WESTCAS The Voice of Water Quality in the Arid West

Transcription

1 WESTCAS The Voice of Water Quality in the Arid West PAG Watershed Planning Subcommittee Meeting November 28, 2011 Ed Curley, Strategic Planning Manager, Pima County RWRD and 2011/12 WESTCAS President

2 The Arid West is Different! 2

3 The Arid West - Defined by Rainfall Arid West ecosystems are unique in the United States Average Annual Precipitation >20 WESTCAS STATES 3

4 Critical Issues in the Arid West Water Quantity Water Quality Water Reliability Regulatory Challenges 4

5 Arid West Water Quantity Allocation All surface water in the Arid West is fully allocated to federal, state, tribal, municipal or private (farms and ranches) interests. Groundwater levels are declining across the West. As a result, effluent has become very valuable as a water source, and regulatory standards for effluent are critical issues! Colorado River water rights Existing groundwater rights 5

6 Arid West Water Quantity Effluent Utilization Aquifer recharge Riparian restoration Urban uses 6

7 Arid West Water Quality Pollutants Salinity Endocrine disrupter compounds (EDCs) Nutrients Pesticides Perchlorate 7

8 Arid West Stormwater Quality/Quantity Erosion hazards / sediment transport Debris flows and sediment Wildfires that alter watershed conditions Inadequate stormwater facilities in urban core 8

9 Arid West Water Reliability Drought Lake Mead, August Elevation 1142 Feet Lake Mead, Sept Elevation 1215 Feet Photo by Craig Moran, LV Review Journal Southern Nevada Water Authority 9

10 Arid West Regulatory Requirements Challenges Federal regulations restricted local options and solutions to quantity/reliability issues Improved science and policy were needed for effluent-dependent and ephemeral streams 10

11 The WESTCAS Mission is to be The premier, grass-roots organization for providers of water, wastewater and reclaimed water services in the Arid West A responsive coalition on behalf of our members and their customers A reliable source of information about water quality issues to our members and the public An advocate for environmentally sound management of water resources and the protection of public health A contributor to policy, regulations, science, legislation, and appropriations on Arid West water quality issues Photo by James Baskin (CC) 11

12 What Does WESTCAS Provide? A powerful presence in Washington D.C. and in federal, regional and state regulatory and legislative decision-making An effective vehicle for information exchange through meetings and publications The opportunity to help draft federal, regional, state and local legislation and regulations about water quality and supply A voice to promote awareness of Arid West ecosystems and water quality issues 12

13 How Does WESTCAS Work? WESTCAS sponsors three conferences each year with distinguished regional and national speakers, including Senators and Congressmen Senior officials from federal agencies Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) Agriculture Department Bureau of Reclamation Senior officials from state agencies Water resource departments Regional water boards Renowned authors and scientists Mark Reisner (Cadillac Desert) 13

14 WESTCAS has formed coalitions with Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Texas Water Conservation Association (TWCA) Federal Water Quality Coalition (FWQC) National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Water Environment Federation (WEF) Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) National Water Resources Association (NWRA) Clean Water America Alliance 14

15 WESTCAS Produces Detailed technical and policy papers Comments on federal and state regulations Technical papers on water quality issues Policy papers on federal programs and appropriations Testimony on water quality issues State and federal regulatory panels Congressional committees and sub-committees 15

16 WESTCAS Produces A Comprehensive website State, federal and congressional testimony statements Comments on state and federal legislative and regulatory issues Presentation, news and updates from WESTCAS conferences Newsletters 16

17 WESTCAS Accomplishments 1994 Initiated the Arid West Amendments for the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act 1995 Testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Arid West issues Supported the Arid West Water Quality Research Project in Pima County, Arizona, which was established with a $5.5 million EPA grant Research and science for ephemeral and effluent-dependent streams in the Arid West Nutrients, arsenic, perchlorate, hexavalent chromium, mercury and selenium wwm/wqrp 17

18 WESTCAS Accomplishments 2005-present Support ongoing research at the University of Arizona and other centers on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products 2009-present Advocate for Arid West Wastewater Grants Program and other innovative infrastructure financing approaches 18

19 2011 WESTCAS Fall Conference in Phoenix, AZ Fire and Water: Impacts on Western Water Quality was the theme of the WESTCAS 2011 Fall Conference which was held at the Crowne Plaza Phoenix Airport Hotel from October 26-28, The Conference program featured multi-faceted sessions focusing on wild fire impacts on water quality and watersheds, storm water regulations, emerging contaminants, water reuse, regulatory and legislative initiatives, and infrastructure funding. 19

20 Regulatory Issues Overview of State, Regional, and National Regulatory Issues Henry Darwin, Director, ADEQ Federal Regulatory Updates Frederic P. Andes, Esq., Partner, Barnes & Thornburg, LLP Stormwater Enforcement Issue Panel Wendy Terlizzi, Water Quality Manager, AZDOT Cynthia Campbell, Deputy City Attorney, Phoenix Robert Anderson, Fennemore Craig Susan Asmus Senior Vice President for Environmental Labor 20

21 Legislative Issues Current Legislative Issues Linda Christie, Director of Community and Government Relations Washington Report Fred B. Hicks Ph. D. J. Tom Ray, P. E. Hicks-Ray Associates Infrastructure Financing City of Phoenix Experience in Federal Grants and Loans Karen Peters, Government Relations Director, City of Phoenix Freeing Up Funding Streams for Sustainable Water Infrastructure Solutions Graham Knowles, Community Service Manager, New Mexico Environment Department 21

22 Special Focus Impact of 2011 Western Wildfires on Watersheds Penny Leuhring, USDA Forest Service, National BAER and Watershed Improvement Program Leader, New Mexico Policy and Planning to Address Impacts of Forest Fires to Source Water Quality Troy Hayes, Water Quality Manager, City of Phoenix Water Services Department Treatment Technologies to Remove Organic Contaminants in Source Water from Forest Fires David Siebert, Carollo Engineers, Phoenix, AZ 22

23 Special Focus Experience with Fire Induced Changes in Source Water Quality Chad Seidel, Jacobs Engineering, Phoenix, AZ Possible Impacts to the Salt River Watershed Following the Wallow Fire Tim Skarupa, Senior Hydrologist, Salt River Project Planning for Wildfire Impacts at the End of the Watershed Craig Caggiano, City of Tempe Water Utilities Division, Water Quality Process and Planning Coordinator 23

24 Policy Issues Report on National Water Reuse Conference Guy Carpenter, P. E., National Director, Water Reuse, HDR Engineering Emerging Contaminants Shane Snyder, Ph. D., Professor, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 24

25 WESTCAS is Now International WATARID 3, Paris

26 WATARID 3, Paris 2011 Africa U.S. Russia Japan China France Mideast Iran Egypt 26

27 But WESTCAS is Still Very Down to Earth 27

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