ACWA e-News for July 28, 2010

Public comments are invited on eight methodologies developed by the Department of Water Resources to help water agencies calculate urban water conservation targets under SB7X 7. Enacted as part of the comprehensive legislative package on water last fall, SB7X 7 requires a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use by 2020.

To reach that goal, the legislation requires urban retail water suppliers who provide more than 3,000 acre-feet of water per year, or who serve more than 3,000 connections, to develop urban water use targets for the year 2020.

The Department of Water Resources will hold its second of two listening sessions on Thursday, July 29, to take public input on SBX7 7, the legislation approved last November requiring agricultural water districts to measure all deliveries and also to develop a methodology to quantify the efficient use of agricultural water.

The session will begin at 9 a.m. at the Natural Resources Building in Sacramento. A similar session was held July 27 in Fresno.

The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Preferred Provider Program (APP) is looking to augment its current group of APPs with an In-Conduit Hydroelectric Generation (IHG) provider, which can assist its members in meeting the mandates of current legislation.

Protecting the Water Supply
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Full Committee Hearing

Chairwoman Boxer (D-Calif.)will hold a hearing on protecting the nation's water treatment facilities.

When: Wednesday, July 28, 2:30 p.m.
Where: 406 Dirksen Bldg.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior & Environment yesterday marked up the FY 2011 spending bill funding the Department of Interior, EPA and related agencies. The House Subcommittee approved $11 billion for the Department of Interior; equal to last year’s enacted level and $133 million less than the President’s request. The Subcommittee approved $10 billion for the EPA, $271 million less than last year’s enacted level and $2 million less than the President’s request.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will consider the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2010 on Thursday, July 29th. According to committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN), the committee has withdrawn all Republican project requests in light of a letter pulling all such requests from House Republican leadership.

Online registration opened today for workshops to be held in August throughout the state to discuss the draft SBX7 6 Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program. These six workshops, hosted by ACWA and the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will offer attendees the opportunities to learn about the program, volunteer criteria, ask questions, and provide public input while the provisions are in draft form.