Legislative Update

 

California Rural Water Association (CRWA) strives to provide reliable, efficient, and most of all quality support to water and wastewater systems throughout California. We have been privileged to provide services such as technical assistance, training, source water analysis, smoke testing, energy efficiency auditing, emergency response, leak detection, and board training free of charge through the federal United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) programs. CRWA currently serves utilities under the following federal programs:

 

USDA

  • Circuit Rider Program
  • Wastewater Training and Technical Assistance
  • Program
  • Grassroots Source Water Protection Program
  • Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider Program
  • Decentralized Training and Technical Assistance Program

EPA

  • EPA Training and Technical Assistance Program
  • EPA Training and Technical Assistance for Wastewater Systems
  • EPA Technical Assistance for Decentralized Wastewater Systems
  • EPA Tribal Technical Assistance for Wastewater Systems

 

In the last five years alone CRWA staff have provided nearly 127,000 hours of technical assistance. Let’s take a look at this quick recap of our efforts for 2023.

In 2023 our Federal Programs team provided the following support:

  • 19,377 hours of support
  • 3,558 hours onsite
  • 891 total unique system contacts
  • 15 free training classes
  • 101 training attendees

So how can you help?

These programs could not be as successful without the support of our legislature. That’s where you can help! Our board and staff will return to DC, in February 2025, to meet with our state representatives and senators to encourage their continued support for these programs. Please write a letter of support to your representative asking for their continued support of these programs. Below is a link to a sample letter that you may utilize as a guide or simply paste onto your system letterhead and adjust as needed. We thank you for your service to our communities and hope to hear from you soon.

Your efforts make our programs possible.

Let Washington know you support CRWA! Click here and enter your zip code to find your federal representative.

Click here (MS Word Doc) for a sample letter of support.

Can you attend?

National Rural Water Association hosts a Rural Water Rally and invites supporters to attend. For more information about the rally please visit NRWA’s event page.

Pictured left to right: Ruby Brungess (CRWA Executive Assistant and Programs Manager, Representative Mike Thompson, Teresa Tanaka (CRWA Board Director), and Mark Brannigan (CRWA Board Director).

Join Us for Rural Water Rally 2025

Show your support for Rural Water California Rural Water Association (CRWA) board and staff will be joining the National Rural Water Rally in Washington, D.C., in February 2025. Every year, Rural Water Associations gather in D.C. to discuss current regulatory changes...

read more

CRWA and HPUD: A Model Partnership for Rural Utility Success

Herlong Public Utility District’s journey from a non-profit to a thriving special district highlights the vital role CRWA played in securing funding, upgrading infrastructure, and educating staff to serve the needs of a small Northeastern California community By Sandy...

read more