Achievements
News featuring innovations, accomplishments, and awards by water industry professionals and water agencies.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
Tish Berge and Kelley Gage Appointed to Key Leadership Positions
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeSan Diego County Water Authority executives Tish Berge and Kelley Gage were promoted Monday by General Manager Dan Denham. Berge moves from assistant general manager to deputy general manager after two years in her prior post. Gage, who served as director of water resources the past five years, is now assistant general manager. Berge moves from […]
Dan Denham Appointed San Diego County Water Authority General Manager
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeThe San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors August 24 voted unanimously to appoint Dan Denham as general manager. The appointment follows the June retirement of former General Manager Sandra L. Kerl. Denham has served in several leadership capacities with the Water Authority for the past 17 years, including his most recent post as […]
Vista Irrigation District Celebrates 100 Years of Service
/in Achievements, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalThe Vista Irrigation District, one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. In the 1920s, citrus and avocado farming in the Vista area increased so quickly that the growing region faced the real danger of running out of water. Completing the Henshaw Dam in 1923 made it […]
Helix Water District Named Water Energy Leader with Energy Use Reductions
/in Achievements, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalHelix Water District received recognition from The Climate Registry as a Water-Energy Leader Gold organization after the district reduced its electric use by 15% and greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. The Climate Registry is a nonprofit organization that helps companies, governments, and institutions reduce their emissions. Its Water-Energy Nexus Registry is sponsored by the California […]
Sweetwater Authority Welcomes Roberto Yano as Assistant General Manager
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeSweetwater Authority has brought on Roberto Yano as the agency’s new Assistant General Manager. With 30 years of experience in public works, engineering and leadership at the City of Chula Vista and the City of National City, Yano brings a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise to the Authority. As the Assistant General Manager, Yano […]
Neena Kuzmich Named Director of Engineering
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeNeena Kuzmich has been appointed director of engineering for the San Diego County Water Authority – the first woman to lead the Engineering Department since the agency’s formation in 1944. Kuzmich brings more than 25 years of experience as a civil engineer to fill the position vacated by the retirement of Gary Bousquet. The Water […]
San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl Retires
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeSan Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl retired June 29, after more than 40 years of public service. Deputy General Manager Dan Denham is acting GM until the Water Authority Board of Directors permanently fills the position. Kerl’s tenure at the Water Authority included 10 years as deputy general manager and four […]
Water Authority General Manager Sandra Kerl Celebrated for 40 Year Public Service Career
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeCalifornia Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins June 16 recognized the accomplishments of San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl, who is retiring later this month after a 41-year career in public service. During a ceremony at the Water Authority’s Kearny Mesa headquarters, Atkins presented Kerl with a framed plaque of […]
Water Authority Team Wins 2023 Skills Competition
/in Achievements, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalThe San Diego County Water Authority’s Operations and Maintenance Division team won the top prize at the annual ROADEO Skills Competition. The 2023 event was hosted by the San Diego Chapter of the Maintenance Superintendents Association and the American Public Works Association (APWA) in April at Wells Park in El Cajon. The annual contest gives […]
IID Board Appoints Sergio Quiroz as Interim General Manager
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike Lee /Imperial Irrigation DistrictThe Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors appointed Assistant General Manager Sergio Quiroz to serve as Interim General Manager effective June 3. The Board’s decision was made following closed session discussions during the May 16 meeting, with directors present voting unanimously in support of the appointment. As Interim General Manager, Quiroz will replace General Manager […]
Vallecitos WD Employee Ed Pedrazzi Recognized for Leadership
/in Achievements, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalVallecitos Water District Operations and Maintenance Manager Ed Pedrazzi is the ACWA 2023 “Excellence in Water Leadership” award winner. Pedrazzi received his career honor at the Association of California Water Agencies annual conference on May 9. The award recognizes individuals who have “made a remarkable and visible contribution to the enhancement, protection, or development of […]
Outreach Efforts Honored at 2023 CAPIO EPIC Awards
/in Achievements, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalThe San Diego County Water Authority received two Awards of Distinction for outreach programs at the 2023 California Association of Public Information Officers (CAPIO) “EPIC Awards” competition for California public agency communication programs. The Water Authority’s “Faces of the Water Industry” public outreach campaign created by Public Affairs Representative Andrea Mora won in the Social […]
Olivenhain Municipal Water District 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility Is California’s Plant of the Year
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeOlivenhain Municipal Water District’s 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility is the California Water Environment Association statewide 2022 Plant of the Year. The award was presented April 19 at CWEA’s Annual Conference in San Diego. The award acknowledges the facility’s accomplishments to increase water supply reliability by reducing imported water demand and plant operations. In addition to […]
4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility Honored as California’s Plant of the Year
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeThe Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility was named 2022 Plant of the Year by the California Water Environment Association. At its March 15 meeting, the Olivenhain Municipal Water District Board of Directors accepted the award as the CWEA San Diego section’s 2022 Plant of the Year. The Plant of the Year […]
Celebrating 79 Years of Engineering at the San Diego County Water Authority
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeThe San Diego County Water Authority is celebrating National Engineers Week by highlighting how the agency’s engineers are instrumental in keeping the water flowing to San Diegans. Since the Water Authority’s formation in 1944, engineers have played a pivotal role in the establishment and growth of the agency and its commitment to delivering safe, reliable […]