For California’s local governments, few issues are more pressing than ensuring the continued availability of safe, affordable drinking water for their residents. As shifting regulatory environments, emerging contaminants, and supply changes create new challenges for municipal water providers, it is more important than ever for utility leaders to learn about the latest solutions.

The California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association (CA-NV AWWA) will host its much-anticipated Water Conference of the West, April 6-9 in San Diego, California, bringing together municipal water executives and leaders. The conference provides technical information and practical tools to improve utility operations and minimize cost impacts on local government budgets.

Public works directors, water utility managers, attorneys, and other staff will not want to miss the conference session, “Bridging Budget Gaps: Strengthening Financial Resilience in Uncertain Times,” presented by Senior Partner Ken Sansone of SL Environmental Law Group. This presentation will outline the process of holding polluters accountable for contamination —shifting financial burdens away from ratepayers and back to responsible manufacturers.

Session Attendees Will Learn:

  • The latest updates on California drinking water regulations for contaminants such as PFAS, 1,4-dioxane, perchlorate, and 1,2,3-TCP, and how contaminant detections and regulatory requirements have exacerbated budgets statewide.
  • How legal action against chemical manufacturers responsible for contamination has provided supplemental funding for water systems throughout the region.
  • What potential claims may unlock new funding sources for municipalities facing contamination-related costs, helping to reduce overall budget pressures.
  • Critical next steps for municipal water systems eligible for the 3M and DuPont PFAS drinking water settlements ahead of key deadlines.

Real‑World Case Studies: Shifting Costs Off Ratepayers

The session will highlight California cities that successfully shifted contamination‑related costs from ratepayers to polluting manufacturers. These case studies will provide a blueprint that other municipalities can implement to help close budget gaps and reduce the financial strain of keeping up with evolving infrastructure needs.

Invest in Your City’s Future – Register Your Water Utility Leadership for the Water Conference of the West

Utility leaders who attend the Water Conference of the West will gain actionable strategies to help their communities thrive—without burdening residents with increased costs. Click here to register your city’s public works leaders today.

Session Details

Title: Bridging Budget Gaps: Strengthening Financial Resilience in Uncertain Times

Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Time: 1:30-2 PM

Registration Link: https://ca-nv-awwa.org/WCW26

About the Speaker: Ken Sansone

Ken Sansone is Senior Partner at SL Environmental Law Group, where he represents local governments, utilities, and airports to hold polluters accountable for cleanup costs. As part of his work at SL, Ken is actively involved in representing more than 300 entities in the Aqueous Film-Forming Foam multi-district litigation against PFAS manufacturers (AFFF MDL No. 2873). The firm anticipates recovering over $1 billion for its clients from the first phase of the 3M and DuPont settlements alone, with additional recoveries expected from settlements with other manufacturers.

Beyond his PFAS litigation work, Ken has obtained more than $155 million in recoveries for water systems to treat 1,2,3-TCP, a toxic contaminant from defective pesticides sold by Shell Oil and Dow Chemical. Ken also served as lead trial and appellate counsel to the City of Pomona, CA, for which he obtained a $30.2M recovery for the costs of cleaning up perchlorate contamination from the use of tainted fertilizer products made by SQM, a multinational mining company.