The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has recognized the Orange County Water District (OCWD) as a winner of ACWA’s 2022 “Most Effective Agency on Federal Issues” Award.
OCWD was chosen as a result of the District’s demonstrated and active engagement on federal issues as prioritized by the ACWA Federal Affairs Committee.
“Thank you, ACWA, for recognizing our work to influence legislation that protect and increase water supplies in Orange County and beyond,” said OCWD Director Denis Bilodeau. “Our efforts have resulted in increased funding for local projects and legislative change. We must continue to impress on lawmakers the need to secure water supply reliability for the region through large infrastructure investments and enhanced coordination between the state and federal governments.”
OCWD was recognized for its robust legislative efforts in 2021 including supporting federal bills that provided funding for water infrastructure and advocating for two key per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) priorities: provide an exemption from PFAS liability for water and wastewater agencies under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and preserve the Safe Drinking Water Act’s current provisions that include a cost-benefit analysis in the development of new drinking water standards.
In collaboration with the 19 water providers the district serves, OCWD actively engages on and monitors legislation in Sacramento and Washington D.C. to advance its mission of providing a safe and reliable water supply to the 2.5 million people it serves.
Director Bilodeau received the award on behalf of the District at ACWA’s DC2022 Conference in Washington D.C. on July 13.
