California 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 the resolution on behalf of the entire San Diego County delegation in the state Legislature. The resolution honors Kerl’s long career, highlighting many of her accomplishments, including her work the past 14 years at the Water Authority.
The resolution, in part, reads:
“Sandy Kerl was named General Manager in 2019, and having helped the Water Authority overcome numerous obstacles during her tenure, which was dominated by drought and countless other high profile issues, she has consistently expressed her gratitude for the dedication and determination of her Water Authority colleagues and Board members who have ensured the continuity of safe and reliable water supplies regardless of the challenges, including those presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which time the operations and maintenance staff consistently showed up every day in the field while the entirety of the office staff was moved to remote work in just one week to continue providing water around the clock.”
Atkins highlighted many of Kerl’s accomplishments, leadership and her success in meeting numerous challenges during the past four years as Water Authority general manager.
“I am incredibly honored by this recognition,” said Kerl. “I have the most incredibly talented people to work with, including the Board of Directors. We have done the hard work to secure the reliability of our water supply in San Diego and that is an accomplishment we all share.”
Dedicated to public service
Kerl joined the Water Authority as deputy general manager in November 2009 and served as acting general manager from March through November 2019 before being appointed by the Board of Directors to her current post.
As general manager, Kerl’s priorities include enhancing relations with the Water Authority’s member agencies, minimizing rate increases, concluding the long-running litigation with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and ensuring long-term water supplies for the semi-arid San Diego region.
One of Kerl’s first challenges as general manager was leading the transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic for about three-quarters of the Water Authority’s 250 employees. She also commissioned the first employee survey in the agency’s history as part of a larger effort to integrate different generations of employees, embrace the diversity of the agency’s workforce and empower all employees to reach their full potential.
Kerl’s career highlights in the water industry include leading the effort to secure financing for the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant, a public-private partnership that was hailed as a model for other large-scale water works around the country.
Kerl has more than 35 years of progressively responsible experience in all aspects of municipal management. She served as city manager of La Mesa, California, and has broad experience with city management, extensive knowledge of organizational issues, and a pragmatic understanding of capital project management and delivery.
