9, 2022 | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Remote Participation Only
PURPOSE
This meeting will bring together the SAFER Advisory Group to discuss items on the following agenda. Items on this agenda are numbered for identification purposes only; the SAFER Advisory Group may consider the items out of the listed order.
AGENDA
1. Draft Fund Expenditure Plan
2. Strategy for Domestic Wells and State Small Water Systems
3. Point of Use and Point of Entry (POU/POE) White Paper
4. Public Comment
5. SAFER Program Updates
6. Advisory Group Member Announcements

2024 CalMutuals & CalMutuals JPRIMA Annual Meeting & Board Retreat
2024-09-30 08:00 - 16:00 | Hotel Maya, 700 Queensway Dr, Long Beach, CA, 90802, United States
We cordially invite you to join us for the 2024 Annual Meeting of the California Association of Mutual Water Companies (CalMutuals) and CalMutuals’ Joint Powers Risk and Insurance Management Authority (CalMutuals JPRIMA). Registration is FREE for members of CalMutuals, CalMutuals JPRIMA and the Community Water Systems Alliance, as well as for our insurance broker partners. Our annual meeting will be held Monday, September 30, 2024 at the Hotel Maya, 700 Queensway Dr, Long Beach, CA 90802. The agenda for the meeting is still being finalized.
To register, visit https://caomwc.wildapricot.org/event-5820542.
To reserve a room at the Hotel Maya, use the following link: https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/calmutualsmeetingretreat/. The reference rate/group code is “918” or “CDT918”. The last day date to receive the group rate is Friday, September 6, 2024.
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PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PROXY for election of the CalMutuals Board of Directors.
We invite you to vote by downloading and returning the proxy forms through email to ceili@calmutuals.org or by fax to (714) 398-8819.
You should have received an email from Association Voting with the instructions, links, and credentials to vote in the CalMutuals Board of Directors election online. If you cannot locate the email, please reach out by email ceili@calmutuals.org or by telephone 714-709-4040 ext. 2, and we will provide it to you.
