what matters webinar Archives - Southern California Water Coalition

Webinar on Demand: Water’s Role in Decarbonizing SoCal’s Electrical Grid

SCWC Staff — Mon, 27 May 2024 17:29:05 +0000

Are you passionate about sustainability and the future of our water resources? Do you want to learn how water management intersects with the decarbonization of Southern California’s electrical grid? If so, watch our enlightening webinar hosted by the Southern California Water Coalition, led by our Water Energy Efficiency Task Force chairs Scott Houston and Kris Murray. The webinar was originally held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 10 a.m. PDT.

Webinar Topic: Flowing Toward the Future: Water’s Role in Decarbonizing Southern California’s Electrical Grid

https://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/Flowing%20Toward%20the%20Future.mp4

In this video please note that the webinar begins approximately six-and-a-half minutes in. You may also view this webinar on the Zoom website with the ability to view slides and chat HERE.

About the Webinar:

In this session, we will delve into the critical role that water management plays in supporting and advancing the decarbonization of our electrical grid. As the urgency to address climate change grows, understanding the intersection of water and energy becomes increasingly vital. This webinar will provide insights into innovative strategies and technologies that leverage water resources to create a more sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure.

Meet Our Esteemed Speakers:

Liz Crosson – Sustainability, Resiliency, and Innovation Officer at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Liz brings a wealth of experience in sustainability initiatives and will share her vision on how water agencies can contribute to a greener future.
Don Bunts – Deputy General Manager at the Santa Margarita Water District. Don’s extensive background in water management will provide a practical perspective on the challenges and opportunities in integrating water and energy solutions.
Shea Hughes – Vice President of Business Development at Scale Microgrids. Shea will discuss the latest advancements in microgrid technology and how they can be harnessed to decarbonize the electrical grid through effective water management.

Why Attend?

Gain Knowledge: Understand the latest trends and technologies at the nexus of water and energy.
Expert Insights: Hear from industry leaders about the challenges and opportunities in decarbonizing the electrical grid.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with professionals and stakeholders who are passionate about sustainability and environmental innovation.
Actionable Takeaways: Learn about practical solutions that can be implemented to support a sustainable future.

Thank you to our Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
Water Replenishment District of Southern California
West Basin Municipal Water District

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Webinar On Demand: Energy Advancements for Water Providers

SCWC Staff — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 22:34:55 +0000

Catch up on all the good information shared during our September 2023 installment of our What Matters Webinar Series, led by our Water Energy Efficiency Task Force chairs Scott Houston and Kris Murray.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates 3-4% of national electricity consumption, equivalent to approximately 56 billion kilowatts, or $4 billion, is used to provide drinking water and wastewater services each year. Water and wastewater utilities are typically the largest consumers of energy in municipalities, often accounting for 30-40% of total energy consumed. Finding innovative ways to reduce energy use by water and wastewater utilities brings many benefits.

Watch the webinar video on demand, read the Q&A and chat transcripts, and view the powerpoint slide decks shared by our panelists. This webinar took place on September 21, 2023.

https://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/Innovation20Matters20Webinar.mp4

About 65 people attended to hear from leaders and experts to discuss best practices as water and power utilities, nonprofits, businesses and others grapple with changes to the way we live, work and deliver services.. The event featured this expert panel:

Erin Brooks, Director, Customer Energy Solutions, Southern California Gas
Liz Crosson, Sustainability, Resiliency, and Innovation Officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Bryan Falconer, Senior Advisor, Southern California Edison
Tom Fang, Supervising Engineer, Los Angeles County Sanitation District
Shea Hughes, Director of West Coast Business Development, SCALE Microgrid
Lauren Seymour, Assistant Director, The Energy Coalition, on behalf of the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) Public Agency Programs

Meeting Materials

Chat transcript

Innovation Matters – Q&A Report (.CSV file)

Event Welcome powerpoint

Tom Fang’s powerpoint: “Converting Waste Into Resources: Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts“

Lauren Seymour’s powerpoint: “A New Approach to Energy Savings for Water & Wastewater Agencies“

You may also be interested in the following information: The Climate Registry manages a Water-Energy Nexus Registry (WEN) which allows participants to measure, track, and mitigate the GHG emissions associated with California’s water system. You can find more information here: https://theclimateregistry.org/registries-resources/water-energy-nexus/

Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
Water Replenishment District of Southern California
West Basin Municipal Water District

The post Webinar On Demand: Energy Advancements for Water Providers appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Watch On Demand: Equity, Access and Affordability in Water

