California-Nevada Section American Water Works Association

What California-Nevada Section American Water Works Association does

The California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association (CA-NV AWWA) is a nonprofit professional membership association and regional section of AWWA, headquartered at 10435 Ashford St., 2nd Floor, Rancho Cucamonga, California. Founded as part of the parent AWWA (established 1881), the Section serves drinking water professionals across California and Nevada through a portfolio of ANSI-accredited certifications, continuing education programs, conferences, publications, and regulatory-recognized credentialing. Its core offerings include seven professional certification programs covering 28 exams (BPAT, CCCS, WQLA, WUEP, DWTO, DWDO, AWTO), the Water Audit Validator (WAV) certificate mandated under California SB555/SB606, the H2O Know online training platform, on-site Blueprint for Success training, the annual Water Conference of the West, regional Water Education Seminars, and the quarterly SOURCE magazine distributed to more than 5,000 members.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining recurring membership dues (individual $20-$347; utilities $473-$29,254 based on service connections; service providers $2,057-$11,733 based on gross sales), one-time and renewal certification exam fees (BPAT $355 member / $385 non-member), paid training and workshops (Backflow Refresher $375-$485; WAV Certificate $2,300-$2,410; webinars $30-$160), conference registration and exhibitor sponsorships, and advertising in SOURCE Magazine. Additional revenue is derived from customized on-site training delivered to utilities and from grant-funded technical assistance programs such as the EPA- and State Water Resources Control Board-funded Water Loss Technical Assistance Program (2016-2019). Roughly 20 staff support operations, and the Section is governed by an elected Governing Board under Executive Director Sue Mosburg.

The go-to-market motion is community- and event-led, leveraging automatic Section enrollment of all AWWA members in the region, the Water College (founded December 1999), the California Water Loss Control Collaborative (established 2015), and partnerships with regulators including the California State Water Resources Control Board and Department of Water Resources. The organization holds ANSI accreditation for its BPAT and CCCS certifications, IACET accreditation for its continuing education programs, and maintains ANSI-accredited and state-recognized credentialing infrastructure that creates a structural compliance dependency among California and Nevada water utilities.

Name

California-Nevada Section American Water Works Association

Legal name

American Water Works Association California-Nevada Section

Website

https://ca-nv-awwa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

California-Nevada Section AWWA is a nonprofit professional membership association serving drinking water professionals across California and Nevada through ANSI-accredited certifications, continuing education, conferences, and publications, with more than 5,000 members and a mandate under California water loss regulations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Industry Professional Association and Certification Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

EMS Training & Competency Development (EUAHAIAH), Quality Assurance/Quality Control & Accreditation (QA plans, proficiency testing, ISO/IEC 17025) (EUANAJAK)

Keywords

• Water industry certification
• Professional drinking water training
• Water utility education
• Water loss audit validation
• Backflow prevention certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Rancho Cucamonga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues structured by type (Individual $347, Young Professional $198, Operations/Administrative $113, Student $20, Retired $35-$45) and utility/service provider tiers (ranging from $473 to $29,254 annually based on service connections or gross sales). Includes utility membership where all employees receive member discount rates.
2. Certification Exams and Renewals: Fees for certification exam applications and renewals across 7 certification programs (BPAT $355 members / $385 non-members) and related administrative services.
3. Conferences and Events: Revenue from Water Conference of the West, Water Education Seminars, Operator Symposium, Annual Fall Conference, and Spring Conference including registration fees, exhibitor booth fees, and sponsorship packages.
4. Training and Education: Fees for technical training classes, webinars, workshops, and the H2O Know online training platform. Classes include pricing such as Backflow Refresher ($375 member / $485 non-member), Project Management webinars ($30 member / $60 non-member), and Water Audit Validator Certificate ($2,300 member / $2,410 non-member).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CA-NV AWWA is a regional nonprofit professional membership association for the water industry that delivers seven ANSI/IACET-accredited water industry certifications (28 exams), continuing education and training via the H2O Know online platform and Blueprint for Success on-site training, major conferences including the Water Conference of the West, the quarterly SOURCE Magazine, scholarships, and the Water Loss Technical Assistance Program. Its offerings target water utilities, drinking water operators, and service providers across California and Nevada.

