Candidate for
Board Member; Municipal Water District of Orange County; Division 5

DIRECTOR

Jose Vergara is a longtime Orange County resident, licensed civil engineer, water resource management professional, and public servant. He was elected to represent and serve the customers of the El Toro Water District (ETWD) in 2012. ETWD provides water and sewer services to the cities of Laguna Wood, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo.

As a Director of ETWD, Jose has strengthened water resource management to ensure water supply reliability so that enough water is available to meet present and future demands of the ETWD, especially during a drought. His emphasis has been on developing recycled water and water conservation. Currently, ETWD is undertaking a comprehensive, multi-phase recycled water expansion program that will increase by 1,200 acre-feet per year the amount of recycled water used for irrigation. This recycled water will save precious imported water for domestic use.

He has insisted in transparency and full disclosure in every District's business. Thus, he has encouraged public participation at the meetings and has directed staff to maintain the public informed through the citizens advisory group, public hearings and regular meetings of the Board. This was an important consideration when the District received the recognition as District of Distinction.

WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Jose Vergara is currently working and has worked for the last 23 years at the Water Resource Management Group of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, where he helped develop the Groundwater Recovery Program, which provided assistance to water agencies to develop degraded groundwater. He also managed the Commercial, Industrial, & Institutional water conservation program, which provides assistance to businesses and industry to reduce the use of water by retrofitting their facilities with water-efficient devices. In the early 2000, he managed the research efforts to understand and add seawater desalination to the region's water supply portfolio. Jose's efforts have mostly concentrated on helping agencies develop recycled water. His last 23 years have been dedicated to work for the people, ensuring that water is served to every Californian.

Jose was a technical member of Governor Schwarzenegger's 2003 Recycled Water Task Force, which identified barriers to the development of recycled water in California. He was one of the project engineers for the US Bureau of Reclamation 1999 Southern California Salinity Management Study, which estimated the regional economic impact of salinity our water supplies. Prior to Metropolitan Water, Jose worked for a consulting engineering firm in Tustin, CA, and with military projects abroad.

RUNNING FOR THE MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT OF ORANGE COUNTY

Jose Vergara is running for the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) because he believes we need more independent water-knowledgeable leaders that look at the position of Director at MWDOC from a service-first approach and that will use their knowledge about water to improve the living conditions of residents of Orange County. He will not serve special interests but the common interest of the people of Orange County.

His long-standing commitment to secure water for the people will ensure that the region is prepared for any climate change or drought and that Orange County residents will continue to receive water, businesses will continue to operate, and the economy will sustain its growth while keeping and increasing jobs in Orange County.

He is proud of serving at the ETWD's Board. He also understands that there is still much more he can accomplished for the benefit of residents of Orange County in general and the customers of ETWD, Irvine and Newport Beach in particular.

Jose also believes that water district directors should possess background and knowledge of the value of water, its importance, and the challenges it faces. Jose's life commitment to water makes him the right person to represent us at MWDOC's Board.

Jose has worked with and promoted good relationships with neighboring retail water agencies to develop reliability and emergency response projects. As director of the Municipal Water District of Orange County, Jose will continue working with the retail water agencies to increase the ways to better serve the people that elected him.

If you have any questions for Jose regarding his former places of employment, activities he currently participated on, any specific information on what he has done to serve the public, please send him an email. His commitment is to the people of Orange County, that means you, not anyone else.

ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

Prior to Metropolitan, Jose had 15 years of experience working with public and private engineering companies on military and public works projects in Orange County and abroad. Jose is member of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and the Watereuse Association. He represents El Toro Water District on the Water Advisory Committee of Orange County (WACO). He is former president of the California Society of Professional Engineers (CSPE) in Orange County, a former member of the American Society of Military Engineers (SAME) and former member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He has been an active member of the community. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Lake Forest, and the Newport-Balboa Rotary Club.

EDUCATION

Jose earned a MSCE degree in Water Resources from Loyola Marymount University. Additionally, he has a BS degree in Civil Engineering, a Master Degree of Business Administration, a Logistic Degree from a Military Academy, and a Certificate as Specialist in Groundwater Development.

FAMILY

During the last 30 years living in Orange County, Jose and his wife Pilar raised two children: Jose David, graduated from the Air Force Academy, currently an Air Force pilot and Melissa an Art History major from the University of California in Santa Cruz.