California Water Views from Nossaman LLP

Details on EPA’s New Real Water Technical Assistance Initiative

Alexander Van Roekel — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:00:01 -0500

On March 4, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of its the Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) initiative. The press release highlights that the goal of the RealWaterTA initiative is to refocus on “public health and compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act” largely through “align[ing] all technical assistance for drinking water and wastewater systems with tried-and-true services, such as engineering and design expertise, operational support, workforce development, and financial management.” The ...

California Water Plan 2028: What to Know for Water Providers

Willis Hon, Ashley Walker — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:00:02 -0500

On February 25, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom launched the California Water Plan 2028, initiating a comprehensive, multi-year effort to modernize the State's water planning framework. Dubbed the “most ambitious water plan in California history,” the initiative arrives at a critical juncture as the State continues to grapple with extreme hydrological whiplash—swinging from historic droughts to record-breaking atmospheric rivers.

For water agencies, agricultural stakeholders, and local municipalities, the launch marks a significant shift in California’s water ...

The Impact of Governor Newsom’s Proposed Budget on Water Projects

Alexander Van Roekel — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 09:00:03 -0500

On January 9, 2026, Governor Newsom announced his 2026-2027 $348.9 billion budget proposal. Contrary to his 2025 proposal, this proposal includes a deficit. However, this proposal’s deficit is only $2.3 billion, substantially less than in 2023 and 2024, and the press release calls this projected deficit both “modest” and “solved”. The budget proposal’s deficit projection stands in contrast with the Legislative Analyst’s Office November 19, 2025 report, which predicted an $18 billion shortfall.

The budget site includes a full combined summary, summaries of ...

DWR Releases Subsidence Best Management Practices

Alexander Van Roekel — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:00:04 -0500

On January 21, 2026, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) published its Best Management Practices of the Sustainable Management of Groundwater – Land Subsidence (Subsidence BMPs). The press release details the importance of addressing subsidence, which costs Californians hundreds of millions of dollars annually, largely through damaging public infrastructure and reducing water deliveries.

Background

Subsidence is the process of land sinking. In the water context, it is generally caused by removing groundwater quicker than it is replenished, which ...

EPA Proposes Limitations to States’ Clean Water Act Section 401 Permitting Power

Mary Lynn Coffee, Willis Hon, Emi Lemberg, Jennifer Seely — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:00:05 -0500

On January 15, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule titled “Updating the Water Quality Certification Regulations” (Proposed Rule). This rule implements changes to the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) Section 401 permitting process. EPA intends to narrow the scope of the States’ certification authority to the application of solely water quality-related conditions which may be applied only to the discharge, not the project as a whole.

This change, among others in the Proposed Rule, will significantly reduce the ability of States or ...

California Representatives Propose Bills to “End the California Water Crisis” – Details on the More Than $4 Billion Proposal

Maria Issakhanian, Alexander Van Roekel — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:00:06 -0500

On December 11, 2025, Representative Adam Gray (D-CA-13) and Representative Jim Costa (D-CA-21) announced a legislative package entitled the End California Water Crisis Package. The bills “aim to expand California’s water storage capacity by providing funding and technical support to both develop and maintain water infrastructure projects.” They seek to accomplish their goals by “authoriz[ing] additional California water storage projects, eas[ing] permitting restrictions, and creat[ing] enforceable timelines for environmental review processes.”

Both ...

The Next Blow in the WOTUS Fight: EPA and the Army Corps Issue Proposed Rule

Alexander Van Roekel — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 09:00:07 -0500

On November 17, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) (collectively, Agencies) announced a proposed rule (Proposed Rule) to revise the regulatory definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). The Proposed Rule was published in the Federal Register on November 20, 2025, starting the 45-day public comment period, which closes on January 5, 2026.

This Proposed Rule represents the latest iteration of the WOTUS definition, which has seen five finalized rules and one U.S. Supreme Court decision since 2015.

Background

As the ...

EPA Issues Proposed Rule Rolling Back Some PFAS Reporting Requirements

Willis Hon, Alexander Van Roekel — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:00:08 -0500

As announced via press release on November 10, 2025 and then officially in the Federal Register on November 13, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed rolling back certain requirements related to reporting PFAS that were issued under President Biden’s EPA. The action aligns with the general approach EPA has taken under President Trump, which includes rolling back other PFAS regulatory action.

Background

The initial regulation, which was issued by EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), was finalized at the end of 2023, as we discussed here. As ...

State Water Board Releases New Platform for Submitting Annul Water Use Reports – What You Need to Know and Upcoming Workshops

Alexander Van Roekel — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:00:09 -0500

On October 23, 2025, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) announced a new online platform – the Water Accounting, Tracking, and Reporting System (CalWATRS). CalWATRS replaces the Electronic Water Rights Information System (eWRIMS) platform.

...

Nossaman Proudly Celebrates Water Professionals Appreciation Week

Alfred Smith II — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 09:00:10 -0400

This week marks California’s ninth annual Water Professionals Appreciation Week, a dedicated time to celebrate the critical contributions of water professionals and local public water agencies across the state. The event, established in 2017, pays tribute to the individuals who tirelessly ensure safe, reliable water and wastewater services for our communities.

At Nossaman, we appreciate the highly skilled professionals—operators, technicians, engineers and customer service representatives—who work around the clock to guarantee access to drinking water ...