Eric Heidemann was seated on the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors on May 8, 2020, representing the City of Poway. Director Heidemann serves on the Imported Water and Engineering and Operations committees for the Water Authority.
Editor’s Note: This feature highlights new members of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 36-member Board of Directors. Each of the Water Authority’s 24 member agencies appoints at least one representative to the Board, which sets policy for the Water Authority.
Who: Eric Heidemann was seated on the Board of Directors on May 8, 2020, representing the City of Poway. Director Heidemann serves on the Imported Water and Engineering and Operations committees for the Water Authority.
Background/Education: University of Arizona, B.S. Business and M.S. Urban Planning
Water Industry Affiliations:
City of Poway, Public Works Director
Metro Wastewater Commission JPA
American Water Works Association (AWWA)
American Public Works Association (APWA)
League of Californian Cities
Q: How did you get interested in water issues?
A: I was born in California, raised in Arizona, and after graduating college – worked as a planner in Colorado. I’ve spent my entire life in the Southwest. As a kid from Tucson, I lived through decade-long droughts and watched the Central Arizona Project (CAP) be constructed and deliver Colorado River water to southern Arizona. That was a big deal back then. In Colorado, I worked for a small town near Vail (at the headwaters of the Colorado River) and was responsible for managing development and the Town’s very senior water rights portfolio. Currently, I’m the Director of Public Works for the City of Poway and responsible for, among other things, its water treatment and distribution systems. I’m a product of the Southwest, and water has had a strong influence on my personal and professional life.
Q: What are your priorities or interests as a Board member?
A: My priorities as a Board member are to work hard, listen carefully, and add value wherever I can. The SDCWA is a premier organization with excellent staff and strong administrative and financial policies. I want to see that continue. I don’t take the responsibly of being a Board Member lightly – I feel honored to work with some of the brightest minds in water.
Q: Besides maintaining safe and reliable water supplies, what do you see as the top three issues facing the San Diego region?
A: Housing, transportation, and aging infrastructure.
Q: What do you like to do when you are not working?
A: Now that my kids are older I spend a lot of my free time running. Recently, I’ve been stretching myself by training for an ultra-marathon. It really helps me think, clear my mind, and reduce stress.
The Water Authority’s Board of Directors typically meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. The Board invites the public to attend its monthly meetings and to comment on agenda items or other matters before the Board. For meeting times, agendas and documents, go to www.sdcwa.org/board-directors.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
