ACWA Releases New Tools on Drought Messaging by ACWA Staff Apr 13, 2022 Water News In response to a third year of drought — with a January to March period that is the driest on record — ACWA has prepared communication tools to assist member agencies as they engage with customers, stakeholders and news media. Now is the time to encourage your local communities to continue to use water wisely while also educating them about efforts your agency continues to take toward safeguarding water supplies for climactic extremes that result in longer dry periods. ACWA’s new spring Drought Toolkit includes messages encouraging customers to conserve water throughout the spring and summer months, while also sharing with media and other stakeholders the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to drought response that includes conservation, investments, lessons learned from the previous drought and more. Member login is required to access to the toolkit documents. Member agencies are urged to use them as they engage at the local level. They include: A customizable drought op-ed template to provide a regional, comprehensive look at how water agencies are addressing the drought; Both urban and agriculture-related talking points; A customizable newsletter article that encourages customers to conserve water and provides some tips on how to start; and The Department of Water Resources’ Save Our Water social media posts and graphics to communicate outdoor water saving tips with customers. Other resources include: An informational fact sheet for water agencies on the State Water Resources Control Board’s emergency water use regulations. ACWA’s dedicated webpage www.acwa.com/drought has links to drought resources, including proclamations, water agency efforts in resiliency and communications tools. Agency Summaries: The webpage www.acwa.com/drought-response features a summary of various member agencies’ drought responses, including mandatory or voluntary conservation orders and links to agencies’ Water Shortage Contingency Plans. The site has served as an information clearinghouse for the media and policymakers. It’s not too late to add or update information about your agency. Water Resilience Funding: ACWA continues to track the allocation of funding for the 2021-’22 state budget that included $3.58 billion of the Water Resilience Package funding. The tracking sheet is available for members online.