Government Affairs

For more than 100 years, CVWD has been working to protect the water resources that are vital to a thriving Coachella Valley. To further that mission, CVWD employs a full-time Government Affairs Specialist as well as lobbyists in both Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to track policy and work on behalf of our customers. Here, you will find information regarding position letters the District has sent to members of the California legislature and Congress and other governing bodies whose activities affect CVWD and the way we operate to provide safe and reliable drinking water, sewer, and stormwater services.

The Legislative Platform outlines the priorities and positions CVWD’s Board of Directors has approved for the current legislative term. Throughout the year, the Board may also take additional steps to direct staff to oppose or support policy initiatives as they arise.

Government Affairs Staff

Government Affairs Specialist Kristen Johnson has been with CVWD since October 2017. Prior to joining CVWD, she advised the Bureau of Reclamation as an Attorney-Advisor at the Department of the Interior for nine years in Washington, D.C. While working for the Department of the Interior Ms. Johnson's legal practice was focused in the Klamath Basin on the California-Oregon border as well as on matters for Reclamation's Great Plains Region. Ms. Johnson attended Southern Illinois University School of Law and is admitted to practice law in the state of Illinois. She received her undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She has been a resident of the Coachella Valley since May 2017.

If you have questions regarding the District’s positions on a legislative or regulatory matter or to request the District take a position or action, please call 760.398.2651 x 3564. You may also email Ms. Johnson at kjohnson@cvwd.org.