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State Water Resources Control Board staff outline WBKey multifactor login rollout and user steps
Summary
Division of Drinking Water staff urged EAR users to register WBKey accounts, avoid sharing credentials, and noted multifactor authentication options and limits on resets and device registration.
State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water staff told users at an EAR input forum that the agency has implemented WBKey multifactor authentication for access to the Electronic Annual Report portal and urged users to register a WBKey account and associate it with their water system before the next reporting season.
The WBKey change was implemented on 10/08/2025 and applies to all users of the EAR portal. Gabriela Gutierrez of the EAR customer service team said users must click “register” on the EAR portal to connect a WBKey account to the EAR even if they already use WBKey for other State Water Board applications.
Why it matters: the new authentication affects how water system staff and contractors access the EAR. Staff said the change aims to add a layer of security but requires account registration, association to a water system, and, in some cases, district/regulator approval for association. The Division also described options for multifactor authentication and current limits on resetting credentials.
Division staff gave step-by-step guidance for three common user situations: creating a new WBKey account, existing EAR users without a WBKey account, and users who already have WBKey access for other State Water Board portals. After creating or registering a WBKey account, users must associate their account with the specific water system(s) they will report for; regulators or local primacy agency staff approve those associations. Staff said this approval step is automatic for some users but routed through regulator review when the association is new.
The division recommended users not share WBKey credentials. “We highly, highly please do not share your credentials with others, please,” Gutierrez said. Staff also said users can choose among several multifactor devices — authentication app, text message, phone call or email — and that text, phone call and email are available for users who do not use smartphone apps.
On device limits and resets, staff said a given WBKey authentication is registered to a single mobile device; if a user changes phones they must request an MFA reset through the Division’s support process. Division staff said they are pursuing a future change that would allow users to self-reset, but for now resets go through the agency’s IT process and can require extra turnaround time.
Contractors who prepare EARs can register WBKey accounts and associate to the client water systems; the district or regulator will review and approve those associations before the contractor can submit an EAR on a system’s behalf. For technical problems, staff directed users to the ddw-ear@waterboards.ca.gov email and to include screenshots or error text when seeking support.
The Division plans to hold WBKey-focused webinars ahead of the reporting season to walk users through registration and device selection. Staff also pointed users to a posted WBKey “getting started” guide and to additional support workshops.
