On the agenda: Riverside meeting — data center (May 26)

WESTERN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT
14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside, CA 92518
AGENDA
COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE MEETING
MAY 26, 2026, at 9:30 AM
To join the Zoom virtual meeting: https://wmwd.zoom.us/j/ 82473631372
or telephone access: (669) 219‐2599 or (669) 900‐6833
Meeting ID: 824 7363 1372

Members of the public may view and/or participate in this meeting in person, online via
Zoom, or by viewing the live‐streamed meeting at www.WesternWaterCA.gov. This
meeting may also be video recorded for on demand viewing and broadcasting purposes.
Primary notice of this meeting will be the physical posting of the agenda in the public
notice area, located at the District’s Headquarters office, 14205 Meridian Parkway,
Riverside, California 92518. In addition, every effort will be made to publish this agenda
on the District’s website at: https://westernwaterca.gov/agendacenter, subject to technical
difficulties, such as power failure, internet disruption, or other third-party interference.
Members of the public who wish to comment on any item within the jurisdiction of the
District, or any item on the agenda, may make comments in person, virtually via Zoom at
the time noted on the agenda, or by submitting comments in writing at the following web
address: https://westernwaterca.gov/FormCenter, by in‐person delivery or via U.S. Mail
addressed to the District’s Headquarters office. Written comments received by 4:30 p.m.
on May 25, 2026, will become part of the Board meeting record. Pursuant to Government
Code Section 54957.5, any writing that (1) is a public record; (2) relates to an agenda
item set for open session of a regular meeting of the Board of Directors; and (3) is
distributed less than 72 hours prior to that meeting, will be made available for public
inspection at the time the writing is distributed to the Board of Directors. Any such writing
will be available for public inspection at the District office located at 14205 Meridian
Parkway, Riverside, California 92518. In addition, such writing may also be posted on the
District’s website at https://westernwaterca.gov/agendacenter. Any person with a
disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in this
meeting, or the agenda or agenda packet documents made available in an appropriate
alternative format, or any person with limited English proficiency (LEP) who requires
language assistance to communicate with the Western Municipal Water District Board of
Directors during the meeting, should contact the Western Municipal Water District Board
Secretary at (951) 571‐7209 or [email protected], no less than 72 hours prior
to this meeting, to enable the Western Municipal Water District to make reasonable
arrangements to ensure accessibility or language assistance for this meeting.

Western Water | Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
May 26, 2026
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Members of the public may address the Committee regarding any item within the subject matter
jurisdiction of the Committee; however, no action may be taken on off‐agenda items unless
authorized by law. Comments shall be limited to matters not listed on the agenda. Members of
the public may comment on any matter listed on the agenda at the time that the Committee
considers that matter. Each individual’s comment is limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes;
however, the Presiding Officer reserves the right to reduce the amount of time each individual
can speak in order to ensure all members of the public have an opportunity to comment.

4. CONSENT CALENDAR
Consent Calendar items are expected to be routine and non‐controversial and are to be acted
upon by the Committee by one motion, without discussion. If any Committee member, staff
member, or interested person requests that an item be removed from the Consent Calendar for
further discussion, it will be moved to the first item on the Action Agenda.

A. Approve the Minutes of the April 28, 2026, Community and Government Affairs
Committee Meeting of the Whole
5. ITEMS TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA
(If any) In accordance with Section 54954.2 of the Government Code, upon determination by a
two‐thirds vote of the legislative body, or, if less than two‐thirds of the members are present, a
unanimous vote of those members present that there is a need to take action, and the need to
take action arose after the agenda was posted.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE MADE TO THE FULL BOARD
The following items on the Agenda call for discussion and action by the Committee. All items are
placed on the Agenda so that the Committee may discuss and take action on the item, if the
Committee is so inclined.

A. Receive and File the May 2026 Government Affairs and Legislative Update
7. REPORTS
The following agenda items are reports. They are placed on the Agenda to provide information
to the Board and the public. There is no action called for in these items.

A. GENERAL MANAGER REPORT
B. ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER REPORT

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Western Water | Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
May 26, 2026
C. COMMUNICATIONS AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE REPORT
1. Strategic Communications Update: Enhanced Facility Signage
D. DIRECTORS’ REPORTS AND REQUESTS
8. NEXT MEETING
A. Monday, June 23, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
9. ADJOURNMENT

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

WESTERN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT
MINUTES OF THE
COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
MEETING OF THE WHOLE
OF APRIL 28, 2026
1. CALL TO ORDER
Director Laura Roughton called the Community and Government Affairs Committee
Meeting to order at 9:31 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in the Western Municipal
Water District Training Room, 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside, California.
2. ROLL CALL
Roll call of the Board of Directors was taken by Administrative Assistant Candice
Haro. The following Board members were in attendance:
Director’s Present
Director Laura Roughton
Director Fauzia Rizvi
Director Mike Gardner
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Members of the public may address the Committee regarding any item within the subject matter
jurisdiction of the Committee; however, no action may be taken on off‐agenda items unless
authorized by law. Comments shall be limited to matters not listed on the agenda. Members of
the public may comment on any matter listed on the agenda at the time that the Committee
considers that matter. Each individual’s comment is limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes;
however, the Presiding Officer reserves the right to reduce the amount of time each individual
can speak in order to ensure all members of the public have an opportunity to comment.

None.
4. CONSENT

Consent Calendar items are expected to be routine and non‐controversial and are to be acted
upon by the Committee by one motion, without discussion. If any Committee member, staff
member, or interested person requests that an item be removed from the Consent Calendar
for further discussion, it will be moved to the first item on the Action Agenda.

Western Water | The Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
May 26, 2026
A. Approve the Minutes of the February 24, 2026, Community and Government
Affairs Committee Meeting
Committee members approved minutes of the February 24, 2026, Community and
Government Affairs Committee Meeting, with no changes.
5. ITEMS TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA
(If any) In accordance with Section 54954.2 of the Government Code, upon determination by a
two‐thirds vote of the legislative body, or, if less than two‐thirds of the members are present, a
unanimous vote of those members present that there is a need to take action, and the need to
take action arose after the agenda was posted.

