The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) recognized the Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) as a winner of
ACWA’s 2022 “Most Effective Agency on Federal Issues” Award. OCWD was chosen as a result of the District’s demonstrated and active engagement on federal issues as prioritized by the ACWA Federal Affairs Committee.
“Thank you, ACWA, for recognizing our work to influence legislation that protect and increase water supplies in Orange County and beyond,” said OCWD Director Denis Bilodeau. “Our efforts have resulted in increased funding for local projects and legislative change. We must continue to impress on lawmakers the need to secure water supply reliability for the region through large infrastructure investments and enhanced coordination between the state and federal governments.”
OCWD was recognized for its robust legislative efforts in 2021 including supporting federal bills that provided funding for water infrastructure and advocating for two key per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) priorities: provide an exemption from PFAS liability for water and wastewater agencies under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and preserve the Safe Drinking Water Act’s current provisions that include a cost-benefit analysis in the development of new drinking water standards.
In collaboration with the 19 water providers the District serves, OCWD actively engages on and monitors legislation in Sacramento and Washington D.C. to advance its mission of providing a safe and reliable water supply to the 2.5 million people it serves. Director Bilodeau received the award on behalf of the District at ACWA’s DC2022 Conference in Washington D.C. on July 13.
About Orange County Water District
The Orange County Water District is committed to enhancing Orange County’s groundwater quality and reliability in an environmentally friendly and economical manner. The following cities rely on the groundwater basin, managed by OCWD, to provide 77% of their water demands:
Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda.
About ACWA
The Association of California Water Agencies is the largest statewide coalition of public water agencies in the country. Its 430 public agency members are collectively responsible for 90% of the water delivered to cities, farms and businesses in California. ACWA’s mission is to help
members promote the development, management and use of good quality water at the lowest practical cost and in an environmentally responsible manner. For more information, please visit www.acwa.com.