SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order that expedites preparations for potential flooding impacts in advance of a severe El Niño storm season forecasted for the 2026-’27 fall and winter.
“Governor Newsom’s action reflects his ongoing commitment to strengthening California’s resilience to increasingly volatile climate extremes,” said ACWA Executive Director Karla Nemeth.
“The Executive Order builds upon the previous State of Emergency Proclamation that initiated critical measures to protect California communities in advance of potential flooding. ACWA appreciates the additional measures to expedite preparedness efforts and give local agencies greater flexibility to take decisive action.
“These common-sense solutions will help local agencies move forward with practical projects, such as clearing debris and maintaining waterways and capturing excess floodwaters to replenish groundwater supplies, to safeguard California’s communities, agricultural resources and critical infrastructure.
“The Executive Order is an example of the state and local collaboration necessary to prepare for weather extremes. This is an important part of building a resilient and reliable water system for California, a key aspect of ACWA’s Vision for Our Water Future initiative. The initiative outlines a clear, solutions-focused framework that is backed by nearly 100 local water agencies and other coalition partners. ACWA is currently expanding the framework to a set of detailed recommendations that will be presented to California’s new governor in January.”
ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose approximately 470 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com
Contact: Heather Engel, Director of Communications | C (916) 669-2387
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