None.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE MADE TO THE FULL BOARD
The following items on the Agenda call for discussion and action by the Committee. All items are
placed on the Agenda so that the Committee may discuss and take action on the item, if the
Committee is so inclined.

A. Receive and File the March-April 2026 Government Affairs and Legislative
Update
This item was presented by: Michael Hadley, Government Affairs Officer II
Committee Recommendation: Forward Item 6A to the full Board of Directors for
consideration.
7. REPORTS
The following agenda items are reports. They are placed on the Agenda to provide information
to the Board and the public. There is no action called for in these items

A. GENERAL MANAGER REPORT
General Manager Craig Miller informed the Committee that Western Water is doing
trial run memberships with the National Water Resources Association and the
California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance (CCEEB) with the goal
of getting businesses and public agencies on the same side of issues. Both
organizations showed support for Senate Bill 72 (SB72), and it’s important to us
that we advocate for them as well.
B. ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER REPORT
Sarah Macdonald, Assistant General Manager, announced that Colonel Amee
Howard is March Air Reserve Base’s new Director of Installation, Sustainment and
Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Western Water | The Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
May 26, 2026
Community Partnerships. Colonel Howard and Sarah were able to meet and
discuss the Colonel’s initial priorities as well as some of our challenges which are
top of mind for the Base. She also shared that the California Water Plan 2028
Advisory Committee (as mandated by SB72) has their first meeting from May 13th
through May 14th. This Committee has strong regional representation including
Western Water’s General Manager Craig Miller, who also represents the California
Municipal Utilities Association. Sarah encouraged the Finance Committee to visit
www.californiawaterplan.com for updates and to view the list of upcoming
meetings.
Lastly, she announced that Western Water is awarding $6 million in grant funding
to Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) in support of the Lee Lake
Wells project. Western Water reallocated additional funds after project costs rose
to nearly three times the original estimate.
C. STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORT
Assistant General Manager Sarah Macdonald reminded the Committee of the
upcoming March Field Air Museum ribbon cutting ceremony taking place on May
20th at 1:00 p.m., which is the official unveiling of our turf transformation project.
D. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE REPORT
Sarah Macdonald, Assistant General Manager, highlighted that the team attended
the City of Murrieta’s (City) Council meeting where funding support was proposed
for its library expansion project, which includes a turf-transformation component.
Western Water and MWD will jointly contribute just over $100,000 to help convert
a portion of the site’s turf into a water-wise landscape.
E. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPORT
1. Leak Notification Program Update
Derrien Cotton, Customer Service Manager, explained that AMI data helps the
team identify potential leaks, with notification thresholds adjusted to avoid
over-alerting customers. Using smart meters, staff connect with customers about
indoor or outdoor leaks and guide them in preventing unnecessary water use. In
2025, the Customer Service team reduced hundreds of bills, saving customers a
total of $21,000. She noted that AMI alerts help customers monitor usage, seek
assistance, and manage their water more effectively. The program strengthens
customer support, reduces financial impacts, and shows how technology
investments improve daily operations.

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Western Water | The Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
May 26, 2026
F. DIRECTORS REPORTS AND REQUESTS
Director Gardner announced that Monte Vista Water District has appointed a new
acting general manager.
Director Roughton reported that the Western Riverside Council of
Governments (WRCOG) has suggested a dress code for its General
Assembly in honor of the keynote speaker Tony Hawk.
8. INFORMATION ITEMS
A. Bi-Annual Sponsorship Report
9. NEXT MEETING
A. Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
10. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Committee, Director Roughton adjourned
the meeting at 10:57 a.m.

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Agenda Item: 6A
Date: May 26, 2026
TO: THE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Director Laura Roughton, Committee Member
Director Fauzia Rizvi, Committee Member
FROM: Sarah Macdonald, Assistant General Manager

RECEIVE AND FILE THE MAY 2026 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
The Community and Government Affairs Committee and Staff recommend the Board of
Directors:
1. Receive and file the May 2026 Government Affairs and Legislative Update.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
At each meeting of the Community and Government Affairs Committee, Western
Municipal Water District staff provides a verbal report. The report is sometimes
accompanied by materials prepared by The Ferguson Group and KP Public Affairs and
includes a high-level overview of relevant topics from both federal and state government
to be discussed in more depth during the meeting.
BUDGET IMPACT:
This action has no budget impact.
DETAIL:
State Updates
Legislative Calendar
•

House of Origin: May 29

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Western Water | Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
Agenda Item: 6A
•
•

State Budget Passage: June 15
Policy to Fiscal Committee: July 2

•

Summer Recess: July 3 – July 31

Governor Releases May Revise Budget

• A verbal update highlighting the May revise will be presented to the Community
and Government Affairs Committee

Bill for Position Discussion
•

SB 1359 (Stern): Gas Transition Responsibility and Electrification Act
o Request for an opposed position from SoCalGas and join coalition letter

Updates on 2026 Bills of Interest
•

AB 1772 (Papan): Invasive mussels

•

AB 1893 (Gallagher): Grants for mobile dip tanks

•

AB 2032 (Ransom): Golden mussels

•

AB 2180 (Ward): Proposition 218: Proportional cost of service

•

AB 2739 (Soria): Water Affordability and System Stabilization Fund

•

SB 872 (McNerney): Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund

•

SB 1001 (Archuleta): Personal Identification Verification-Interoperable

•

SB 1085 (Durazo): Water supply assessments

•

SB 1125 (Menjivar): Water rate assistance program

•

SB 1153 (Caballero): Disaster preparedness: wildfire

Delta Stewardship Council Rejects the Department of Water Resources’
Certification of Consistency for the Delta Conveyance Project
•

Following a 60-day comment period after the February 26-27 hearing, the Delta
Stewardship Council hosted a one-day hearing on April 23 to vote on the
Department of Water Resource’s (DWR) Certification of Consistency for the Delta
Conveyance Project (DCP)
o Western Water submitted a letter in March and encouraged community
partners to submit comment letters as well

•

The Delta Stewardship Council determined that DWR did not prove that the
following two items could be certified under the Delta Plan:

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Western Water | Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
Agenda Item: 6A
o Avoid or mitigate the potential for DCP facilities to improve habitat
conditions for the nonnative invasive golden mussel, and
o Avoid or reduce conflicts between the siting of the Twin Cities Complex and
the Sacramento Area Sewer District’s Harvest Water regarding agricultural
use, groundwater recharge, and Sandhill Crane habitat to the extent
feasible
•

