In all, nearly 100 Southern Californians were elected or re-elected to water boards in the 2018 midterm election. Three currently serve on the SCWC Board: Steve Elie of Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Scott Houston of West Basin Municipal Water District, and Steve LaMar of Irvine Ranch Water District.

Many are incumbents, but some are new to water issues. Some, such as Darcy Burke of Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, have been elected for the first time to their local water boards after years of career experience in the water sector. Others, such as Peer Swan of IRWD, faced their first day as an elected official nearly four decades prior. No matter the background, these newly elected water leaders bring a multitude of experience and opinions to their service.

Fragmented and hyper-localized water systems and districts can sometimes mean little opportunity for collaboration. But now more than ever, water agencies are working together to find solutions to the difficult problems facing California water supplies, whether it’s working together on sustainable groundwater management plans or coming together to support large public works projects such as California WaterFix.

With Southern California accounting for more than half the state’s population, it is in our best interests as a region to work together toward a reliable future supply. I may be biased, but I think we do a pretty good job at this. I’d be delinquent in my duty as Executive Director if I didn’t mention the role that SCWC has played since its founding in 1984 as SoCal’s unifying voice on  water issues. Our members come from Kern County to San Diego County and everywhere in-between, and from business, agriculture, government and water to drive change through education and advocacy to ensure reliable water supplies for the region.

Many of the new elected officials are active with our organization. Some are new to us. Either way, we extend our warmest welcome to you and invite you to take part in one of our task forces or attend our upcoming quarterly meeting and luncheon. Learn what we’re all about and see how we can work together to strengthen the region’s water future.

Congratulations to New Water Board Members (by county)!

KERN COUNTY
Indian Wells Valley Water District
Stanley G. Rajtora

David Saint-Amand

LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Central Basin Municipal Water District
Bob O. Apodaca (Division 2)

Arturo Chacon (Division 3)

Martha E. Camacho-Rodriguez (Division 1, unexpired term ending Dec. 4, 2020)

La Habra Heights County Water District
Brad Cooke

Karen Baroldi

Palmdale Water District
Don F. Wilson (Division 2)

Vincent J. Dino (Division 5) 

Pico Water District
Victor Caballero

Andrew C. Lara

Robert A. Martinez

San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
Bruce H. Knoles (Division 5)

Three Valleys Municipal Water District
Carlos Goytia (Division 1)

Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
Anthony Fellow (Division 1)

Jennifer Santana (Division 5)

Valley County Water District
Jazmin M. Lopez

David L. Muse

Lenet I. Pacheco

Water Replenishment District of Southern California
Willard H. Murray, Jr. (Division 1)

Sergio Joseph Calderon (Division 4)

West Basin Municipal Water District
Harold Williams (Division 1)

Scott Houston (Division 4)

ORANGE COUNTY
El Toro Water District
Kathryn Freshley

Mike Gaskins

Irvine Ranch Water District
Doug Reinhart

Steve LaMar

Peer A. Swan

Moulton Niguel Water District
Kelly Jennings

Donald R. Froelich

William “Bill” Moorhead

Mesa Water District
Marice Depasquale (Division 3)

Shawn Dewane (Division 5)

Orange County Water District
Dina Nguyen (Division 1)

Kelly E. Rowe (Division 7)

South Coast Water District
William “Bill” Green

Dennis Erdman

Yorba Linda Water District
Brooke Jones

Al Nederhood

Phillip (Phil) D. Hawkins

Municipal Water District of Orange County
Brett Barbre (Division 1)

RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Coachella Valley Water District
G. Patrick O’Dowd (Division 1)

John Powell Jr. (Division 3)

Desert Water Agency
Jim Cioffi

Patricia Oygar

Joe Stuart

Eastern Municipal Water District
Stephen J. Corona (Division 2)

David J. Slawson (Division 5)

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District
Darcy M. Burke (Division 1)

Jared McBride (Division 3)

Mission Springs Water District
Steve Grasha

Nancy S. Wright

San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
T. Milford Harrison (Division 4)

San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
Blair M. Ball (Division 4)

Western Municipal Water District
Gracie Torres (Division 2) 

Yucaipa Valley Water District
Jay S. Bogh (Division 3)

Joyce McIntire (Division 5)

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Big Bear Municipal Water District
Larry Cooke (Division 2)

Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency
Judy K. Corl-Lorono

Jo Marie McKenzie

John R. Burkhart

Chino Basin Water Conservation District
Margaret Hamilton (Division 3)

East Valley Water District
Ronald “Ron” L. Coats

James Morales Jr.