Product overview

CA-NV AWWA is a professional membership organization serving the water community in California and Nevada, not a single software product. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected services: professional water industry certifications (7 programs, 28 exams) for water professionals; the H2O Know online training platform and Blueprint for Success on-site training for continuing education; major conferences (Water Conference of the West, Water Education Seminars) for networking and learning; SOURCE Magazine for industry publications; scholarship programs supporting students entering the water field; and the Water Loss Technical Assistance Program for water conservation. The certification programs and education offerings are closely linked, with many training classes designed to help candidates prepare for certification exams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Water Industry Certifications CA-NV AWWA offers seven professional certification programs covering 28 exams including Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester (BPAT), Cross-Connection Control Specialist (CCCS), Water Quality Laboratory Analyst (WQLA), Water Use Efficiency Practitioner (WUEP), Drinking Water Treatment Operator (DWTO), Drinking Water Distribution Operator (DWDO), and Advanced Water Treatment Operator (AWTO). ANSI accreditation held for BPAT and CCCS.
• Water Audit Validator (WAV) Certificate Program A multi-day certification program designed to qualify individuals to perform Level 1 water audit validations in California per SB555. Validators examine water loss audit inputs and supporting documents to verify methodology and data grading. Member pricing $2,300 / non-member $2,410; valid for 3 years.
• H2O Know Online Training Platform Online training platform providing continuing education and webinars for water operators with self-paced courses and live webinar registration capabilities. IACET-accredited.
• Blueprint for Success (On-site Training) On-site technical training program that brings CA-NV AWWA's educational classes to organizations, covering topics including Water Distribution, Water Treatment, Backflow, Cross-Connection, Water Quality, and specialty training.
• Water Conference of the West (WCW) Annual major conference bringing together the water community including operators, engineers, managers, regulators, consultants, manufacturers, and students for technical sessions, networking, and competitions.
• Water Education Seminar (WES) One-day educational seminars held at community colleges bringing together operators, managers, technicians, and field personnel for technical sessions covering environmental health, drinking water regulations, distribution, engineering, and more.
• SOURCE Magazine Quarterly magazine open to all CA-NV AWWA members and the California-Nevada Water Community, with printed editions distributed to over 5,000 members quarterly.
• CA-NV AWWA Scholarship Program Scholarship program supporting students interested in drinking water-related fields including environmental and civil engineers, water treatment/distribution operators, chemists, laboratory technicians, and biologists. Includes Dr. Pankaj Parekh Memorial Scholarship, Melinda Rho Memorial Scholarship, and operator scholarships up to $5,000.
• Water Loss Technical Assistance Program (Water Loss TAP) Technical assistance program implemented by CA-NV AWWA from 2016-2019, funded by EPA and State Water Resources Control Board through State Revolving Fund, providing water loss audit training and validation services to California water utilities.
• CA-NV AWWA Membership Annual membership program with tiers for individuals (Individual, Young Professional, Operations/Administrative, Student, Retired) and organizations (Utility, Service Provider). Members receive standards library access, discounts on certifications/events/training, and SECTION engagement.
• Credential Lookup Database Online searchable database for verifying individuals holding CA-NV AWWA-issued water industry certifications including BPAT, CCCS, WQLA, WUEP, DWTO, DWDO, AWTO, and Cross-Connection Specialist credentials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 members receive the quarterly SOURCE magazine
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Water Loss Control CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015CA-NV AWWA leads a broad multi-stakeholder group established in 2015 to combat water loss in California. Members include utility personnel, industry organizations, consultants, non-profits, and state entities. Coordinates with AWWA Water Loss Control Committee.
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPA co-funded the Water Loss Technical Assistance Program (Water Loss TAP) through the State Revolving Fund set-aside for technical assistance, implemented by CA-NV AWWA from 2016 through 2019.
• State Water Resources Control Board (California)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia State Water Resources Control Board co-funded the Water Loss TAP and partners on Water Loss Performance Standards. The Board also recognizes CA-NV AWWA certifications and participates in cross-connection control policy development.
