A new California Court of Appeal decision – Department of Water Resources Cases (March 26, 2026) --- Cal.Rptr.3d ----, 2026 WL 835863 (Case No. C103207) – provides important clarity for water agencies planning major infrastructure projects. The ruling confirms that agencies with eminent domain authority may temporarily access private property to conduct environmental and technical studies before a project is fully approved or funded.
For water agencies tasked with long‑term planning amid uncertainty, the decision reinforces a practical and legally sound ...
On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, in which it held that “end-result” requirements routinely imposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (and, in California, by the state and regional Water Boards) in NPDES permits are not allowed under the Clean Water Act. This pivotal opinion has major implications for effluent limitations and other conditions that may be imposed on discharges in NPDES permits under the CWA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ...
California Water Views provides timely and insightful updates on the water sector in the state. We relay information on how water legislation and policy from the nation’s capital, Sacramento, and around the U.S. affect California’s water utilities, agencies, practitioners, and consumers. We also write about important events, conferences, legal cases, and other key happenings involving all things water in and around California.
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