The DSC voted 8 to 1 to remand the project back to DWR, where DWR will have
to resubmit the project to the DSC for another Certification of Consistency,
restarting this regulatory process

Federal Updates
Legislative Calendar
•

Both federal legislative houses in district (Labor Day week): May 25 – 29

•

Both federal legislative houses in session: June 1 – 12

•

Senate in session, House in district: June 15 – 18

•

Both federal legislative houses in session: June 22 – 26

•

House in session, Senate in district: June 29 – July 2

•

Both federal legislative houses in district (Fourth of July): July 3 – 10

•

Both federal legislative houses in session: July 13 – 24

Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Appropriations Season Kicks Off
•

House appropriators have a goal of advancing 12 spending bill packages out of
Appropriations Committee by the end of June

•

The Energy and Water Development bill (funding the Bureau of Reclamation and
Corps of Engineers) heads to subcommittee on May 15, with full committee
markup following May 20

•

The Interior and Environment bill (funding Interior agencies and the EPA) gets its
subcommittee markup just one day later, on May 21, moving to full committee on
June 3

Potential Budget Reconciliation to Fund the Department of Homeland Security
•

The goal is to use budget reconciliation to pass tens of billions of dollars in
mandatory spending for Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) and
Border Patrol without Democratic support
o Funding lapse for DHS is now the longest agency shutdown in U.S. history

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Western Water | Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
Agenda Item: 6A
•

Why it matters to Western Water: DHS shutdown has resulted in a significant delay
in approval of an amendment request to receive grant funding for replacing a
backup generator at WRCRWA

Interior Department Takes Emergency Action on Colorado River Crisis
•

The department will cut releases from Lake Powell to the legal minimum of 6 million
acre-feet through October, while releasing up to a third of the water stored
upstream in Flaming Gorge Reservoir over the next year

•

Together, the actions are expected to raise Powell's water level by roughly 54 feet,
keeping it above the critical 3,500-foot threshold below which hydropower
production at Glen Canyon Dam would be threatened
The moves come with trade-offs: reduced Powell releases will accelerate declining
water levels at Lake Mead, potentially cutting Hoover Dam's hydropower capacity
by up to 40% as early as this fall

•

Over Half of Congressional Water Earmarks Remain Unspent
•

A new report from the agency's Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that more
than half of congressional earmarks designated for municipal water projects have
gone unspent within six months of being awarded, and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) isn't properly tracking why
o 169 of 291 active Clean Water and Drinking Water state revolving fund
(SRF) grants, representing $368 million, had not been drawn down within
180 days of award
o In nearly three-quarters of those cases, EPA staff failed to document the
reason for the delay, leaving the agency unable to ensure projects are
progressing as expected

•

The findings carry added urgency as earmarks consume a growing share of state
revolving funds, and the additional SRF funding from the 2021 bipartisan
infrastructure law is set to expire in September

REASON FOR ACTION:
To ensure members of the Board of Directors are informed of the latest updates on state
and federal legislative and regulatory issues.
SOLUTION:
Receive and file the May 2026 Government Affairs and Legislative Update.

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Western Water | Community and Government Affairs Committee Meeting
Agenda Item: 6A
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES REFERENCE:
This item aligns with Western Water’s Strategic Priority of Superior Service.
LEGAL COUNSEL REVIEW:
Staff has determined that legal review of this item is not necessary.
PROPOSED DATE OF ACTION:
If approved by the Committee, this item is scheduled for consideration by the full Board
of Directors at their meeting on June 17, 2026, or at a subsequent meeting, if necessary.
Respectfully submitted by:
Sarah Macdonald,
Assistant General Manager

Attachments:
1. Priority Bill Report from KP Public Affairs – May 2026
2. Federal Affairs Report from The Ferguson Group – May 2026

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Attachment 1
Western Municipal Water District
Priority Bill List as of 5/15/2026
AB 1772

(Papan D) Fish and wildlife: invasive mussels.
Current Text: Amended: 4/27/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/9/2026
Last Amend: 4/27/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes
0.) (May 14).
Location: 5/13/2026-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Calendar: 5/18/2026 #67 ASSEMBLY SECOND READING
Summary: Existing law, until January 1, 2030, generally prohibits a person from possessing, importing,
shipping, or transporting in the state, or from placing, planting, or causing to be placed or planted in
any water in the state, invasive mussels, and authorizes the Director of Fish and Wildlife or the
director’s designee to engage in various enforcement activities, including ordering the areas in
conveyance that contain water be drained, dried, or decontaminated, as provided. Existing law
requires a public or private agency that operates a water supply system to cooperate with the
Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement measures to avoid infestation by invasive mussels and to
control or eradicate any infestation that may occur in a water supply system. Existing law requires, if
invasive mussels are detected, the operator of a water supply system to, in cooperation with the
department, prepare and implement a plan to control or eradicate invasive mussels within the system,
and eliminate or minimize any potential downstream transport of an invasive mussel. Existing law
requires, on or before December 31, 2026, the department to review all approved plans and require all
plans that do not specifically address all invasive mussel species known to be present in bodies of
water in the state as of January 1, 2026, to be updated or revised appropriately to include all invasive
mussel species, on or before September 30, 2027. Existing law requires every invasive mussel species
to be addressed in a plan no later than 180 days from the date that the species is listed in a certain
regulation. Existing law defines “invasive mussel” for these purposes as any nonnative detrimental
mussel, as provided. Under existing law, except as otherwise provided, any violation of the Fish and
Game Code, or of any rule, regulation, or order made or adopted under the code, is a crime. This bill
would prohibit a conveyance from being launched until a specified drying period has completed, as
provided. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would require the department to require water supply system operators to update their plans
to address all invasive mussel species present in the operator’s water system as of January 1, 2026,
as provided.
Position
Notes 1: ACWA - SUPPORT IF AMENDED