• Department of Water Resources (California)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDWR partners with CA-NV AWWA on validated water loss audit reporting per SB555 and SB606. CA-NV AWWA's Water Audit Validator program qualifies validators required by DWR for urban retail water supplier audits.
• Water Systems Optimization (WSO)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWSO is part of the WSO/Cavanaugh Program Management Team that supported the Water Loss TAP implementation. Listed as a qualified contractor for CA-NV AWWA Water Loss Technical Assistance Program.
• CavanaughcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCavanaugh is part of the WSO/Cavanaugh Program Management Team that supported the Water Loss TAP implementation. Listed as a qualified contractor for CA-NV AWWA Water Loss Technical Assistance Program.
• Nevada Environmental Protection Division, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water (NDEP-BSDW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCA-NV AWWA earned a four-year proctoring services contract (2019-2023) with NDEP-BSDW for certification exam administration in Nevada.
• California Water Environment Association (CWEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCA-NV AWWA and CWEA co-developed the Advanced Water Treatment Operator (AWTO) certification program (grades 3-5), the first joint certification program serving both drinking water and wastewater professionals. AWTO Candidate Handbook is hosted on www.AWTOperator.org.
• Water For PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater For People is featured at WCW conferences for Young Professionals & Water For People Mixer events, supporting the humanitarian water organization's fundraising and awareness activities.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCA-NV AWWA is the regional Section of AWWA, founded in 1881. AWWA provides the global network (50,000 members), standards library, Water Equation scholarship funding, and overall governance. CA-NV Section automatically enrolls all AWWA members in the region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Northwest Section AWWA: Regional AWWA Section serving Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Same Section charter, ANSI-accredited certification programs, annual conference, and Water Loss Control committee structure as CA-NV AWWA, making it the closest operational peer outside of CA-NV.
• National Rural Water Association (NRWA): National nonprofit serving small and rural water and wastewater systems with training, certification support, and technical assistance. Comparable in training-and-certification focus and nonprofit professional association structure, though oriented to rural systems.
• California Water Environment Association (CWEA): California-based professional association for wastewater professionals. Co-developed the AWTO certification with CA-NV AWWA, serves overlapping California municipal water workforce, and offers directly comparable certification, training, conference, and member-benefit programs.
• New England Water Works Association (NEWWA): Regional water professional association serving New England states with operator certification, training, conferences, and publications. Operates as a standalone regional association with similar program mix to CA-NV AWWA.
• Florida Section AWWA: Regional AWWA Section serving Florida water professionals with the same membership, certification, training, and conference infrastructure as CA-NV AWWA. Strong comparable given Florida's similar regulatory intensity and large utility market.
• Texas Water Association / Texas Section AWWA: Regional AWWA Section serving Texas water professionals with the same charter structure, certification portfolio, and event-driven member engagement model as CA-NV AWWA. Comparable in scale and program mix, but operating in a different geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• International Water Association (IWA): Global nonprofit connecting water professionals with conferences, publications, and specialist groups including the Water Loss Specialist Group that shaped the IWA water balance methodology underpinning CA-NV AWWA's Water Loss TAP.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): National parent association providing CA-NV AWWA with its membership pipeline, standards library, and global brand. Directly comparable mission (water professional certification, education, advocacy) but operates at national/global scale across all U.S. regions and beyond.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF): National nonprofit technical and educational organization for water quality professionals. Directly comparable in mission (water/wastewater certification, training, conferences, publications) but operates at national scale and focuses more on wastewater than drinking water.

Others

• Water Research Foundation (WRF): AWWA-affiliated research nonprofit funding applied drinking water research. Comparable nonprofit ecosystem role within the AWWA network, but focused on research rather than certification and training delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CANVSectionAWWA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canvawwa
• Instagraminstagram.com/canvawwa
• TikToktiktok.com/@ca_nv_section_awwa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about California-Nevada Section American Water Works Association