SCWC Staff — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 20:34:28 +0000

Our expert panel on “Equity, Access and Affordability” in California water is now available for viewing! The panel is also the launch of SCWC’s new Equity, Access and Affordability Task Force to be chaired by Anatole Falagan and Mayor Acquanetta Warren. Wherever you are in California, dealing with equity, access and affordability of water is going to take collaboration and coalition building. We believe Southern California Water Coalition is well-equipped to do this work, given the diversity of membership and the region we are in. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and facing this issue head-on. This event took place in Ontario, California, on July 23, 2021.

https://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/equity-access-affordability-video.mp4

About 125 people attended our first in-person event in 18 months to hear from leaders and experts to discuss how we can not only recognize but celebrate the rich diversity of Southern California’s people and cultures and see clearly how we are all connected by the need for a safe, affordable and reliable water supply. The event took place in Ontario, California, and featured this expert panel:

Danielle Coats, Senior Legislative Program Manager, Eastern Municipal Water District
Anatole Falagan, Assistant General Manager, Long Beach Water Department
Kurt Schwabe, Professor, UC Riverside
Mayor Acquanetta Warren, City of Fontana

View the transcript of the event

View photos from the event on Flickr

Event Sponsor

Moulton Niguel Water District

Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
Water Replenishment District of Southern California
West Basin Municipal Water District

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Watch Stormwater Workshop 2021 Webinar Video On Demand

SCWC Staff — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 17:44:34 +0000

Our August 10, 2021, workshop on “A Strategic Approach to Integrate Stormwater and Sewer Systems” is now available for viewing! Recent implementation of multi‐benefit stormwater projects and programs have been gaining momentum throughout Southern California, especially within Los Angeles County. These projects are intended to provide benefits of increasing water supply, improving water quality, and providing tangible community benefits. However, unless these projects capture and infiltrate water in areas that augment groundwater, or the captured stormwater is used directly on‐site, then no water supply benefit is achieved. The expert panel discusses these issues as well as a guide for cities on how to implement the strategy and how to approach wastewater agencies about working together.

http://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/Stormwater-and-Sewer-Systems.mp4

Additional Resources

More than 500 people registered for the event to hear from our expert panel:

David Pedersen – General Manager, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
Hubertus Cox – Division Manager, Water Reclamation Implementation Division, City of Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment
Robert Ferrante – General Manager, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County
Matthew Hacker – Senior Resource Specialist, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Dan Lafferty – Deputy Director of Water Resources, Los Angeles County Public Works
Susan Moisio – Global Vice President – Water, Jacobs Engineering

MODERATORS:

Eileen Alduenda – Executive Director, Council for Watershed Health
Charley Wilson – Executive Director, Southern California Water Coalition

Event Sponsors

DRP
Jacobs
HDR

Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
Water Replenishment District
West Basin Municipal Water District

The What Matters webinars are an example of how SCWC pursues its responsibility to be the knowledgeable voice for Southern California on water issues. Once coronavirus health precautions are lifted, the SCWC looks forward to in-person events as well as online events to further discussions to solve the state’s water problems.

The post Watch Stormwater Workshop 2021 Webinar Video On Demand appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Watch Drought: Are We Ready? Webinar Video On Demand

SCWC Staff — Tue, 04 May 2021 04:40:28 +0000

Our April 29, 2021, What Matters webinar on “Drought: Are We Ready?” is now available for viewing! This seventh installment of our What Matters webinar series featured an expert panel discussing the drought California is now facing, just five years after California’s hottest and longest dry stretch on record ended in 2016. Discover how Southern California has increased its drought resiliency since and what may be different this time around in this video.

http://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/SCWC-Drought-Are-We-Ready.mp4

More than 300 people registered for the event to hear from our expert panel:

Newsha Ajami, Director of Urban Water Policy, Stanford University Water in the West program
Paul Cook, General Manager, Irvine Ranch Water District
Heather Dyer, General Manager, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
Erik Ekdahl, Deputy Director, State Water Resources Control Board
Karla Nemeth, Director, California Dept. of Water Resources

The webinar was the seventh in SCWC’s new “What Matters” webinar series, designed to provide online exchanges of best practices as water and power utilities, nonprofits, businesses and others grapple with changes to the way we live, work and deliver services.

Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
West Basin Municipal Water District

The post Watch Drought: Are We Ready? Webinar Video On Demand appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Register Now for SCWC’s Drought: Are We Ready? Webinar on April 29

SCWC Staff — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 00:07:36 +0000

A looming mega-drought is building in the western U.S., just five years after California’s hottest and longest dry stretch on record ended in 2016. Discover how Southern California has increased its drought resiliency since and what may be different this time around during Southern California Water Coalition’s What Matters webinar on April 29.

