Each year, our awards program celebrates the people, agencies, and partners who are strengthening recycled water programs across California. From visionary leadership and meaningful community outreach to operational excellence and innovative customer partnerships.
This year, we are especially excited to introduce a new category: Recycled Water Operator of the Year. This award honors a recycled water operator who exemplifies excellence in system operation, safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. Operators are at the heart of every successful recycled water program, and this new recognition celebrates the critical role they play in protecting public health and sustaining public confidence in water reuse.
Award Categories:
- Bahman Sheikh Award for Vision in Water Reuse
- Recycled Water Agency of the Year
(Small, Medium, and Large)
- Recycled Water Outreach/ Education Program of the Year
- Recycled Water Advocate of the Year
- Recycled Water Customer of the Year
(Northern and Southern California)
- Emerging Leader in Recycled Water
- Recycled Water Staff Person of the Year
- Recycled Water Operator of the Year
Click here to view our Call for Awards PDF.
We encourage you to take a moment to recognize a colleague, team, agency, or partner whose work deserves to be celebrated.
Award recipients will be recognized at the 2026 WateReuse California Annual Conference in San Francisco, where we will come together to honor the leaders shaping California’s water future.
If you have any questions, please contact WRCAConferenceComs@watereuse.org.
Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to advancing recycled water across California. We look forward to receiving your nominations.