News

California is working under the federal directive, with some explanation through the documents that are linked below, that was released last week by Governor Newson. In discussions with the governor’s office and the Office of Emergency Services, CGA has been told that no letters or specific waivers would be issued declaring that a specific industry or businesses is deemed “essential”.

We would encourage CGA members to review the directive, which provides several descriptions of essential that we believe would allow for many member services to continue.

ESSENTIAL WORKFORCE — PUBLIC WORKS

• Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences

WATER AND WASTEWATER

• Essential workforce employees needed to operate and maintain drinking water and wastewater/drainage infrastructure, including —
• • Workers repairing water and wastewater conveyances and performing required sampling or monitoring
  • Workers that maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting water and wastewater operations

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

• Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees — to include those employed in food processing (packers, meat processing, cheese plants, milk plants, produce, etc.) facilities; livestock, poultry, seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing byproducts for animal food; beverage production facilities; and the production of food packaging
• Farm workers and support service workers to include those who field crops; commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs
• Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution (including curbside distribution and deliveries), including warehouse workers, vendor-managed inventory controllers, blockchain managers, distribution
• Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail
• Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids
• Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and distribution

The following documents are included with this notice —

• “Public Water System COVID-19 Considerations” memo from the California Water Boards, State Water Resources Control Board
• “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” document from the California State Public Health Officer
• California Water Boards Fact Sheet — Reminder About California’s Drinking Water Systems: State-Required Treatment Process Removes Viruses, Including COVID-19

Plan on joining CGA in 2020 on the following dates in the following locations:

• January 16, Casa De Fruta, Holister, California
• April 23-25, Ramada Plaza, Chico, California
• July 23-25, DoubleTree Golf Resort Palm Springs Area, Palm Springs, California
• October 15-17, MontBlue Resort, Casino & Spa, Lake Tahoe, Nevada — 2020 CGA Annual Convention and Trade Show.

See our events section, and stay tuned to our association newsletter and our e-updates for more information!

Looking for a great way to educate kids on what an aquifer is and how it works? Check out AwesomeAquifer.com for information on how to get your own Awesome Aquifer Kit!

There is an important date coming up on July 1, 2017 for those basins who have not formed a GSA. Please read carefully if you are on one of these areas.

Click here to read the Emergency Regulation for Implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Fact Sheet.

Click here to read the Bulletin 74 draft.

CGA members are active in the development of many of the standards that are required by state law. The Depart of Water Resources (DWR) is required to develop minimum standards for water wells, cathodic protection wells, and geothermal heat exchange wells (GHEW). Those standards are included in three separate documents. The current Well Construction Standards are found in Bulletin 74-81 approved in 1981. Bulletin 74-90 and GHEW standards, issued as draft documents in 1991 and 1999 respectively, have provided supplemental updates. 

CGA has long supported the updating of the standards and the combining of the three documents into one. It has been over 25 years since these standards have been updated. New technology, changes in construction techniques, and the passage of new groundwater legislation make the need for updating these standards a high priority to protect the State’s groundwater. 

Concerns in the groundwater industry and in local regulatory agencies about the urgency to update well construction standards led to the formation of a combined effort in 2010 by CGA, the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health (CCDEH), and the California Environmental Health Association (CEHA). A three-year effort culminated in September of 2013 with a draft document that was submitted to DWR for review. As of this date, the DWR has still not issued an updated final document. 

CGA is requesting support from the California Legislature to force the DWR to finish their review of the draft Water Well Construction Standards and publish them in a timely manner, so that the eventual implementation can assure that the State’s groundwater resource can be protected as new groundwater management practices are developed.