ACWA Priorities Connect with Water Stewardship and Affordability by Ernie Avila Jul 19, 2024 Voices on Water ACWA member agencies are stewards of the communities they serve. In this capacity, they are responsible for the reliability of their communities’ water supplies, the infrastructure required for their delivery on a 24/7/365 basis, the protection of its water quality from the headwaters to the tap, and for cost-effective delivery of these services, particularly to those with fixed incomes or limited means. ACWA must continue to engage and advocate effectively for our members’ interests, especially as new state and federal standards, combined with aging infrastructure and inflationary issues, drive up the cost of service to our ACWA member agency communities. As laboratory technology advances, enabling the detection of contaminants at ever more minute levels, regulations in turn demand more of water agencies in testing and treating water. As vital to the protection of public health as the standard-setting process is, it often results in significantly increased costs to water agencies to design, build, operate and maintain treatment technologies to keep pace with new regulations. That in turn can drive increases in water rates, which works against our goal of keeping water affordable. Keeping our water in compliance with drinking water standards is paramount to protecting public health. However, there is a balance that can be achieved. When developing new water quality standards, the law requires regulators to consider economic and technical feasibility. Regulators need to consider that treatment costs will ultimately affect customer water affordability. That is why ACWA strongly supports both scientific decisions that are based on sound, peer-reviewed science and standard-setting that is based on rigorous analyses, including cost analyses as part of economic feasibility determinations. Additionally, public processes that allow for meaningful input into these actions are critical. A well-designed low-income rate assistance (LIRA) program could help low-income households with water affordability, but the details matter. The program needs to be reasonable and efficient. SB 1255 (Durazo, D-Los Angeles) was initially a study bill, but it was amended on June 3 in the Assembly to propose a LIRA program that would be funded with voluntary contributions. ACWA members have strong concerns that the bill, as currently drafted, would not work. For example, if customers did not see a notice and affirmatively opt out, they would be charged a “voluntary” contribution. ACWA is suggesting an “opt-in” approach, along with other amendments, and the work on this bill continues. In the bigger picture, public water agencies are managing aging infrastructure that requires significant investments in the near term to ensure safe and reliable water service in the future. A long-term approach on water affordability will require continued advocacy by ACWA regarding standard-setting, water infrastructure and low-income rate assistance. As water leaders, managers and stewards, ours is a job that never gets easier. But we always discover innovative strategies that produce solutions. I am confident that will prove the case with addressing water affordability and reliability.
