Martin 'Marty' Miller elected to be next chair of Metropolitan's 38-member Board of Directors

Longtime water professional and businessman Martin “Marty” Miller was unanimously elected last month to be the next chair of Metropolitan's Board of Directors.

Miller, who has represented the San Diego County Water Authority on Metropolitan’s 38-member board since 2021, will serve a two-year term beginning Jan. 1.

He will be the 21st chair in Metropolitan’s 98-year history, and the first representative from San Diego to lead Metropolitan's board. He succeeds outgoing Chair Adán Ortega, Jr., who has led the board since 2022.

Read the news release.

From left, outgoing Chair Ortega with Chair-elect Miller after the board election on Oct. 13.

Metropolitan maintains strong bond ratings from leading credit agencies

Metropolitan's Finance, Affordability, Asset Management, and Efficiency Committee discusses the 2026/27 and 2027/28 budget before the board of directors unanimously adopted it on April 14.

Citing sound financial management and long-term water planning, the nation's leading credit rating agencies reaffirmed Metropolitan's strong credit ratings last month.

Reports from S&P Global, Moody’s and Fitch recognized Metropolitan’s prudent financial and budgetary practices, strong revenue, and debt service coverage as key factors for the continued high ratings, even as the district faces challenges, such as climate change and the uncertainty surrounding Colorado River operations.

Read the news release.

Metropolitan hosts largest-ever MetWorks conference to support local jobs, investment in reliable water supplies

Metropolitan hosted its largest-ever MetWorks business outreach conference last month, drawing more than 1,200 people to network and share information on public contracting opportunities.

Metropolitan and its member agencies are investing billions of dollars in projects to keep Southern California’s water supply infrastructure reliable and safe. The Oct.15 event in Pomona allowed staff from Metropolitan and 18 other water agencies to connect with construction companies, consulting firms, suppliers and other businesses to discuss upcoming projects requiring outside expertise.

Read the news release. Learn more about Metropolitan's Business Outreach programs.

Colorado River update: Still seeking consensus on cuts and operations

Lake Mead, photographed in October, has dropped to record-low water levels.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's 2027-2028 Operating Guidelines for the river went into effect Oct. 1, requiring 1.25 million acre-feet of reductions in the Lower Basin each year for the next two years, and possibly more if 2028 is dry. But it is still not certain how those reductions will be made.

If a Lower Basin agreement cannot be finalized, Reclamation would impose cuts to the Lower Basin of 1.25 million acre-feet using its existing authorities under the Law of the River – with likely no cuts to California.

The Lower Basin states are working to reach agreement, and if that happens, California's share of cuts would be 440,000 acre-feet. Within California, agricultural and urban water agencies that contract for Colorado River water, including Metropolitan, continue negotiating how those reductions would be shared.

Metropolitan’s goal is to have agreements in place by the end of the year to avoid unmanageable cuts in the future, said Metropolitan Manager of Colorado River Resources Bill Hasencamp. “It’s in California's collective interest to protect Lake Mead and to have a functioning system.”

Listen to Bill Hasencamp's Colorado River update at an October committee meeting. Learn more about Metropolitan's work toward a sustainable Colorado River.

Metropolitan, Delta Conservancy celebrate the start of 2,800-acre Webb Tract wetland restoration project

From left, Metropolitan General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh, Contra Costa County Supervisor Ken Carlson, California Department of Water Resources Director Tom Gibson, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Executive Officer Campbell Ingram, River Partners Director of Tribal Engagement Austin Stevenot, California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Meghan Hertel.

State and local leaders gathered in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta on Oct. 7 to mark the beginning of the 2,800-acre Webb Tract wetland restoration project. For the groundbreaking, project partners planted seeds of Bay Miwok evening primrose, a small native flower with deep connections to the Delta’s Indigenous communities.

Read the news release and watch a video. Learn more about the nature-based approach to restoring Webb Tract.

Metropolitan honors three extraordinary water-saving programs with One Water Awards

Metropolitan's One Water Awards recognize leaders in the commercial, industrial, institutional and agricultural sectors who have achieved water savings through Metropolitan's conservation and water efficiency programs. The 2026 winners are:

Municipal Water District of Orange County for a first-of-its-kind water loss control program helping its member agencies find and fix hidden leaks within their water systems. Watch the video.

Oakley for a cooling tower project at its Foothill Ranch headquarters that uses new technology to recycle water more efficiently, reducing the iconic eyewear brand’s water use by 20%. 

Westmont Village for a turf replacement project that converted more than 1.5 million square feet of nonfunctional turf throughout the senior living community in Riverside.

Watch the One Water Awards presentation.

Metropolitan's Workforce Development Summit spotlights career opportunities in the water sector

Metropolitan held its second annual Regional Workforce Development Summit in Carson on Oct. 29. The event brought together water professionals, educational institutions, and community and veteran organizations to collaborate on ways to increase the pool of qualified job candidates and broaden access to opportunities in the water sector.

The summit included a panel discussion on closing the skills gap that included from left, Christina Raquel Romero, executive director of the Office of College Advancement and Santa Ana College Foundation; Erin Guerrero, public affairs manager at Eastern Municipal Water District; Patricia Duran, senior human resources analyst at San Diego County Water Authority; Jeffry Dennis, professor and department chair of water and wastewater technology at Santiago Canyon College; and Michael Robinson, electrical and instrumentation technician with Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts.

Learn more about Metropolitan's Workforce Development programs.