Out in the Community
As part of its standard to forge and maintain long-term, positive and proactive relationships with members of the local community and greater water industry and to be transparent about its operations and programs, OCWD board members and staff speak regularly before groups and at events. We recently participated in the following:
President Vicente Sarmiento and Directors Denis Bilodeau and Kelly Rowe, with General Manager Mike Markus met with California State Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris. Mike provided an OCWD briefing and GWRS tour.- President Sarmiento provided welcome remarks and General Manager Mike Markus, Laboratory Director Lee Yoo and Director of Public Affairs Eleanor Torres participated on panels and presented at the 2019 WateReuse California Conference.
- R&D staff were also active at the WateReuse California Conference with six projects presented by R&D staff or their collaborators, including Director of Research & & Development Megan Plumlee, Principal Scientist Jana Safarik, Postdoctoral Research Associate Ricardo Medina, and Scientist/Process Specialist Han Gu.
Director Denis Bilodeau presented medals and certificates to Orange County Science and Engineering Fair student winners of OCWD Special Awards. Senior Communications Specialist Diane Pinnick and GWRS Final Project Support Kathryn Demesa judged the innovative water-related projects that demonstrated real-world application.- Diane Pinnick also participated in the Marina High School STEAM Fair.
- GWRS Project Manager Sandy Scott-Roberts presented about the GWRS Final Expansion at Orange County Water Association’s monthly meeting.
- Recharge Planning Manager Adam Hutchinson presented about OCWD’s stormwater capture and improvements in weather forecasting that can lead to increased stormwater capture at the 2019 Southwest Extreme Precipitation Symposium.
- Principal Hydrogeologist Dave Mark provided a presentation to the Professional Environmental Management Association about sustainable groundwater management and the north basin site.
- Staff briefed City of Seal Beach Engineering and Public Utilities teams on the Sunset Gap seawater intrusion investigation beneath the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station and surrounding area and on a proposed OCWD seawater intrusion monitoring well site.