San Diego County Water Authority head Sandy Kerl retires
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Sandra Kerl, the long-time general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, retired Thursday after more than 40 years of public service.
Deputy General Manager Dan Denham will serve as acting GM until the board of directors finds a permanent replacement.
“It has been my privilege to work with so many talented and dedicated people during my 14 years at the Water Authority,” said Kerl. “I have complete confidence that they will carry on our mission without skipping a beat.”
Kerl’s eventual move up the ladder to the authority’s top slot in 2019 was preceded by 10 years as deputy general manager. She had announced in April she would step down in June.
“Sandy’s vision and management skills have been crucial in successfully navigating the challenges of an extreme drought while ensuring stability through the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mel Katz, chair of the Water Authority board. “Her deep experience with water issues, collaborative management style, and can-do spirit guided the agency through an unprecedented period of change.”
Her “dedication and work ethic on behalf of the San Diego region will be missed,” Katz said.
During a June ceremony at the Water Authority’s Kearny Mesa headquarters, California Sen. President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins presented Kerl with a framed resolution recognizing her contributions to the region. San Diego County congressmen Scott Peters and Darrell Issa also provided proclamations acknowledging Kerl’s service.
As general manager, Kerl launched an era of increased engagement with the water authority’s 24 member agencies and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, according to an agency release. She took a similar approach with staff, issuing the first agency-wide employee engagement survey and using the results to focus on areas of improvement. The water authority was named a top workplace in 2021 and 2022 by The San Diego Union-Tribune based on employee surveys by an independent organization.
“Enhancing our workplace culture, breaking down barriers to collaboration, and ensuring safe and reliable water supplies despite intense challenges would not have been possible without the dedication of staff, member agencies, and the Board of Directors,” Kerl said.
Kerl played a pivotal role in securing financing for the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant, which started commercial operations in Carlsbad in 2015 and produces approximately 50 million gallons of water a day for the San Diego region.
Before joining the water authority, Kerl was the city manager of La Mesa, California.
Throughout Kerl’s career, she has been active in the International County Management Association and has served as chair of the San Diego City/County Managers Association and San Diego Regional Training Center.
Kerl also was chair of the California Urban Water Agencies for the last year, an organization focused on dealing with the state’s drought. She also served on the executive board of the Southern California Water Coalition, chairing the Colorado River Task Force and Southern California Leadership Council Executive Committee.
In the wake of Kerl’s decision to retire, Assistant General Manager Tish Berge was named acting deputy general manager and Water Resources Director Kelley Gage was appointed acting assistant general manager.
Denham, who was named acting general manager, has served in several leadership capacities with the water authority over the past 17 years, including deputy general manager.
In that role, he oversaw the MWD and Colorado River programs, along with the Engineering, Water Resources, and Operations & Maintenance departments. Denham also oversees the implementation of long-term agricultural-to-urban conserved water transfers that are among the largest in the United States. As a commissioner on the Quantification Settlement Agreement Joint Powers Authority, he leads the Water Authority’s fulfillment of environmental mitigation obligations and legislative advocacy efforts at the Salton Sea.
Before joining the Water Authority in 2006, Denham served in various capacities at the City of San Diego’s Metropolitan Wastewater Department, Financial Management Department and the mayor’s office. Denham holds undergraduate degrees in public administration and economics, and a graduate degree in public administration — all from San Diego State University.
