Legislation and
Leadership

Following a months-long national search, the Water Authority appointed Sandra L. Kerl to be the new general manager of the Water Authority in November 2019. The hiring process included a vetting of finalists by the Water Authority’s 36-member Board of Directors, representing 24 member agencies across San Diego County. Kerl served as the agency’s acting general manager following Maureen Stapleton’s retirement in early 2019, working closely with the Board to lead a staff of approximately 250 employees at offices in Kearny Mesa, Escondido, the Imperial Valley, Los Angeles and Sacramento. 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 employees. She also commissioned the first employee survey in the agency’s history.