February 20, 2019
Water Authority General Manager Maureen A. Stapleton Retires after 23 Years

After 23 years at the helm of the San Diego region’s wholesale water agency, General Manager Maureen Stapleton is stepping down – and leaving an enormous legacy. 

“The positive impact of Maureen’s leadership of the Water Authority and management of this region’s water supply cannot be overstated,” said Jim Madaffer, chair of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors. “She has also been an important leader in our civic affairs for three decades and has dedicated countless hours to the betterment of our entire region. She will be greatly missed.

“Her name is synonymous with water in San Diego – for good reason,” Madaffer continued. “Since 1996, Maureen has guided a dynamic agency that continues aggressively developing a comprehensive array of water supply and infrastructure projects designed to diversify the region’s water resources and improve the region’s water supply reliability.” 

Stapleton announced her plans today to the Board of Directors and staff. Upon Stapleton’s departure, Deputy General Manager Sandy Kerl, who has more than 25 years of experience in public administration including a decade at the Water Authority, will be the acting general manager while a search for the Water Authority’s next general manager is under way.

Enter the Brewing Month Photo Contest Before Feb. 28

Did you know February is Brewing Month in San Diego County? Show your love for the best local brews by entering the Water Authority's Brewing Month Photo Contest. Prizes include bags of Authority 1944 Blend by Cafe Moto and other items donated by the region's craft brewing industry.

Brewing Month and related activities are part of the Water Authority's Brought to You by Water outreach and education program, designed to convey the importance of safe and reliable water supplies for sustaining the region's core industries.

Entering the contest is easy: T ake a photo of your favorite local brew — coffee or beer — and post it on Instagram or Twitter using #B2UbyH2O by February 28, 2019. Winners will be drawn randomly each week from posts that meet contest rules.

Landscape Makeover Series - After
National Report Highlights Success of San Diego Sustainable Landscapes Program

San Diego’s Sustainable Landscapes Program ranked among the most effective landscape transformation programs in the nation in a study released Feb. 14 by the Chicago-based Alliance for Water Efficiency. The “Landscape Transformation Study: 2018 Analytics Report” compiled data from 14 similar landscape conservation programs in the U.S. and Canada.

The Alliance for Water Efficiency concluded that San Diego program participants reduced water use by an average of 114.8 gallons per day, or 34.8 percent. “The Water Authority has established a high benchmark for landscape transformation programs that include rigorous program requirements that result in the achievement of multiple benefits,” according to the report.

Report: Shorter Winters Could Impact Snowpack and Water Supply

New research shows shorter periods of winter weather are altering snowpack melt times, with potentially significant implications for water management and wildfires.

Three decades of investments to diversify the San Diego region’s water supply sources with seawater desalination, recycled water and other supplies have lessened the local impact of snowpack variations, said Dana Friehauf, water resources manager for the San Diego County Water Authority. 

Did You See?

Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer sat down with KUSI's Ginger Jeffries on Sunday to discuss issues such as water conveyance in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta and Brewing Month in San Diego County.

“California really doesn't have a water problem - it has more of a distribution and storage problem," said Madaffer. "The contrast is San Diego, where we've invested over $3 billion in local ratepayer money... we're doing everything we can to be drought-resilient so that you can always have water when you turn on the faucet."

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