July 21, 2026 | Dani Morgutia, Senior Program Manager
Welcome to The Advocacy Current
As we move into the second half of 2026, CalWEP continues to advocate for policies that are grounded in the expertise of water use efficiency professionals doing this work every day, while supporting water use efficiency, regulatory modernization, and long-term water resilience. During the second quarter, CalWEP expanded its engagement at the state and regulatory levels through participation in California Public Utilities Commission proceedings, support for statewide water policy initiatives, legislative engagement on emerging data center proposals, and continued collaboration with partners including ACWA, AWE, and the State Water Resources Control Board.
Below are a few highlights from the quarter.
Quarter at a Glance
Advocacy & Regulatory Highlights
✔ Became an official party in the California American Water and Suburban Water Systems rate cases.
✔ Submitted a support letter to the California Energy Commission regarding proposed irrigation controller efficiency standards.
✔ Signed on in support of ACWA’s Vision for Our Water Future initiative to help shape California’s water priorities under the next gubernatorial administration.
✔ Helped launch a new technical assistance pilot with the California Data Collaborative and the State Water Resources Control Board.
✔ Continued engagement on multiple data center-related legislative proposals affecting water planning, reporting, and demand forecasting.
✔ Executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing the Initiative for Streamlining Water Data Reporting in California, a partnership to modernize and streamline California's water data reporting framework.
✔ Monitored and engaged with various Senators on federal developments including the Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act.
Regulatory & Policy Spotlight
Why CalWEP Became an Official Party in CPUC Rate Cases
This quarter, CalWEP expanded its advocacy efforts by becoming an official party in both the California American Water and Suburban Water Systems rate cases before the California Public Utilities Commission.
These proceedings will help determine how conservation programs, demand management investments, and long-term water efficiency planning are evaluated within investor-owned water utility operations. CalWEP’s participation ensures that water efficiency remains part of the conversation as these important decisions move forward.
Read the full article:
Why CalWEP Became an Official Party in Cal-Am’s Rate Case: You Don’t Throw Away Your Umbrella in the Rain
Decoupling 101
One of the topics emerging from these proceedings is utility decoupling.
Decoupling is a regulatory mechanism that allows water utilities to recover approved revenues independent of water sales volume. In simple terms, it helps remove the financial disincentive associated with successful conservation programs.
As California continues to pursue long-term water efficiency goals, decoupling remains an important tool that aligns utility financial stability with responsible water management and customer conservation efforts.
CalWEP Supports Irrigation Controller Efficiency Standards
In April, CalWEP submitted a support letter to the California Energy Commission regarding proposed irrigation controller efficiency standards.
The proposed standards represent an opportunity to improve outdoor water use efficiency through smarter irrigation technology while maintaining flexibility for manufacturers and water agencies.
By supporting practical, performance-based standards, CalWEP continues to advocate for policies that help customers use water more efficiently while advancing statewide conservation goals.
Read the full article:
CalWEP Submits Support Letter to the California Energy Commission on Proposed Irrigation Controller Efficiency Standards
Supporting ACWA’s Vision for Our Water Future
This quarter, CalWEP formally joined water agencies across California in supporting ACWA’s Vision for Our Water Future initiative.
Developed through an extensive statewide engagement effort, the Vision outlines priorities intended to inform California’s next Governor beginning in 2027. The initiative focuses on four major themes:
- Elevating water as a statewide priority
- Protecting affordability
- Delivering critical infrastructure
- Modernizing water management
For CalWEP, the initiative closely aligns with many priorities important to our members, including improved data systems, streamlined reporting frameworks, regulatory modernization, conservation program investment, and long-term water resilience. We submitted a formal support letter recognizing water use efficiency as a foundational component of California’s future water strategy.
Read the full letter of support:
CalWEP submits support letter for ACWA's Vision for Our Water Future initiative
State Water Board Technical Assistance Program
In June, CalWEP ramped up our support of statewide Making Conservation a California Way of Life implementation. On June 2, Executive Director Tia Fleming presented to the State Water Resources Control Board, sharing what CalWEP is hearing from its 270+ member agencies and showcasing CalWEP's growing ecosystem of compliance tools and resources. Three weeks later, Tia presented again at the launch of Getting to Efficiency, the State Water Board's new technical assistance webinar series developed in partnership with the California Data Collaborative with support from CalWEP. The series kicks off a broader effort for the State Water Resources Control Board to help water suppliers navigate the technical and data reporting requirements of Making Conservation a California Way of Life and includes the launch of a new hands-on data and reporting pilot led by the California Data Collaborative. CalWEP's participation in both moments, and ongoing support of this technical assistance pilot, reflects our growing role as a key resource for agencies working to get to compliance before mandatory reporting requirements take full effect.