Phillip R. Goodrich

Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Steve Elie (Division 3)

Jasmin Hall (Division 4) 

Indian Wells Valley Water District
Chuck Griffin

Peter E. Brown

Joshua Basin Water District
Mike Reynolds

Rebecca Unger 

Mojave Water Agency
Mike Page (Division 4)

Running Springs Water District
William Charles Conrad

Mark Acciani

Tony Grabow 

San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation
David E. Raley (Division 2)

San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
Susan Longville (Division 3)

T. Milford Harrison (Division 4)

Paul R. Kielhold (Division 5) 

San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
Blair M. Ball (Division 4)

Yucaipa Valley Water District
Bruce J. Granlund (Division 2)

Jay S. Bogh (Division 3)

Tom Shalhoub (Division 5) 

SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Helix Water District
Dan McMillan (Division 1)

Rainbow Municipal Water District
Carl Rindfleisch (Division 4)

Ramona Municipal Water District
James Hickle (Division 2)

South Bay Irrigation District
Steve Castaneda (Division 1)

Hector M. Martinez (Division 4)

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Goleta Water District
Kathleen Werner

Thomas Evans

Montecito Water District
Cori Hayman

Brian C. Goebel

Kenneth J. Coates

Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District
R. Brad Joos (At-Large)

Jeff Clay (Division 2)

Kevin Walsh (Division 3) 

VENTURA COUNTY
Camrosa Water District
Jeffrey Brown (Division 2)

Casitas Municipal Water District
Angelo Spandrio (Division 4)

The post Blog: SoCal Welcomes New and Seasoned Water Board Members to Office appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Governor-elect Gavin Newsom
Few were surprised to see heavily favored Democrat Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom beat out Republican John Cox for the governorship. In the coming months, our coalition looks forward to discussing California’s water needs and resources with Governor-elect Newsom and his early appointees. The new administration provides us an opportunity to help inform future policies on issues such as water supply, conservation, water quality, ecosystem restoration and more. We also have expressed our coalition’s strong support for California WaterFix as the best and most cost-effective long-term solution to securing a reliable and efficient water supply — a vital project for California’s future.

One of Governor-elect Newsom’s first acts was to issue a joint letter with Governor Brown requesting a 35-day delay on the Nov. 7, 2018, vote on the State Water Resources Control Board’s proposed amendments to flow mandates in the Lower San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced rivers. As you know, SCWC strongly opposes these amendments that will decrease water supplies for cities, schools and agriculture groups in the region. Postponing the vote to Dec. 12, 2018 will give the five irrigation districts that hold the water rights time to work out a settlement to improve conditions for salmon without harming farmers. 

Proposition 3
I was disappointed that Proposition 3, the Water Supply and Water Quality Act of 2018, did not secure enough votes to pass despite broad support from water agencies and others. SCWC had urged a “Yes” vote on the $8.9 billion bond aimed at providing necessary funding for our state’s water infrastructure. But the bond didn’t garner the support it needed even though voters approved a $4.1 billion water bond in June, as well as other bonds for water projects in 2014, 2006, and 2002.

What does its defeat mean for those of us worried about California’s water future? It’s a reminder that our work is not done — and that it is more important than ever. Funding like this is sorely needed for water quality, infrastructure, and supply reliability and we’ll continue to spark conversation, advocate for solutions and keep water issues top of mind among Californians. Setbacks happen but also steel our resolve to drive meaningful, long-lasting change in the world of California water. I’m optimistic that the innovators working on California water will find other ways to bridge the funding gaps and build a sustainable water future for the state.

Measure W
A slim victory seems within reach for the new Los Angeles County parcel tax aimed at paying for collecting and recycling stormwater. If it becomes law, Measure W will levy a new tax on property owners to help meet federal water quality standards going into effect soon. The money is needed to clean up polluted water and reduce the region’s reliance on imported water. 

Get Involved and Stay Involved
Elections are a necessary and important focus. But at SCWC, we work day-in, day-out to bring a representative, balanced and non-partisan voice to vital water issues impacting the region’s economy, environment and prosperity. And we need you to add your voice to the conversation. Let’s work together to engage Southern Californians in our state’s complex water issues. Join one of our task forces. Attend and network at one of our workshops or events. Engage with us on social media. We need your dedicated leadership and commitment to help us meet our mission: to educate and engage Southern Californians in order to drive meaningful, long-lasting change in the world of California water.

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