AB 1881

(Ramos D) California Indian Freedom Act of 2026.
Current Text: Amended: 4/16/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/12/2026
Last Amend: 4/16/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).
Location: 5/6/2026-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Calendar: 5/18/2026 #381 ASSEMBLY SECOND READING
Summary: Existing law establishes various protections for California Native American tribes, including
prohibiting a public agency or private party using or occupying public property or operating on public
property from interfering with the free expression or exercise of Native American religion as provided in
the United States Constitution and the California Constitution. Existing law also requires a local
government to provide formal notification to each California Native American tribe that is traditionally
and culturally affiliated with the project site as an invitation to consult on the proposed project, as
provided. Existing law requires the local government, during the consultation, to give deference to the
tribal information, tribal knowledge and customs, and the significance of the resource to the California
Native American tribe. Existing law prohibits any information, as described, that is submitted by a
California Native American tribe during the environmental review process from being included in the
environmental document or otherwise disclosed by the lead agency or any other public agency to the
public, as specified, without the prior consent of the tribe that provided the information. This bill, the
California Indian Freedom Act of 2026, would prohibit a governmental agency from substantially
burdening a California Indian or California Native American tribe’s exercise of religious beliefs or
spiritual practices on state public lands, including their access to and use of sacred sites and objects,
and their ability to perform religious ceremonies and rites, even if the burden results from a rule of

Page 1/8

general applicability, unless the governmental agency demonstrates that application of the burden is in
furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and is in the least restrictive means of furthering
that interest. The bill would authorize a California Indian or tribe to assert a violation of these
provisions as a claim or defense in any judicial or administrative proceeding, as specified. The bill would
require a governmental agency to allow California Indians access to sacred sites on state public lands,
as specified.
Position
Notes 1: ACWA - OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED
CMUA - OPPOSE
AB 2026

(Aguiar-Curry D) Water diversion: groundwater recharge: permit.
Current Text: Amended: 4/22/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/17/2026
Last Amend: 4/22/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes
1.) (May 14).
Location: 5/13/2026-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Calendar: 5/18/2026 #147 ASSEMBLY SECOND READING
Summary: Existing law declares that all water within the state is the property of the people of the
state, but the right to the use of the water may be acquired by appropriation in the manner provided
by law. Existing law requires the appropriation to be for some useful or beneficial purpose. Existing law
provides, however, that the diversion of floodflows for groundwater recharge does not require an
appropriative water right if certain conditions are met, including that a local or regional agency that
has adopted a local plan of flood control or has considered flood risks as part of its most recently
adopted general plan has given notice, as provided, of imminent risk of flooding and inundation of
lands, roads, or structures. Existing law defines “floodflow” for these purposes to include
circumstances in which flows would inundate ordinarily dry areas in the bed of a terminal lake to a
depth that floods dairies and other ongoing agricultural activities, or areas with substantial residential,
commercial, or industrial development. Existing law applies those requirements to diversions
commenced before January 1, 2029. Existing law prohibits an entity from substantially diverting or
obstructing the natural flow of, or substantially changing or using any material from the bed, channel,
or bank of, any river, stream, or lake, or from depositing or disposing of certain material where it may
pass into any river, stream, or lake, without first notifying the Department of Fish and Wildlife of that
activity, and entering into a lake or streambed alteration agreement if required by the department to
protect fish and wildlife resources, except as specified. This bill would revise and recast those
conditions required for the appropriative water right exemption for a diversion of floodflows for
groundwater recharge, would apply the requirements to a diversion commenced before January 1,
2034, and would further exempt those diversions from the requirements of CEQA and requirements
relating to lake or streambed alteration agreements, subject to conducting tribal consultation, as
provided.
Position
Notes 1: ACWA - SUPPORT/AMEND

AB 2032

(Ransom D) Fish and wildlife: golden mussels.
Current Text: Amended: 4/16/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/17/2026
Last Amend: 4/16/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. From committee: Amend, and do pass as
amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).
Location: 5/13/2026-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Calendar: 5/18/2026 #398 ASSEMBLY SECOND READING
Summary: Existing law, until January 1, 2030, generally prohibits a person from possessing, importing,
shipping, or transporting in the state, or from placing, planting, or causing to be placed or planted in
any water within the state, invasive mussels, as defined. Existing law requires a public or private
agency that operates a water supply system to cooperate with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to
implement measures to avoid infestation by invasive mussels and to control or eradicate any
infestation that may occur in a water supply system, and, if invasive mussels are detected, to prepare
and implement a plan, as specified, to control or eradicate invasive mussels within the system. system
(control plan). Existing law prohibits the importation, transportation, possession, or live release of
specified wild animals, except under a revocable, nontransferable permit, known as a restricted

Page 2/8

species permit, issued by the department, in cooperation with the Department of Food and Agriculture,
and only if certain requirements are met. Existing law authorizes the department to issue permits,
commonly known as scientific collecting permits, to take or possess any form of plant or animal life for
scientific, educational, or propagation purposes. This bill would exempt from the requirement to obtain
a restricted species permit for golden mussels a public or private agency that operates a water supply
system and has submitted a control plan to the department for maintenance and operational activities
to control the spread of golden mussels in the water supply system, as specified.
Position

AB 2180

(Ward D) Local government: Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act: proportional cost of
service.
Current Text: Amended: 3/11/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/19/2026
Last Amend: 3/11/2026
Status: 5/6/2026-Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Location: 5/6/2026-S. L. GOV.
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Summary: The California Constitution specifies various requirements with respect to the levying of
assessments and property-related fees and charges by a local agency. As part of those requirements,
the California Constitution mandates that such fees or charges that are extended, imposed, or
increased satisfy certain requirements, including, but not limited to, that the amount of the fee or
charge imposed upon any parcel or person as an incident of property ownership not exceed the
proportional cost of the service attributable to the parcel. Existing law, known as the Proposition 218
Omnibus Implementation Act (act), prescribes specific procedures and parameters for local jurisdictions
to comply with these requirements and, among other things, authorizes an agency providing water,
wastewater, sewer, or refuse collection services to adopt a schedule of fees or charges authorizing
automatic adjustments that pass through increases in wholesale charges for water, sewage
treatment, or wastewater treatment or adjustments for inflation under certain circumstances. This bill
would authorize a local government to demonstrate the proportional cost of the service attributable to
the parcel by any method that reasonably allocates the ascertainable cost of providing service to all
parcels, if substantiated as provided. The bill would, however, provide that for water or sewer service
fee or charge impositions, a local government is not required to provide an exact measure of the cost
of the service at each parcel and may instead impose uniform or tiered rates to parcel or customer
classes that are defined based on common characteristics indicative of likely water or sewer use.
Position
Notes 1: ACWA - SUPPORT/SPONSOR
CMUA - SUPPORT