Water Plan Advisory Committee Update
Tia Fleming In May, CalWEP Executive Director Tia Fleming joined the California Water Plan 2028 Advisory Committee, a 35-member body appointed by the Department of Water Resources to help shape California's first-ever statewide water supply target of 9 million acre-feet by 2040.
At the committee's inaugural meeting, Tia presented on the current state of urban water conservation in California, the regulatory framework driving agency implementation, and the tensions and opportunities that must be addressed for conservation to deliver on its potential as a supply strategy.
Senate Bill 72 explicitly names water conservation as one of the pathways to the 9 MAF target alongside storage, groundwater recharge, recycled water, and desalination. CalWEP's role on this committee is to make sure that statutory commitment translates into a plan that treats conservation with the same rigor, specificity, and investment as every other strategy in the portfolio.
The work is just beginning. The committee meets quarterly through 2028, and the next critical milestone is August. CalWEP will keep members informed as this process unfolds.
CalWEP Co-Leads Water Data Streamlining Initiative
As part of CalWEP's commitment to advancing practical water policy solutions, CalWEP is jointly leading the Initiative for Streamlining Water Data Reporting in California (ISWDR CA) in partnership with the California Data Collaborative (CaDC), the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), and the California Water Data Consortium. Together, these organizations are working with water suppliers, state agencies, and other stakeholders to identify opportunities to reduce redundant reporting, improve data consistency, and modernize California's water data reporting framework.
The initiative is actively seeking additional participating agencies and organizations. To learn more, get involved, or join the mailing list, visit StreamlineWaterDataCA.org.
To introduce the initiative and discuss opportunities to participate, ISWDR CA will be hosting an informational webinar. Register here: ADD LINK ONCE AVAILABLE.
We're also asking agencies to help quantify the real-world burden of state water reporting. Your input will help inform recommendations to streamline reporting requirements and reduce unnecessary administrative workload. Please take a few minutes to complete the Water Reporting Burden Survey: Take the Survey.
Legislative Watch
AB 2180 (Ward)
CalWEP Position: Support
AB 2180 would clarify how local agencies may demonstrate compliance with Proposition 218 proportionality requirements when establishing water rates. The bill helps reduce legal uncertainty surrounding conservation-oriented and tiered rate structures while providing agencies with greater confidence in cost-of-service methodologies.
AB 35 (Alvarez)
CalWEP Position: Support
AB 35 would accelerate implementation of Proposition 4 climate and resilience funding by streamlining administrative requirements and allowing climate, water, and resilience investments to move forward more quickly.
AB 1577 (Bauer-Kahan)
CalWEP Position: Watch
AB 1577 would establish statewide reporting requirements for data centers related to water consumption, energy use, and efficiency metrics. The proposal reflects growing statewide interest in understanding the resource impacts associated with rapidly expanding data center development.
AB 2619 (Papan)
CalWEP Position: Watch
AB 2619 would require data centers to provide detailed projected and actual water use information to local water suppliers while incorporating data center demand into Urban Water Management Plans and Water Shortage Contingency Plans.
AB 2469 (Papan)
CalWEP Position: Watch
AB 2469 would establish new water supply assessment requirements for data centers and create a separate commercial, industrial, and institutional water-use classification for large consumptive users. CalWEP continues discussions with stakeholders regarding potential implementation concerns and unintended consequences.
SB 1139 (Laird)
CalWEP Position: Watch
SB 1139 would expand enforcement authority related to California’s nonfunctional turf irrigation prohibition within the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District.
SB 1153 (Caballero/Rubio)
CalWEP Position: Watch
SB 1153 focuses on wildfire preparedness planning requirements for urban retail water suppliers while providing liability clarifications related to wildfire response and water system operations.
SB 1085 (Durazo)
CalWEP Position: Watch
SB 1085 would modify Water Supply Assessment requirements for certain housing developments and increase coordination requirements between local governments and public water systems during the development review process.
Looking Ahead
As the Legislature approaches key policy deadlines and regulatory proceedings continue moving forward, CalWEP will remain actively engaged on issues affecting water use efficiency, conservation program implementation, affordability, and long-term water resilience.
Looking ahead, CalWEP is partnering with a professor from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and a Ph.D. student to examine how California's regulatory landscape can proactively address the water implications of data center growth. This research will specifically evaluate gaps, opportunities, and policy solutions within California's unique planning and regulatory framework.
We encourage members to stay connected through the Advocacy Committee and watch for opportunities to provide feedback on emerging legislation, regulatory initiatives, and statewide policy discussions.