ACWA Excellence in Water Leadership Award

ACWA's Excellence in Water Leadership Award – Building a World of Difference^® recognizes people (individuals or groups) who have made a remarkable and visible contribution to the enhancement, protection or development of water resources in California. (Specific projects and programs are not eligible.)

The recipient has the honor of presenting a $5,000 charitable donation to a non-profit organization that works toward the enhancement and / or protection of California’s water resources. The award is sponsored by Black & Veatch Corporation.

Nomination forms must be received by MARCH 1 of each year. The award is presented annually at ACWA's Spring Conference & Exhibition.

**NOTE: DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL MARCH 11, 2013!

• Excellence in Water Leadership Award Nomination Form [1]

Past Award Recipients

Max Sakato (2012)

Twenty two-year general manager of Reclamation District 1500 and Sutter Mutual Water Company who formed and led the Sacramento Valley Flood Control Action Workgroup, which brought together rural and urban interests to provide locally acceptable solutions to the Department of Water Resources as it developed the comprehensive Central Valley Flood Protection Plan.

Below is the award presentation at ACWA's 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition.

Daniel G. Nelson (2011)

Nineteen-year executive director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority whose contributions to California water include collaborating in the “Three-Way Process,” which led to the signing of the Bay Delta Accord and the CALFED program.

Walter J. Bishop (2010)

Seventeen-year general manager for Contra Costa Water District whose contributions to California water include overseeing design and construction of Los Vaqueros Reservoir, participating in key negotiations on Delta policies and founding a center for water and wastewater that has educated dozens of California water leaders.

Recycled Water Stakeholders Group (2009)

An (unlikely) coalition of water and environmental advocates whose members bridged their differences to craft a workable statewide recycled water policy in less than four months. The State Water Resources Control Board later approved the policy with few changes.