CASA Connects Newsletter for August 31, 2015

August 31, 2015

USEPA Publishes Final Water Quality Standards Rule

For the first time in over three decades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has updated its federal water quality standards (WQS) regulations, which establish the parameters for designating waterbody uses and setting water quality criteria, among other things. Ultimately, these determinations can feed into individual limits in NPDES permits and targets contained in in Total Maximum Daily Loads.
The final rule was published in the Federal Register on August 21, 2015. CASA submitted comments on the proposed rule in December of 2013, and has been tracking development of the final rule since that time. The new rule provides some clarification on use attainability analyses as well as the use of variances, and contains other relatively minor clarifications to conform with existing court decisions and administrative practices.
Climate Resiliency, Renewable Energy Topics at One Water Leadership Summit

CASA Executive Director Bobbi Larson joined State Water Resources Control Board Chair, Felicia Marcus, and two other panelists to discuss climate, energy and water issues at the U.S. Water Alliance One Water Leadership Summit in San Francisco on Friday.
Larson highlighted the role of wastewater agencies as utilities of the future; recovering resources such as energy, recycled water, and nutrients from the waste stream for beneficial use. Chair Marcus echoed Larson’s focus on wastewater utilities as a key part of the solution to California’s top climate resiliency and energy issues. Also discussed was the need for all players in the water arena to leave behind their silos and work together to address water quality in partnership with the Water Boards.
The One Water Leadership Summit is an annual event dedicated to uniting people and policy across the country for “one water” sustainability. Other highlights of this year’s three-day event included addresses by Joe Whitworth, President of the nonprofit Freshwater Trust, who outlined a new environmental paradigm of “quantified conservation” in which the procedure based past gives way to an outcomes based future, and by George Hawkins, the General Manager of DC Water, who urged utilities to keep innovating and performing their daily miracle of transforming waste into resources.
Value of Water Coalition Announces Imagine a Day Without Water Campaign

From October 6-8, a national education campaign will engage the public and stakeholders on how water infrastructure and water resources are essential, invaluable, and require investment. The event will occur across the country with participation from partner organizations, water providers, local elected officials, and more. Read more…
Agency News
 
Ironhouse Sanitary District ‘s successful water recycling program makes the Channel 2 news.
Babcock Laboratories, a CASA Associate Member and contributor to the CASA Education Foundation, which provides scholarships to deserving students, did a write-up on the scholarship awards program at CASA’s recent annual conference. Read more… 
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Best of Facebook This Week
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Okay, so this post isn’t from this week, but in case you missed it, here’s the CASA staff, consultants, and guests enjoying a cool and calm San Diego evening before the kickoff of the 60th annual conference.
Mixed Bag

Careers
Events
Date
Organization
Event
Location
Sept. 26-30, 2015
Water Environment Foundation (WEF)
The Water Environment Foundation’s annual technical conference, WEFTEC.
Chicago
Oct. 28-29, 2015
Stanford University Global Projects Center
Stanford
New!
Nov. 4-5, 2015
California Bioresources Alliance
Rancho Cordova, CA
Nov. 4-5, 2015
WateReuse
Brisbane, Australia
New!
Nov. 4-6
NACWA
Henderson, NV
Jan. 20-22, 2016
CASA
Palm Springs
Feb. 22-24, 2016
CASA
Washington, D.C.
Aug. 10-12, 2016
CASA
Monterey
In Case You Missed It…
  • The highlights of CASA’s 60th Annual Conference, links to presenter PowerPoints, online photo albums, and more!
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