Policy Agenda The Association of California Water Agencies’ Board of Directors has adopted a strong policy commitment to comprehensive water solutions. With the active involvement of its member and coalition partners, ACWA is dedicated to advancing policies that improve water supply reliability, protect local agency decision making and promote an integrated, comprehensive approach to water policy and management. ACWA’s policy agenda is driven by its Board of Directors through the adoption of policy principles and identification of goals in the association’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. In addition, ACWA’s various policy committees, including the State Legislative Committee, help identify issues of importance to member agencies. Policy Principles ACWA’s Board-approved policy principles and other policy documents can be accessed in our Resources section by searching “Policy Documents.” Positions on Legislation The 40-member State Legislative Committee, comprised of four members from each of ACWA’s 10 Regions, sets official state legislative policy positions on behalf of the association. ACWA State Legislative Relations Department advocates and analysts review relevant introduced and amended legislation and create policy analyses with accompanying recommendations. The committee reviews this information and approves positions on the legislation. The committee also provides recommendations to the Board of Directors on ballot measures and other major statewide policy issues. A bill tracker and bill positions list can be found on the SLC page of the ACWA website. These tools detail the association’s positions on current legislation, the date that position was adopted by the State Legislative Committee and the ACWA staff working on the bill. Five-Year Strategic Plan ACWA’s five-year strategic plan will afford the association the benefit of a broader forecast of resources, as well as the capacity to align ongoing longer-term goals with shorter-term priorities, ultimately allowing for more direct and positive outcomes on high priorities for the association. The plan has six core elements, as identified below, to serve as guiding principles for ACWA. Advocacy: Advocate for member interests on legislation, regulations and funding. Connections: Build strong, lasting and trusted partnerships that provide interconnectivity among all sectors of the water industry. Education: Invest in California’s water future by providing opportunities through education, information and professional development for ACWA members, staff and the public. Resources: Deliver high quality member services to support the mission of ACWA’s member agencies. Organizational Strength: Foster a collaborative and mutually respectful culture to ensure a positive experience for ACWA members and staff and continually invest in the financial health and organizational well-being of the association. Innovation: Lead the industry on proactive advancements for the betterment of the communities, agricultural operations and businesses that ACWA members serve. Download ACWA’s Five-Year Strategic Plan (PDF)
