ACWA East Enhancing Advocacy Opportunities for Members in Washington by Marwan Khalifa Jul 24, 2026 Voices on Water Among countless highlights during my time at ACWA, one that stands out took place not in Sacramento, or even California, but across the country in our nation’s capital. Working alongside our ACWA East staff while advocating for members in Washington D.C. has been a privilege, as well as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ve witnessed firsthand how navigating the federal process demands policy expertise, stellar communication skills and limitless patience. Our three-member federal team possesses these qualities in abundance and uses them to your benefit. Led by Director of Federal Relations Ian Lyle and including Federal Relations Representatives Caleb Raspler and Libby Spekhardt, ACWA East’s work is guided by the association’s Federal Affairs Committee under the leadership of Chair Jolene Walsh and Vice Chair Scott Petersen. The federal process poses many challenges, but I’m proud to report progress in several areas that answer our members’ concerns, especially in the area of federal funding, which member agencies consistently rank as a top concern. On the legislative front, staff constantly engages with members of the California delegation and partners on Capitol Hill. This work focuses on federal water infrastructure appropriations and reauthorizations of multiple key federal programs, such as helping secure Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. Additionally, ACWA is continuing to position key water measures for inclusion in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). WRDA includes various ACWA priorities for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects, such as water supply, drought resiliency, dam safety, forecast-informed reservoir operations and environmental infrastructure funding. Currently, legislation moving in the Senate also includes ACWA-supported bills to reauthorize the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program, expand large-scale water recycling and establish a Water Project Navigators program to help communities access federal water infrastructure funding. All three bills recently advanced out of the committee process and are now eligible for a vote in the full Senate. On the regulatory front, ACWA is working on numerous fronts to support Safe Drinking Water Act procedures to regulate drinking water contaminants such as PFAS, by recommending stability and long-term infrastructure investments in federal financial policies and requirements, as well as consistent, efficient permitting for environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. Recently, ACWA further strengthened its already robust federal advocacy by rejoining the National Water Resources Association (NWRA), a federation of state water associations that focuses on western water policy issues. Under NWRA’s membership model, all ACWA member agencies can access its membership benefits at no additional cost. It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead ACWA as a world-class organization, with effective advocacy benefiting our members and the communities they serve. And while far away geographically, the ACWA East team plays a vital role in helping our members achieve their mission here in California. You can count on them to remain engaged, adaptable and effective as we navigate an evolving federal landscape together.
