October 2020 Newsletter
WELL 2020 Virtual Conference Countdown!
Register today for the WELL 2020 Virtual Conference! WELL is virtually convening its informative statewide educational water conference for local elected officials on November 13, 2020. Now more than ever, water education is vital for California’s local leaders. The WELL 2020 Virtual Conference provides you with the opportunity to continue your own water education and engage in much-needed discourse around water policy at the local, regional, and state level. We at WELL know that local elected officials make important decisions that ensure clean, safe, and affordable drinking water for all, protect our natural resources, and bolster our local economies. We invite you to participate in this educational opportunity!
Register now by filling out this form.
Event Program
- 9:45 AM CONFERENCE LAUNCH
- 10:00 AM MORNING RECEPTION
*Speaker: Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez
*Speaker: California State Senator Bill Monning (SD-17) - 10:30 AM PANEL 1: PREPARING OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS
*Moderator: Diana Mahmud, Council Member, City of South Pasadena
*Panelist: Cathy Sandoval, Former Commissioner, CA Public Utilities Commission
*Panelist: Tony Estremera, Director, Valley Water
*Panelist: Steve Ritchie, Assistant General Manager of Water Enterprise, SFPUC
*Panelist: Gustavo Camacho, Mayor, City of Pico Rivera - 11:20 AM PANEL 2: SMART GROWTH IN THE FACE OF WATER STRESS 2020
*Moderator: Eduardo Martinez, Council Member, City of Richmond
*Panelist: Michelle Banonis, Assistant Chief Deputy Director, CA DWR
*Panelist: Lamar Thorpe, Council Member, City of Antioch
*Panelist: Rich Constantine, Mayor, City of Morgan Hill - 12:05 PM NETWORKING & LUNCH BREAK
- 12:40 PM PANEL 3: THE POLITICS AND POLICIES OF GROUNDWATER
*Moderator: Rey Leon, Mayor, City of Huron
*Panelist: Kassy Chauhan, Executive Officer, North Kings GSA
*Panelist: Vanessa De La Piedra, Groundwater Manager, Valley Water - 1:25 PM CLOSING REMARKS
- 1:30 PM OPTIONAL SOCIAL NETWORKING
- 2:00 PM ADJOURN
WELL would like to give SPECIAL THANKS to all of our sponsors for supporting the upcoming WELL Virtual Conference on Friday, November 13th. Your generosity makes this event possible, and we appreciate your unending support as we transition our in-person conference to an online event.
With our sponsors’ help, we look forward to putting on a great conference! If you’d like to learn more about sponsoring a future WELL Conference, please visit: latinosforwater.org/sponsors.
WELL Webinar Recap: Groundwater Contamination in California
On October 6th, WELL hosted its WELL Webinar: Time Is Running Out! More Than 100 Communities Are About To Be Left Holding the Bag on Tainted Water. This webinar focused on the community and legal impacts of TCP groundwater contamination and how local leaders could take steps to hold the polluters accountable. The WELL team worked around the clock to bring its high-quality informational water content to a virtual space in an accessible and equitable way. What we discovered is that by making our programs virtual, we could generate a broader reach and bring people together who may not have been able to participate otherwise.
Thank you to our moderator Adan Ortega from O Strategies Group as well as our panel of esteemed panelists:
- Olivia Trujillo, City of Arvin
- Diana Mahmud, City of South Pasadena
- Ken Sansone, SL Environmental Law Group
Stay tuned for our next WELL Webinar, set for January 2021. Are there topics you’d like to learn about through a WELL Webinar? Reach out to Brianne Logasa, WELL Program Manager, at brianne@latinosforwater.org.
Special thanks to the SL Environmental Law Group and AARP!
WELL would like to give special thanks to the SL Environmental Law Group and AARP for sponsoring the upcoming WELL Webinar on October 6, 2020. Their generosity is what is making this event possible, and we appreciate their support of WELL and its programs. We look forward to putting on a wonderful WELL Webinar with them!
California Water News Highlights
Worried that you may have missed some important water news this month? WELL’s got you covered. Here is a sample of noteworthy water news for the month of October:
Union of Concerned Scientists: California Water Managers not Ready for Climate Change
Bloomberg Law: California Water Probe Finds PFAS in Majority of Tested Wells
WaterWorld: EPA announces $108M to improve water quality in the California Delta
Environmental Working Group: In California, Latinos More Likely To Be Drinking Nitrate-Polluted Water
Spectrum News 1: Missing The Moisture: Why 2020 Has Given The U.S. The Worst Drought In 7 Years
WELLo Spotlights
Gracie Torres, Director of the Western Municipal Water District and UnTapped Graduate of 2019, was recently listed on the Young Elected Officials’ Top 35 Under 35 across the country. She received this distinction for her leadership and public service record for her community. Check out the total Top 35 Under 35 list here. Congratulations, Gracie! We can’t wait to see what extraordinary thing you do next.
Rey Leon, Mayor for the City of Huron and UnTapped Graduate of 2019, has been working hard for the farmworkers in his community. This month alone, he has provided hand sanitizers and face masks to 100 farmworkers across the City. He knows that safety is a priority for those working hard to make sure we all have food on our tables. Keep up the great work, Rey!
Imagine a Day Without Water
October 21st was “Imagine a Day Without Water.” This important day was designed to draw attention to the way that water systems impact our lives and communities. On this ordinary October day, individuals paused and reflected and then made a commitment to ensuring a sustainable water future for generations to come. To learn more about this special day, visit imagineadaywithoutwater.org.
WELL Associate Members
Earlier this year, WELL established an Associate Member Program. This program enables organizations to gain access to Latino leaders who share similar interests, allowing members to strategize about the best ways to solve California’s water challenges. Our Associate Members’ participation is a key component to our mutual continued success. We thank our Associate Members, listed below, for their support. If you’d like to learn more about the Associate Member Program, please visit: latinosforwater.org/associatemembers.
Follow WELL on Social Media!
Follow WELL on social media to get current California water news and updates about WELL programs and events:
Water Education for Latino Leaders
@LatinosForWater
Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) educates local Latino elected officials on California water policies to promote timely and equitable actions that strive to develop a robust economy, healthy communities, and a resilient environment for all Californians. Visit our website: www.latinosforwater.org.