CUWA COMMITTEES

CUWA's committees focus on current priority urban water issues. Each lead committee is led by one or two Board member(s) and includes one representative elected by each member agency. The committees are guided by a charter that articulates goals and operations and, based on the priorities of the Board, they develop work plans for specific upcoming projects. As needed, CUWA forms workgroups (or sub-committees) to address important topics that require near-term, specialized attention within the broader, standing committee topic.

CUWA also has several supporting committees that support work products developed by lead committees and provide a forum for internal information exchange on topics of mutual interest. Depending on CUWA Board priorities, committee functions may differ from one year to the next (e.g., lead committees may shift to a supporting role when there is not a need for a work product or outreach activity).

CUWA’s FY 2024 Committees are summarized below.

Lead Committees

  • Affordability & Revenues - CUWA agencies are working to identify solutions that support customer affordability while maintaining utility revenue sustainability. As the State progresses development of a statewide low-income rate assistance (LIRA) program, CUWA is engaged in the discussion and providing technical perspective on approaches to manage the cost of water and address customers’ ability to pay. CUWA’s Affordability Policy Principles reflect CUWA agencies’ shared commitment to providing safe and reliable drinking water for customers at all income levels.

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) - CUWA agencies are committed to integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion into all CUWA activities. CUWA’s DEI Policy Principles provide a framework for ensuring DEI is reflected in all facets of CUWA’s work, while CUWA’s DEI Toolkit shares best practices and lessons learned to help benefit and improve CUWA agencies and the entire water community in their DEI efforts.

  • Reliability & Resilience - CUWA’s Reliability & Resilience Committee engages in state water planning and resilience efforts and develops technical and policy information on drought, climate change, infrastructure needs, and other factors affecting water supply reliability. CUWA's issue brief on Strengthening California’s Drought Resilience, which was prepared in collaboration with the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), describes the various factors that affect local water shortage contingency plans and offers recommendations on how the state can help strengthen drought preparation and response. CUWA’s issue brief on Advancing California’s Water Supply Strategy identifies barriers to implementing new supply and storage projects and presents recommendations for how to overcome them.

  • Communications - CUWA’s Communications Committee was formed in FY 2023 to help align messaging on important topics (including drought response and long-term water resilience) and improve consumer confidence of tap water. CUWA’s Communications Committee has been closely coordinating with the state’s Save Our Water campaign to discuss ways that state and local messaging can complement each other.

Supporting Committees

  • Operations - The Operations Committee exchanges information and best practices on emergency response and ongoing operations. Recent topics include drought and wildfire response, supply chain disruptions, and workforce challenges.

  • Water Quality - The Water Quality Committee addresses challenges related to contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), distribution water quality, and wildfire impacts on water quality. A joint workshop between CUWA’s Water Quality Committee and Operations Committee resulted in recommendations for preparing for and responding to wildfires, which informed the June 2021 cover story of AWWA’s Opflow. CUWA agencies are also preparing for compliance with new drinking water regulations, such as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and pending microplastics regulations.

  • Water Reuse - CUWA’s Water Reuse Committee is focused on preparing for upcoming direct potable reuse (DPR) regulations, exploring water equity considerations associated with reuse, and collaborating on innovative approaches.