Mel Katz Seated as Vice Chair of Water Authority Board

March 25, 2022

Businessman and civic leader Mel Katz is the new vice chair of the San Diego County Water Authority Board, filling a vacancy created when Mona Rios stepped down from the post. The Board of Directors voted unanimously on Thursday to install Katz to fill the rest of Rios’ term, which ends in September.

Representing the City of Del Mar, Katz has been on the Water Authority Board since March 2018. He has been serving as the chair of the Legislation and Public Outreach Committee, along with appointments to the Administrative and Finance Committee, the Labor Negotiations Work Group, the Project Labor Agreement Work Group, and as the Water Authority’s representative to the San Diego Association of Governments.

Katz brings a wealth of civic and business experience to the post as an executive board member of The San Diego Foundation, a board member of the San Diego Rotary Foundation and a former chair of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, among several other posts. He also is executive officer of Manpower San Diego, a leading workforce solutions provider and one of the region’s largest for-profit employers.

Mel’s decades of civic leadership in San Diego County have benefitted everyone who calls the region home,” said Board Chair Gary Croucher. “In recent months, he has been instrumental in securing $18 million for the Water Authority to advance clean energy solutions and $25 million to help local residents cover unpaid water bills. I have no doubt Mel Katz will continue serving the region well in his new role, and I’m personally grateful for his service as we seek to sustain our economy and quality of life during the ongoing drought.”

Rios remains on the Water Authority Board, representing the City of National City. Several Board members on Thursday expressed their appreciation for her work as an officer.

“Mona Rios is a dedicated public servant whose integrity and commitment to our region is an inspiration to us all, and we are grateful that she will continue to help us support San Diego County’s water supply reliability,” Chair Croucher said.

  • The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $240 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. A public agency created in 1944, the Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 24 retail water providers, including cities, special districts and a military base.

    Media Contact Information

    Ed Joyce

    Phone: (949) 276-1675

    Email: Ejoyce@sdcwa.org