AB 2214

(Jackson D) Government finance: deposits.
Current Text: Amended: 4/13/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/19/2026
Last Amend: 4/13/2026
Status: 4/14/2026-Re-referred to Com. on B. & F.
Location: 4/13/2026-A. L. GOV.
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Summary: Existing law requires the Treasurer to invest, or deposit into banks and other financial
institutions, specified state moneys designated as surplus as a part of the Pooled Money Investment
Account and determined to be available for that purpose by the Pooled Money Investment Board.
Existing law generally requires banks and other financial institutions to deposit with the Treasurer
securities in a value at least 10% in excess of the amount deposited with the institution to be eligible
to receive deposits of state funds, except as specified. This bill would create within the Pooled Money
Investment Account the Community Reinvestment Account from which deposits shall be made to
institutions that meet specified performance standards including verified small business lending in
underserved census tracts and first-time or first-generation home buyer lending. The bill would require
the Treasurer to transfer $4 billion from the Pooled Money Investment Account to the Community
Reinvestment Account. Because the moneys invested and reinvested as part of the Pooled Money
Investment Account are continuously appropriated, this bill would make an appropriation.
Notwithstanding the above-described securities requirement, this bill would instead require securities,
for a deposit from the Community Reinvestment Account or under the Small Business Lending Time
Deposit Program, to be in an amount in value of at least 90% of the amount deposited with the
institution.
Position

Page 3/8

AB 2218

(Kalra D) Water policy: California Native American tribes.
Current Text: Amended: 4/16/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/19/2026
Last Amend: 4/16/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).
Location: 5/6/2026-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed
Conc.
1st House
2nd House

Chaptered

Calendar: 5/18/2026 #190 ASSEMBLY SECOND READING
Summary: Would require the state government to support California Native Americans to maintain
cultural and linguistic traditions, practice ecosystem stewardship, and engage in good faith
government-to-government consultations with all California Native American tribes regarding policies
that may affect tribal communities.
Position
Notes 1: ACWA - OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED
CMUA - OPPOSE
AB 2568

(Johnson R) Water district directors: compensation.
Current Text: Amended: 4/27/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/20/2026
Last Amend: 4/27/2026
Status: 5/12/2026-In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Location: 5/12/2026-S. RLS.
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed
Conc.
1st House
2nd House

Chaptered

Summary: Existing law authorizes a water district, as defined, to adopt an ordinance that provides
compensation to members of the governing board, as specified. Existing law prohibits a water district
from adopting an ordinance that compensates members of the governing board for more than a total
of 10 days in any calendar month. This bill would, until January 1, 2032, authorize a water district that
has at least 90,000 residents within its jurisdiction to adopt an ordinance that compensates members
of the governing board for up to a total of 15 days in any calendar month, but would require the
members of the governing board of a water district that compensates its members for more than 10
days in a calendar month to annually adopt a written policy describing, based on a finding supported
by substantial evidence, why providing compensation for more than 10 days per calendar month is
necessary for the effective operation of the water district.
Position

AB 2619

(Papan D) Water resources: data centers.
Current Text: Amended: 4/8/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/20/2026
Last Amend: 4/8/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (May 14).
Location: 5/6/2026-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Calendar: 5/18/2026 #295 ASSEMBLY SECOND READING
Summary: Existing law authorizes the legislative body of an incorporated city and the county board of
supervisors to license businesses carried on within their respective jurisdictions and to set license
fees, as specified. This bill would require a person who owns or operates a data center, prior to
applying to a city or a county for an initial business license, equivalent instrument, or permit, to provide
its water supplier, under penalty of perjury, an estimate of the expected water use, the anticipated
source of water, and the data center’s projected water use volume for the maximum day, maximum
month, and average year. When applying to a city or county for an initial business license, the bill
would require a person who owns or operates a data center to report, under penalty of perjury, on
the application, an estimate of the expected water use, the anticipated source of water, and the data
center’s projected water use volume for the maximum day, maximum month, and average year. When
applying to a city or county for a renewal of a business license, equivalent instrument, or permit, the
bill would require a person who owns or operates a data center to report, under penalty of perjury, on
the application, the data center’s annual water use for the preceding calendar year, including total
water use, direct water use, and indirect water use, as prescribed.

Page 4/8

Position

AB 2739

(Soria D) Water: affordability and system stabilization.
Current Text: Amended: 4/6/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/20/2026
Last Amend: 4/6/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
Location: 4/29/2026-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed
Conc.
1st House
2nd House

Chaptered

Calendar: 5/18/2026 #319 ASSEMBLY SECOND READING
Summary: Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Water
Resources. Existing law vests in the department powers, duties, purposes, responsibilities, and
jurisdiction in matters pertaining to water or dams. Existing law declares the responsibility of the state
to assist local governments in providing certain essential services and facilities where water resource
construction projects financed, in whole or in part, by the state or by the state jointly with the federal
government create an undue burden on a local area’s ability to provide these services and facilities.
Existing law, the California Safe Drinking Water Act, requires the State Water Resources Control Board
to administer provisions relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health. Existing
law declares it to be the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to safe,
clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary
purposes. This bill would establish in the State Treasury the Water Affordability and System
Stabilization Fund for holding the principal and income of the Water Affordability and System
Stabilization Trust, which the bill would create. The bill would designate the Treasurer as trustee of the
trust, as specified, and would require the trustee, among other things, to hold, manage, and invest
the principal of the trust with the obligation of providing a growing perpetual source of annual funding
to the Water Rate Assistance Fund, administered by the state board, and the Community Water
Affordability Assistance Fund, administered by the department, beginning 25 years after the
Legislature transfers funding from the General Fund to the Water Affordability and System Stabilization
Fund.
Position
Notes 1: ACWA - SUPPORT
SB 601

