News release
As “Carl the Waterwise Hero” managed his home irrigation system from outer space, drawing applause from the crowd, the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency’s communications team received its first “Best-in-Show” award of the afternoon from the California Association of Public Information Officials at a ceremony in San Diego on Tuesday, the agency announced in a news release.
In addition to earning the top prize for a video entry in its budget range, the agency was also awarded a Best-in-Show for its comprehensive Proposition 218 Water Rates messaging in 2024-25, the release said.
SCV Water also received three awards from CAPIO’s main awards program. The agency took home EPIC (Excellence in Public Information and Communications) Awards for both the “Space Carl” and Proposition 218 campaigns, while earning an Award of Distinction (second place) for the 2025 Popular Annual Financial Report, or PAFR, the release said.
Best-in-Show winners are selected by CAPIO from the entire entry pool each year. A “Best-in-Show” designation is awarded to one video and one non-video entry for each budget category (Small, Medium, and Large). For the 2026 EPIC Awards program, SCV Water won two of the seven “Best-in-Show” honors bestowed.
CAPIO’s EPIC awards program recognizes the most creative and effective efforts in the areas of communication and marketing campaigns, newsletter production, photography, special events, writing, website development, and video production, the release said.
Approximately 500 awards applications were submitted by CAPIO member organizations, which include city and county governments, special districts, water agencies and other public entities throughout California.
SCV Water received awards for projects completed in 2025, including:
• Carl the Waterwise Hero – Public Service Announcement (Consultant Supported).
• Proposition 218 Water Rates Engagement – Communications Campaign (In-House).
• 2025 Popular Annual Financial Report – Annual Report.
CAPIO is dedicated to advancing public sector communicators across all levels of government in California, the release said. EPIC awards and Awards of Distinction are determined by judges from the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers, a CAPIO sister organization.
