Government Affairs
For more than 100 years, the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) has been dedicated to protecting the water resources essential for a thriving Coachella Valley. To continue this mission, CVWD employs a full-time Government Affairs Program Manager who works closely with lobbyists in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. These professionals track policies and advocate on behalf of CVWD customers to ensure that CVWD’s needs are represented at every level of government.
On this page, you’ll find details about the position letters and policy statements CVWD has sent to California legislators, members of Congress, and other governing bodies. These communications address issues that impact the District’s ability to provide safe, affordable, reliable drinking water, as well as sewer and stormwater services to our community.
If you have questions about CVWD’s positions on any legislative or regulatory matters—or if you'd like to request the District take action—please reach out to our Government Affairs team at 760-398-2661, ext. 3564, or email us at governmentaffairs@cvwd.org.
CVWD’s Legislative Platform serves as a proactive guide for the District's policy priorities, set by the Board of Directors for each legislative term. As new policy issues emerge throughout the year, the Board may also direct staff to take action in support of or opposition to specific initiatives, ensuring that CVWD remains responsive to the needs of its customers.
2025-2026 Legislative and Policy Platform Document
- Support
- Support if Amended
- Oppose Unless Amended
- Oppose
- Watch
2025-2026 Legislative and Policy Platform Document
Regulatory Comment Letters
+ Fleet-Specific Challenges and Support for Flexibility in ACF Compliance Letter to CARB
CVWD Legislative positions:
State (2025)
- Support
+ Letter: SB 466 (Caballero): Chromium 6 MCL Compliance Safeguard Act
+ Letter: SB 496 (Hurtado) - Zero-Emission Vehicle Mandate Reform Bill
+ Letter: SB 496 (Hurtado) - Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate Reform Bill (2)
+ Coalition Letter: SB 394 (Allen) - enhanced penalties for water theft from fire hydrants
+ Coalition Letter: SB 394 (Allen) - enhanced penalties for water theft from fire hydrants (June 10)
+ Coalition Letter: SB 454 (McNerney) - PFAS Mitigation Fund
+ Letter: AB 259 (Rubio) - eliminating sunset date to a Brown Act provision
+ Coalition Letter: SB 72 (Caballero) - California Water Plan
+ Oral Support: AB 514 (Petrie-Norris) - Emergency water supplies
+ Coalition Letter of Support: Budget Bill on Delta Conveyance Project
+ Letter of Support: Budget Bill on Delta Conveyance Project
+ Letter: SB 330 (Padilla) - Pilot project for electrical transmission infrastructure
+ Coalition Letter: AB 102 and SB 102 - Funding for the Agreements to Healthy Rivers and Landscapes
+ Coalition Letter: Proposition 4 Implementation
+ Coalition Letter: Budget Request - Chromium6 Funding from Prop 4
+ Coalition Letter: AB/SB 105 and AB/SB 149 - Support for Prop 4 Implementation
+ Letter to the Governor: SB 72 (Caballero) - The CA Water Plan
- Support if Amended
+ Coalition Letter of Support: AB 274 (Ransom) - State Lands Commission inventory - Oppose Unless Amended
+ Letter: AB 1319 (Schultz) - Emergency regulations to add species to list of CESA
+ Coalition Letter: AB 1319 (Schultz) - Emergency regulations to add species to list of CESA (9/8/25)
+ Coalition Letter: AB 794 (Gabriel) - emergency regulations for PFAS - Oppose
+ Letter: AB 362 (Ramos) - Water policy: California Tribal Communities
+ Coalition Letter: FY 2025-2026 Budget - Oppose proposed reduction for Healthy Rivers and Landscapes
+ Letter: SB 707 (Durazo) - Open meetings
+ Letter: SB 707 (Durazo) - Open Meetings
+ Coalition Letter: AB 339 (Ortega) - Local public employee organizations: notice requirements
