The San Diego County Water Authority is accepting applications for the Spring 2024 Citizens Water Academy class. In three class sessions, participants will learn firsthand about critical water issues affecting the region and go behind the scenes with water planners, managers, engineers, and other staff to gain a deeper understanding of the Water Authority’s life-sustaining mission.

The application period is open from January 29 to March 1, with the class taking place in mid-May. Participants must attend all three sessions to graduate. Applications are available on the Water Authority website.  

Spring 2024 Schedule: 

Session 1 – Wednesday lunch hour, May 15 via Zoom. Welcome and overview by Water Authority General Manager Dan Denham.  

Session 2 – Thursday evening, May 16. Dinner, presentations, and activities. Topic: planning for a water-resilient future.  

Session 3 – Saturday, May 18, half day. Breakfast and lunch, and behind-the-scenes tours of the Water Authority’s Control Room, Emergency Operations Center, and Olivenhain Dam and Pump Station. 

Building A Network of Water Industry Ambassadors 

Since the Citizens Water Academy was launched in 2015, nearly 800 civic leaders have participated and become water knowledge ambassadors. The Water Academy is geared toward civic and business leaders. Class participants come from a wide range of backgrounds and professions. They include civic and business leaders as well as elected official representatives from across the region.  

“It’s easy to take our safe, reliable supply of water for granted,” said General Manager Dan Denham. “We turn on the faucet and there’s the water, ready to be transformed into our morning cup of coffee. But how that water gets from point A to point B requires an astounding work of engineering and strategic planning. The Water Academy is all about connecting our community to this intricate world.” 

Award-Winning Program 

The Citizens Water Academy launched in Fall 2014 and was honored with the Silver Bernays Mark of Excellence Award from the San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in 2015. 

Graduates give the program top reviews, with 99% of participants saying they would recommend the Water Academy to a colleague and nearly 50% of graduates participating in the Water Authority’s alumni network.