(Allen D) Water: waste discharge.
Current Text: Amended: 7/10/2025 html pdf
Introduced: 2/20/2025
Last Amend: 7/10/2025
Status: 8/28/2025-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE
FILE on 8/20/2025)(May be acted upon Jan 2026)
Location: 8/28/2025-A. 2 YEAR
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy 2 year Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Summary: The State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality
control boards regulate water quality and prescribe waste discharge requirements in accordance with
the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (act) and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit program. Under the act, the State Water Resources Control Board is
authorized to adopt water quality control plans for waters for which quality standards are required by
the federal Clean Water Act, as specified, and that in the event of a conflict, those plans supersede
regional water quality control plans for the same waters. This bill would authorize the state board to
adopt water quality control plans for nexus waters, which the bill would define as all waters of the
state that are not also navigable, except as specified. The bill would require any water quality
standard that was submitted to, and approved by, or is awaiting approval by, the United States
Environmental Protection Agency or the state board that applied to nexus waters as of May 24, 2023,
to remain in effect, as provided.
Position
OPPOSE
Notes 1:
ACWA - OPPOSE
CMUA - OPPOSE
CSDA - OPPOSE 3

SB 872

(McNerney D) Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund.
Current Text: Amended: 5/14/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 1/6/2026

Page 5/8

Last Amend: 5/14/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (May 14). Read second
time and amended. Ordered to second reading. (Amended text released 5/15/2026)
Location: 5/14/2026-S. SECOND READING
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed
Conc.
1st House
2nd House

Chaptered

Calendar: 5/18/2026 #3 SENATE SENATE BILLS - SECOND READING FILE
Summary: Existing law, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009, declares that the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is a critically important natural resource for California and the
nation and it serves as both the hub of the California water system and the most valuable estuary and
wetland ecosystem on the west coast of North and South America. Existing law establishes in the
Natural Resources Agency the Department of Water Resources. Existing law requires the department
and the Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine the principal options for the Delta and requires
the department to evaluate and comparatively rate each option for its ability to do specified things,
including, among others, to maintain Delta water quality for Delta users, and to preserve, protect, and
improve Delta levees. Existing law establishes in the agency the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Conservancy. Existing law requires the conservancy to act as a primary state agency to implement
ecosystem restoration in the Delta and to support efforts that advance environmental protection and
the economic well-being of Delta residents. Existing law provides for the preservation of specified
management areas of the Suisun Marsh, pursuant to a protection plan prepared and adopted by the
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, as provided. Existing law establishes
the Delta Stewardship Council, and requires the council to develop, adopt, and implement a
comprehensive long-term management plan for the Delta, known as the Delta Plan, as provided. This
bill would establish the Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund in the State Treasury and, upon
appropriation, would make the moneys in the fund available to the Secretary of the Natural Resources
Agency for expenditure consistent with the allocations described below. The bill would authorize the
secretary to seek out, and the fund to accept, state moneys from, among other sources, any bond
funds, the General Fund, or the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Position
SUPPORT
SB 1001

(Archuleta D) Local agency, public utility, or mutual water company: personnel access: Personal
Identity Verification-Interoperable.
Current Text: Amended: 4/21/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/9/2026
Last Amend: 4/21/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Location: 4/27/2026-S. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Summary: Existing law authorizes officers of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, police
departments, marshal’s office or sheriff’s office, and officers or employees of the Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection or the Department of Fish and Wildlife designated as peace officers to
close to all unauthorized persons an area where a menace to the public health or safety created by a
calamity exists for the duration of the menace and the immediate area surrounding any emergency
field command post or any other command post activated for the purpose of abating a calamity, riot, or
other civil disturbance, as specified. Under existing law, an unauthorized person who enters or
remains in a closed area, as prescribed, is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would, beginning on July 1,
2028, require the Office of Emergency Services, upon request, to issue a local agency, public utility, or
mutual water company responsible for public works and critical infrastructure with specified
credentialing to facilitate personnel access to an area during or following a natural disaster, act of
terrorism, or other man-made disaster. The bill would specify that the credentialing, a Personal Identity
Verification-Interoperable (PIV-I), would conform with the federal Personal Identity Verification
standards pursuant to federal National Incident Management System guidelines.
Position

SB 1085

(Durazo D) Water supply planning: housing developments.
Current Text: Amended: 4/23/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/13/2026
Last Amend: 4/23/2026
Status: 5/12/2026-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Location: 5/12/2026-S. THIRD READING
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed
Conc.
1st House
2nd House

Chaptered

Page 6/8

Calendar: 5/18/2026 #180 SENATE SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Summary: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to be
responsible for determining whether a project is exempt from CEQA and whether an environmental
impact report, a negative declaration, or a mitigated negative declaration is required. Existing law
requires a city or county that determines a certain type of project is subject to the requirements of
CEQA to identify any public water system that may supply water for the project and to request those
public water systems to prepare a specified water supply assessment, as provided. This bill, among
other things, would instead require a city or county, upon receipt of a preliminary application for a
housing development project that meets certain conditions, or upon a development application for
certain projects being determined as complete or deemed complete, to make that identification of
public water systems. The bill would require a city or county, within 15 days of receiving an application
that meets either of the above-mentioned criteria, to request each identified public water system to
determine whether the projected water demand associated with the proposed project was included in
the most recently adopted urban water management plan.
Position
SUPPORT
SB 1125

(Menjivar D) Water Rate Assistance Program.
Current Text: Amended: 5/14/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/17/2026
Last Amend: 5/14/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (May 14). Read second
time and amended. Ordered to second reading. (Amended text released 5/15/2026)
Location: 5/14/2026-S. SECOND READING
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Calendar: 5/18/2026 #52 SENATE SENATE BILLS - SECOND READING FILE
Summary: Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to develop a plan for the
funding and implementation of the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. Existing law requires
the plan to include, among other things, a description of the method for collecting moneys to support
and implement the program and a description of the method for determining the amount of moneys
that may need to be collected from water ratepayers to fund the program. This bill would establish the
Water Rate Assistance Program. As part of the program, the bill would establish the Water Rate
Assistance Fund in the State Treasury, available upon appropriation by the Legislature, to provide
water affordability assistance for residential water services to low-income residential ratepayers, as
specified. The bill would require the state board to take various actions in administering the fund,
including, among other things, tracking and managing revenue in the fund separately from all other
revenue. The bill would require the state board, in consultation with relevant agencies and after a
public hearing, to adopt guidelines for implementation of the program and to adopt an annual report to
be posted on the state board's internet website identifying how the fund has performed, as specified.
The bill would require the guidelines to include minimum requirements for eligible systems, including
the ability to confirm eligibility for enrollment through a request for self-certification of eligibility under
penalty of perjury.
Position