Panelists:

Newsha Ajami, Director of Urban Water Policy, Stanford University Water in the West program
Paul Cook, General Manager, Irvine Ranch Water District
Heather Dyer, General Manager, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
Erik Ekdahl, Deputy Director, State Water Resources Control Board
Karla Nemeth, Director, California Dept. of Water Resources

Founding Sponsors:

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
Water Replenishment District of Southern California
West Basin Municipal Water District

The post Register Now for SCWC’s Drought: Are We Ready? Webinar on April 29 appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Watch Water Quality Webinar Video On Demand

SCWC Staff — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 19:30:40 +0000

Our February 19 webinar on “Water Quality Matters” is now available for viewing! This sixth installment of our What Matters webinar series featured an expert panel discussing the presence of PFAS in U.S. drinking water, including Southern California. PFAS is a family of more than 4,000 chemical compounds found in most products we use in our daily lives.

http://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/Water_Quality_Matters_gallery_3840x2160.mp4

Nearly 500 people registered for the event to hear from scientists, city and water officials and others to learn how the region and the state are addressing contamination as well as exploring alternatives to these chemicals to protect future water supplies. Our panel included:

Robert Beste, Assistant General Manager, Water Replenishment District of Southern California
Steven Carmona, City Manager, City of Pico Rivera, California
Jason Dadakis, Executive Director, Water Quality and Technical Resources, Orange County Water District
Scott Grieco, P.E. Ph.D., Global Technology Leader, Jacobs
Craig Miller, General Manager, Western Municipal Water District
Dan Newton, California State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water
Steve Tedesco, Senior Vice President, Tetra Tech

Interested in more resources? Here are some PFAS resources we shared during the webinar:

You may also want to check out these files from the webinar:

We got terrific feedback from our participants as well. Here’s a sample:

“Absolutely essential information shared by experts in the field.” Olga Krel, Engineer, City of Los Angeles, Public Works, Sanitation and Environment

“Great webinar hosting a wide range of topics concerning PFAS. Plenty of great questions were answered, and panelists were not afraid to explain the uncertainties of this problem as a whole. That is the kind of honesty we need when considering creating new regulations going forward!” Jake Boehmer, LabTech Inc.

“SCWC facilitates very relevant and timely forums and a format minus the ‘frills.'” Bill Moorhead P.E., Moulton Niguel Water District Director

The webinar was the sixth in SCWC’s new “What Matters” webinar series, designed to provide online exchanges of best practices as water and power utilities, nonprofits, businesses and others grapple with changes to the way we live, work and deliver services.

Water Quality Matters Webinar Sponsor

Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
West Basin Municipal Water District

The post Watch Water Quality Webinar Video On Demand appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Register for SCWC’s Water Quality Matters Webinar

SCWC Staff — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 20:08:15 +0000

PFAS is a family of chemical compounds (over 4,000) and are in most everything we use in our daily lives. These forever chemicals have been identified as an emerging contaminant and have found their way into some of our water systems. Discover what experts are thinking about when it comes to understanding and addressing PFAS in our water supply during Southern California Water Coalition’s Water Quality Matters webinar on February 19.

The development of treatment technologies, that can reliably, sustainably, and cost effectively remove PFAS from water and maximize the use of our water resources is a critical short-term step.

This SCWC program will explore PFAS, what it is, how we can treat the existing conditions and explore long-term solutions that replace these chemicals to ensure the protection of future generations’ access to water today and for tomorrow. Register HERE.

Panelists:

Robert Beste, Assistant General Manager, Water Replenishment District of Southern California
Steven Carmona, City Manager, City of Pico Rivera, California
Jason Dadakis, Executive Director, Water Quality and Technical Resources, Orange County Water District
Scott Grieco, P.E. Ph.D., Global Technology Leader, Jacobs
Craig Miller, General Manager, Western Municipal Water District
Dan Newton, California State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water
Steve Tedesco, Senior Vice President, Tetra Tech

Webinar Sponsors:

Jacobs
Tetra Tech
SL Environmental Group
AqueoUS Vets
Black & Veatch
Calgon
CDM Smith
HDR
Pacific Hydro
Stantec

Founding Sponsors:

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
West Basin Municipal Water District

The post Register for SCWC’s Water Quality Matters Webinar appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Watch Stormwater Matters Webinar Video On Demand

SCWC Staff — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 16:15:43 +0000

Our August 6 webinar on “Stormwater Matters” is now available for viewing! This fifth installment of our What Matters webinar series featured an expert panel to discuss the latest in innovative stormwater capture and treatment projects. Stormwater capture is gaining traction as key to California’s future water supplies.

https://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/Stormwater_Matters_1760x900.mp4

From L.A. County’s Safe Clean Water Program to the Mayor of Los Angeles’ pledge of 100% wastewater reuse by 2035 to MWD’s announcement of a $5 million for stormwater capture projects to the actions outlined in the California Governor’s Water Resilience Portfolio, all eyes in the water world are on how counties, cities and agencies are making stormwater capture projects work in urban areas with constrained resources.