Federal (2025)
- Support
+ H.R. 1871 - The Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act
+ H.R. 1276 - The Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act
+ H.R. 2766 - The Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act
+ H.R. 4733 - The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program Establishment Act
2023-2024 Policy Platform
Regulatory Comment Letters
CVWD Comment Letter - Water Use Efficiency Formal Rulemaking Process - 07.01.2024
CVWD Comment Letter - Water Use Efficiency Formal Rulemaking Process 06.04.24
SB 1065 Sponsor Letter - Chromium-6 Compliance Period Extension 04_17_2024
Chromium 6 MCL Comment Letter - CVWD Comments - SWRCB - 08 17 2023
Draft Environmental Impact Report for Chromium 6 MCL - CVWD Comments - SWRCB - 08 17 2023
Draft LAFCO Governance Study - CVWD Comments - 08 08 2023
DOI - BOR BABAA Waiver - CVWD Comments - 06 08 2023
USBR Lower Colorado River Basin Program - CVWD Comments - 04 06 2023
Cr6 MCL Estimate of Costs - CVWD Comments - 12.31.2020
Cr6 White Paper - CVWD Comments - 05.14.2020
CVWD legislative positions:
State (2023-2024)
Support
SB-1072 Local government: Proposition 218: remedies (Padilla) | CVWD Position Letter
AB-1827 Local government: fees and charges: water: higher consumptive water parcels (Papan) | CVWD Position Letter
AB-2257 Local government: property-related water and sewer fees and assessments: remedies (Wilson) | CVWD Position Letter
AB-3198 Joint powers agreements: retail electric services (Garcia, Wallis) | CVWD Position Letter
SB-583 (Padilla) Salton Sea Conservancy | CVWD Position Letter
AB 2757 (Garcia, Padilla): Southeast California Economic Region | CVWD Position Letter
SB 1390 (Caballero): Groundwater recharge: flood flows: diversion | CVWD Position Letter
AB 2172 (Wallis): Irrigation districts: Imperial Irrigation District: electricity: assessment and inventory of assets | CVWD Position Letter
AB 3198 (Garcia): Joint Powers Agreements Retail Electric Services | CVWD Position Letter
SB 1072 (Padilla): Local government: Proposition 218: remedies | CVWD Position Letter
SB 366 (Caballero): The California Water Plan: long-term supply targets | CVWD Position Letter
AB 2757 (Garcia): Southeast California Economic Region | CVWD Position Letter
SB 1034 (Seyarto): California Public Records Act: state of emergency | CVWD Position Letter
AB 334 (Rubo): Public Contracts: Conflicts of Interest | CVWD Position Letter
AB 557 (Hart): Open Meetings: Local Agencies: Teleconferences | CVWD Position Letter
SB 23 (Caballero): Water Supply and Flood Risk Reduction Projects | ACWA Coalition Letter
SB 366 (Caballero): State Water Plan: Long-Term Supply Targets | CVWD Position Letter
Governor Newsom's Trailer Bills: Infrastructure Package | CVWD Position Letter
Support if Amended
SB 583 (Padilla): Salton Sea Conservancy
Oppose Unless Amended
AB 2079 (Bennett): Groundwater extraction: large-diameter, high-capacity water wells: permits | CVWD Position Letter
SB 57 (Gonzalez): Utilities: Disconnection of Residential Service | CVWD Position Letter
Oppose
AB 460 (Bauer-Kahan): State Water Resources Control Board: Water Rights | ACWA Coalition Letter
AB 1337 (Wicks): State Water Resources Control Board: Water Diversion | ACWA Coalition Letter
Watch
AB 755 (Papan): Water: Public Entity: Cost-of-Service Analysis
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Federal (2023-2024)
Support
Senate Support for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
House Support for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
Huffman - Support Letter - Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act
Ruiz - Support Letter - HR 7525 - Special District Grant Accessibility Act
Ruiz Letter - Co-sponsor Request - HR 8032 - LIHWAP
Sorensen Chavez - DeRemer Gonzalez - Colon Schrier Letter - HR 8032 - LIHWAP