SB 1153

(Caballero D) Disaster preparedness: urban retail water suppliers and public water systems:
wildfire.
Current Text: Amended: 4/28/2026 html pdf
Introduced: 2/18/2026
Last Amend: 4/28/2026
Status: 5/14/2026-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (May 14). Read second time. Ordered
to third reading.
Location: 5/14/2026-S. THIRD READING
Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.
Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
Conc.
1st House
2nd House
Calendar: 5/18/2026 #270 SENATE SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Summary: The California Emergency Services Act requires all public water systems, as defined, with
10,000 or more service connections to review and revise their disaster preparedness plans in
conjunction with related agencies, including, but not limited to, local fire departments and the Office of
Emergency Services, to ensure that the plans are sufficient to address possible disaster scenarios. A
person, as defined, who violates the provisions of this act is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill,
beginning January 1, 2028, would require all urban retail water suppliers, as defined, serving a high or
very high fire hazard severity zone to include incident-specific response procedures for wildfires as part
of their disaster preparedness plans, including any applicable emergency response plan as required by
federal law. The bill would require these plans to include, among other things, mitigation actions,

Page 7/8

including actions, procedures, and equipment, that can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a
wildfire on the water system and the supply of drinking water provided by the water supplier. Because
violation of these requirements by certain urban retail water suppliers would constitute a
misdemeanor, the bill would expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local
program.
Position
SUPPORT
Notes 1: ACWA - SUPPORT/SPONSOR
CMUA - SUPPORT
Total Measures: 16
Total Tracking Forms: 16

Page 8/8

Attachment 2

Western Municipal Water District
Federal Affairs Report – May 2026
Congress Ends 76-Day DHS Shutdown
After a record-breaking 76-day funding lapse, Congress passed a bipartisan bill on April 30, 2026, restoring money to
key DHS agencies including the Coast Guard, TSA, Secret Service, and FEMA. President Trump signed the bill into
law.
The bill doesn't cover immigration enforcement agencies like Border Patrol and ICE or resolve the policy disputes
behind the shutdown. Republicans are already moving on a separate “skinny” package to fund those agencies, using
the budget reconciliation maneuver to bypass the Senate filibuster.
Republicans Divided on a Third Budget Bill
Congressional Republicans are pushing forward on a second party-line spending bill to fund immigration enforcement
(see above), but appetite for a third "reconciliation" bill, one that could advance GOP priorities on energy, permitting,
and fraud prevention, seems to be in flux.
The last two times Congress used budget reconciliation to provide water infrastructure funding were the Inflation
Reduction Act (provided over $4 billion for water projects in the Colorado River Basin and other similar basins
experiencing drought conditions, among other water projects), and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (provided $1 billion
in funding for enhanced storage and conveyance projects west-wide).
The hesitation stems from a crowded legislative calendar, the constraints of the reconciliation process, and the
political risks of tough votes heading into midterm season. With Republicans already juggling their immigration
funding bill which they hope to send to President Trump by June 1, a third major legislative push may be a bridge too
far.
House ESA Overhaul Stalls Amid Republican Divisions
A House Republican-backed rewrite of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is in limbo after House Natural Resources
Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) pulled the bill due to internal GOP opposition. Westerman says he has "work to do"
and hopes to revive it, possibly sometime in May, but offered no firm timeline.
The legislation ran into trouble largely over offshore drilling concerns. After the Trump Administration exempted
Gulf of America drilling from ESA requirements, Florida Republicans grew uneasy, given broad bipartisan opposition
to new offshore drilling off their coasts.
Opinions within the party are split. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) said the bill "missed the mark" but expressed support
for reforming the law, noting that only three of 1,600 listed species have been effectively recovered.
Colorado River Crisis Deepens
Federal forecasters are projecting record-low flows into Lake Powell this summer, with just 13% of average inflow
predicted after a historically hot and dry winter left snowpack at record lows across the region's mountain headwaters.
The outlook threatens water supplies for farmers, cities, and communities across the West.
In response, Arizona, California, and Nevada have proposed cutting their combined water use by at least 3.2 million
acre-feet over the next two years, their deepest reductions yet, if there is federal compensation for farmers, cities, and
TheFergusonGroup.com • 1901 Pennsylvania Ave. NW • Suite 700 • Washington, DC 20006 • 202.331.8500

