By Kris Polly

In this month’s cover story, Municipal Water Leader Contributing Editor Jeff Kightlinger interviews Dan Denham, a San Diego native with long experience who is the new general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA). Mr. Denham discusses the linked challenges of guaranteeing reliable water supplies and preserving affordability and tells us about some of SDCWA’s partnerships with other local agencies, including its “great” relationship with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Next, we look at an exciting pilot project in Utah’s Salt Lake Valley. The City of South Jordan, with the help of Carollo Engineers and other partners, has developed the Pure SoJo direct potable reuse demonstration facility, successfully demonstrating that wastewater can be treated to drinking water standards. We learn more from several professionals involved in the effort.

Jerry Gladbach was a California water champion who touched many lives and had a hand in many triumphs of cooperation and problem solving. He was also the kindest, most caring, and most decent man, as can be attested by all who knew him. A visionary in many ways, Jerry Gladbach quietly and effectively influenced and shaped the future of every organization and entity he was associated with. His pragmatic and good-natured leadership is an example to all. His contributions were memorialized this year when the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, on the board of which he served, renamed one of its water treatment facilities after him. We speak with Gary Martin and Bill Cooper, who served with Mr. Gladbach on the agency’s board, to learn more about what made him such a special person.

The Central Delta Water Agency works on salinity control and groundwater issues across 120,000 acres in California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. We speak with Dante Nomellini, who serves as the agency’s secretary/manager and counsel, about the importance of halting saltwater intrusion and about the complex picture of water supply issues across the state.

Then, we speak with Chuck Egli, the managing director of the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center, about how the organization provides water and wastewater utilities across the nation with information and tools for preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from physical and cyber hazards.

Next, we interview Jesse Anderson, the founder and president of Advanced Conservation Management, about the many useful water conservation products and trainings the company provides.

Finally, we speak with Shane Lewis, the CEO of Streamwise Digital Intelligence, which has created an AI-powered platform that gathers and digests data on water and wastewater treatment systems in order to provide them to users in an easy-to-use format.

The role of individuals in our industry cannot be underestimated. Longtime professionals who put in the effort to understand the issues and build relationships are invaluable. One of the great things about this magazine is being able to highlight both the accomplishments of the giants of the industry and the new leaders who are stepping up to make their marks.

Kris Polly is the editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader magazine and the president and CEO of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He can be contacted at kris.polly@waterstrategies.com.