More than 300 attendees heard from leaders of key agencies already working together to collaborate and bring innovative new projects to life, all while balancing cost-effectiveness with design that brings multiple benefits. Our expert panel featured:

Robert Ferrante, General Manager, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (view slides as PDF)
David Pedersen, General Manager, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (view slides as PDF)
Mark Pestrella, Director, Los Angeles County Public Works (view slides as PDF)
Enrique Zaldivar, Director and General Manager, Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment (view slides as PDF)

Interested in more resources? Check out the white paper mentioned by David Pedersen in his talk:

Tapping into Available Capacity in Existing Infrastructure to Create Water Supply and Water Quality Solutions (Phase 1) by CH2M Hill for Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster, May 2018. Published here courtesy of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District.

You may also want to check out these files from the webinar:

We got terrific feedback from our participants as well. Here’s a sample:

“SCWC consistently provides relevant and timely forums. The experts on the panel provide insight and on-the-ground examples that can be adapted to future projects and existing programs.” Darcy Kuenzi, Government Affairs Officer, Riverside County Flood Control & Water Conservation District

“Keeping up to speed on the fast pace of regional water quality and supply issues can be difficult. Here is your shortcut!. The Southern California Water Coalition’s What Matters webinars convey a lot of pertinent information in a short amount of time. I will encourage my friends and colleagues in the water world to tune in!” Drew Ready, Senior Program Manager, Council for Watershed Health

The webinar was the fifth in SCWC’s new “What Matters” webinar series, designed to provide online exchanges of best practices as water and power utilities, nonprofits, businesses and others grapple with changes to the way we live, work and deliver services.

Stormwater Matters Webinar Sponsor

Jacobs
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
Carollo Enginers
Cordoba Corporation
HDR

Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
West Basin Municipal Water District

The What Matters webinars are an example of how SCWC pursues its responsibility to be the knowledgeable voice for Southern California on water issues. Looking beyond the coronavirus health emergency, the SCWC looks forward to in-person events as well as online events to further discussions to solve the state’s water problems.

The post Watch Stormwater Matters Webinar Video On Demand appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Watch History Matters Webinar Video On Demand

SCWC Staff — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 21:38:28 +0000

Our June 11 webinar on “History Matters” is now available for viewing! This fourth installment of our What Matters webinar series featured a candid conversation with California water policy expert Tim Quinn. Now affiliated with Stanford University, the retired executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies and former Metropolitan Water District deputy general manager draws upon his decades-long, notable career working on California water’s most vexing problems and highlights how the lessons of yesterday can inform the solutions of tomorrow.

https://socalwater.org/wp-content/uploads/History-Matters_1760x900.mp4

Nearly 170 people logged on live for our History Matters webinar. Interested in learning more about collaborative processes and how these might help solve California’s water challenges, especially in the Delta? Here are some recommended readings:

View Tim Quinn’s presentation slides from the June 11 webinar
Forty Years of California Water Policy by Tim Quinn. Stanford University Water in the West Reports and Working Papers, 2019.
What’s at the heart of California’s water wars? Delta outflow explained, May 28, 2020, CalMatters commentary piece written by Jeffrey Mount and Greg Gartrell of the Public Policy Institute of California
Embracing Watershed Politics by Edella Schlager and William Blomquist. University Press of Colorado, 2008.
Dividing the Waters: Governing Groundwater in Southern California by William Blomquist. Center for Self Governance, 1992.

We got terrific feedback from our participants as well. Here’s a sample:

“We need to be reminded of our roots in the history of water or it will be forgotten. I try to always remind the young men and women that this is the best field to get into. Everyone needs water. –Brian Bowcock, Director, Three Valleys Municipal Water District

“Thoughtful reflections based on 40 years of experience. Tim provides a great punch list for success through collaboration.” –Rodney T. Smith, President, Stratecon, Inc.

The webinar was the fourth in SCWC’s new “What Matters” webinar series, designed to provide online exchanges of best practices as water and power utilities, nonprofits, businesses and others grapple with changes to the way we live, work and deliver services.

History Matters Webinar Sponsor

Calleguas Municipal Water District

Founding Sponsors

County of San Bernardino
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Irvine Ranch Water District
Los Angeles County Public Works
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
West Basin Municipal Water District

The post Watch History Matters Webinar Video On Demand appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.