tribes who forgo that water. The proposal also calls for maximizing deliveries to the lower basin from upper basin
reservoirs. Upstream states are calling the plan a legal overreach that threatens their own supplies. With no consensus
among the seven basin states, federal litigation looming, and a unilateral federal management plan in the works, a
resolution remains elusive.
Bureau of Reclamation Opens Three More WaterSMART Funding Opportunities
The Bureau of Reclamation on May 14, 2026, released funding announcements for three WaterSMART programs
aimed at expanding and protecting water supplies across the Western United States.
Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse (opportunity no. R26AS00079) and Desalination Construction
(R26AS00034) both support the planning, design, and construction of water reuse and desalination facilities.
Together, these programs help communities diversify water portfolios and reduce vulnerability to drought. Both
programs offer two application rounds, the first due August 26, 2026, and the second due August 26, 2027. Applicants
must also submit a project feasibility study; first-round studies are due June 26, 2026. Reclamation will host an
informational webinar on June 2, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. MT.
Enhancing Water Resources Projects (R26AS00017, formerly Environmental Water Resources Projects) funds
collaborative, on-the-ground actions such as watershed restoration, fish passage, water conservation, and
infrastructure improvements. All projects must demonstrate quantifiable watershed health benefits and serve multiple
water users. First-round applications close September 9, 2026, and second-round applications close September 8,
2027. A webinar is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. MDT, and prospective applicants can also schedule oneon-one consultation calls with Reclamation staff.
All three funding opportunities are available on grants.gov. We are still awaiting award announcements for the Water
Energy Efficiency Grant (WEEG) program from 2024, after which we expect a new NOFO for WEEG 2026.
EPA Set to Move Forward With PFAS Drinking Water Rollbacks
Following White House clearance on May 1, EPA is set to propose two rules rolling back Biden-era drinking water
limits for PFAS "forever chemicals."
One rule would extend the compliance deadline for PFOA and PFOS limits from 2029 to 2031. The other would
rescind limits entirely for four other PFAS, including GenX chemicals. EPA argues the Biden Administration failed to
follow proper procedures when setting those four standards.
Health advocates are pushing back, warning the rollbacks would put millions of Americans at greater risk. A federal
appeals court is also weighing a separate legal challenge to the original 2024 rule.
EPA to Issue New Guidance on PFAS in Sewage Sludge
The EPA is developing new guidance on "forever chemicals" in land-applied sewage sludge used as fertilizer, aiming
to correct what officials say were shortcomings in a Biden-era report that caused confusion among states and utilities.
The agency says the guidance will more accurately reflect real-world exposure scenarios and be accessible to general
audiences.
PFAS chemicals, linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and other serious health conditions are commonly found in sewage
sludge spread on farmland, golf courses, and rangelands, and have been blamed for contaminating water and soil in
multiple states. While the EPA acknowledges health risks exist in certain scenarios, it is not moving toward federal
regulations requiring sludge to be tested for PFAS, leaving advocates and affected communities calling for stronger
action.
Industry Coalition Targets EPA Veto Power Over Permits
A new industry coalition is pressing the Trump Administration to curtail EPA's authority to block dredge-and-fill
permits under Clean Water Act Section 404(c), a power some critics say can be used to kill energy, mining, and
infrastructure projects even after they've been permitted and built.

Page 2

The "Fix the EPA Veto Coalition" is calling for an executive order and formal rulemaking to limit when and how the
veto power can be used by EPA. The group's central concern is that a future Democratic administration could
retroactively block projects approved under Trump, citing past examples like the Obama Administration's post-permit
veto of a West Virginia coal mine.
The coalition is particularly focused on protecting projects in Alaska and across the West, including LNG terminals,
critical mineral sites, and Arctic energy development. EPA rarely uses its 404(c) authority, but the coalition argues
that its open-endedness creates investment uncertainty and should be reined in with clear timelines and defined limits.
Army Corps Seeks Sec. 7001 Proposals for 2027 Water Resources Report
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is accepting proposals from non-federal interests for inclusion in its 2027
Annual Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development. The deadline to submit is September 1, 2026.
The report gives communities a path to request new congressional authorizations or modifications to existing ones for
water resources studies, projects, and environmental infrastructure programs. Eligible submitters include local
governments, public bodies, Indian tribes, and qualifying nonprofits. Proposals can be submitted by emailing a
completed form to [email protected].
USGS Launches Tool to Track Water Stress Nationwide
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has unveiled a new online tool that lets water planners and businesses assess
water availability across roughly 80,000 watersheds nationwide now and into the future.
The National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion pulls together stream monitoring data, satellite
observations, and climate modeling to map where water supply and demand are out of balance. About 8 percent of the
U.S. population lives in areas where demand consistently meets or exceeds natural supply and the results are
sometimes surprising.
Despite abundant river water, 42 percent of the Mississippi Embayment faces stress due to heavy irrigation for rice
and cotton. Meanwhile, the Central and Southern High Plains spanning Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas are
strained by slim precipitation and high irrigation demand.
House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Western Water Legislation
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on April 29,
2026, on H.R. 8259, the "Reclamation Project Consultation Improvement Act," introduced by Oregon Republican
Rep. Cliff Bentz. The bill aims to increase transparency in the biological assessments that govern federal water
management decisions and would allow affected water users to comment on draft biological opinions issued under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The subcommittee also took up two other bills from South Dakota Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson: H.R. 7287, the
"Lewis and Clark Regional Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Act," and H.R. 7331, the "Dakota Mainstem
Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act," both of which would authorize feasibility studies for regional rural water
infrastructure projects.
Former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne Dies at 74
Dirk Kempthorne, who served as Interior Secretary under President George W. Bush and as a two-term governor of
Idaho, died April 24, 2026, after a battle with colon cancer. He was 74.
Colleagues remembered him as a pragmatic consensus-builder with an extraordinary gift for remembering names and
faces. His tenure was defined by tension between industry interests and conservation, but he was also known as a
problem solver within the complex mission of the Interior Department. On water issues, he was instrumental in
helping forge a seven-state agreement to manage shortages on the Colorado River, a notable achievement today as
these same states now struggle to find consensus again as that agreement sunsets.

Page 3

Before joining Interior, Kempthorne served as a popular mayor of Boise, a U.S. Senator, and Governor of State of
Idaho. He is survived by his legacy of public service and by the USS Idaho, a nuclear submarine whose engine room
bears his name, commissioned the day after his death.
As always, it is a pleasure serving the Western Municipal Water District. If this report brings rise to any questions,
please contact Mark Limbaugh at (202) 286-8887 or Christopher Kearney at (202) 549-1583.

Page 4

Agenda Item: 7C
Date: May 26, 2026
TO: THE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Director Laura Roughton, Committee Member
Director Fauzia Rizvi, Committee Member
FROM: Sarah Macdonald, Assistant General Manager

ENHANCED FACILITY SIGNAGE UPDATE

Western Water | 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside | 951.571.7100 | WesternWaterCA.gov

Enhanced Facility Signage Update
Arlington Desalter • WRCWRA • WWRF

PROJECT PURPOSE
The need for new and
improved signage
• Support public educational tours
• Simplify complex processes
• Update branding
• Enhance behind-the-scenes, valuebased storytelling

ARLINGTON
DESALTER SIGNAGE

BEFORE

AFTER

Makes complex water treatment easier to understand

WASTEWATER
FACILITY SIGNAGE

WRCWRA - AFTER

Shows the full wastewater journey from start to finish

WWRF - AFTER

THE IMPACT
• Stronger visual storytelling
• Elevated tour experience
• Cohesive look across facilities
• Improves visitor understanding
• Team collaboration across
departments

Thank you!