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After more than 52 years in the water and wastewater industry, Valley Center Municipal Water District’s long-serving General Manager, Gary Arant, is retiring. Arant led the District as General Manager for nearly 37 years. Since March 1989, he guided the District through countless challenges, including multi-year droughts, wildfires, freezes, state-mandated water cutbacks, economic recessions, countywide blackouts, and notably, an emergency in-house repair of a 42-inch transmission main. This exemplary record reflects a leader who consistently faced complex challenges head-on. A tireless and vocal advocate for effective and prudent local government and regional, state, and federal water policy, Arant has left an indelible mark on the District and the broader water community.

After graduating from California State University, Fullerton in 1972 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Arant began a long, dedicated career in the water industry. In 1973, he joined the Walnut Valley Water District in Los Angeles County as an Administrative Assistant and steadily advanced while continuing his education, earning a Master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University, Fullerton in 1978. Arant was ultimately promoted to Assistant General Manager, overseeing Walnut Valley’s Diamond Bar operations until 1980, when he relocated with his family to San Diego County.

Arant next served as General Manager for the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District in Escondido, located in northern San Diego County from 1980 to 1989. While at Rincon, he developed and financed a Capital Improvement Project program, adding significantly to Rincon’s water storage, supply and transmission capacity. Arant also oversaw the expansion of Rincon’s Fire Department to add a second station, provide paramedic service and assisted in the negotiation of the eventual fire merger with the City of Escondido.

In addition to over four decades of day-to-day water agency management, Arant actively engaged in local and state associations, boards and committees always with the goal of ensuring water agencies had a seat at the table where the decisions that affect our communities are made.
Arant was a member of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region, from 1983 until 1997, appointed by Governor Deukmejian and reappointed by Governor Wilson, serving in the positions Member, Vice Chair and Chair. Arant also previously served on the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission, Special District’s Advisory Committee from 1981 to 2020.

Arant has been the District’s appointed representative to the San Diego County Water Authority (Water Authority) Board of Directors since 2006. He is currently Vice Chair of the Water Authority’s Administrative and Finance Committee and serves on the Engineering and Operations Committee. As former Chair of the Administrative and Finance Committee, Arant guided the Water Authority through multiple challenging budget and rate cycles and served as a strong and effective voice for the priorities of local member agencies.

As the Valley Center community has historically been rooted in agriculture, the District has long been an active member of the San Diego County Farm Bureau. Throughout the years Arant has led numerous regional efforts to promote water rate stability for local farmers. In 2019, in response to the one-two punch of rapidly increasing wholesale water costs and state-mandated water cutbacks facing local farmers, Arant joined the Farm Bureau’s Water Committee to lend his expertise in navigating local water policy. Arant’s efforts helped secure water rate relief for local farmers through the Water Authority’s Permanent Special Agriculture Water Rate program. For his continued efforts supporting San Diego County agriculture, the Farm Bureau awarded Arant the Friend of Agriculture Award in 2017 and the Outstanding Service Award in 2025.

Active in the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) since 1973, Arant has chaired ACWA’s Energy, Local Government and Communications committees and served multiple terms on ACWA’s Board of Directors over a span of more than 20 years. In 2000, Arant participated in the development of ACWA’s grassroots outreach program and served as the first Co-Chair of the Outreach Task Force. ACWA’s outreach program has been instrumental in advocating for common sense legislation and regulations impacting water agencies. In 2007, due to his commitment to advance and advocate for effective California water policy, Arant received the ACWA Emissary Award. Under Arant’s direction, the District received the ACWA Region 10’s Outstanding Outreach Participation Award in 2011 and 2015 and Top Outreach Agency in 2017 and 2021. In December 2024, Arant received ACWA recognition in appreciation for his notable and invaluable contributions to ACWA’s Board of Directors, regions and committees.

Arant’s other notable achievements working with ACWA include assisting in the production of PBS’ “California’s Water” television series and serving on the “No Time to Waste – A Blueprint for California Water” workgroup. Arant also participated in various workgroups producing guidelines for transparent and prudent local government, including “Guidelines for Conduct – a Primer for Public Water Agency Officials,” “Open and Accessible: A Public Guide to Communication and Transparency” and “ACWA Policy Principles and Guidelines to Protect Property Tax and Reserves Funds”.

Arant has worked diligently throughout his career to advance regional, state and federal water policy and mentor the next generation of water leaders. One would be hard pressed to find a Southern California water manager that has not worked alongside Arant on the tough issues facing water agencies. From advancing regional infrastructure projects benefitting not just Valley Center, but the whole of San Diego County, to supporting statewide efforts to secure reliable water supplies, we have all benefitted from Arant’s vast water expertise and knowledge. A true public servant, Arant has shown how dedication and passion can have a lasting impact on the communities we serve.

In retirement, Arant will remain engaged in the water community and continue to serve as the District’s representative on the San Diego County Water Authority Board. As an avid guitar player and active member of his church, Arant looks forward to playing in the church band and spending more time with his three sons and grandchildren. And what he most looks forward to is a restful night’s sleep knowing the agency and community to which he dedicated nearly four decades are in good hands under the leadership of the District’s new General Manager, Lindsay Leahy.

Article courtesy of the Valley Center Municipal Water District.