Dennstedt to Address Drought Conditions as WMWD Board President

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Brenda Dennstedt, newly appointed Western Municipal Water District board president, is looking to 2014 as a year to provide continued emphasis on controlling costs while addressing drought conditions. 

A Western board member since 2007 representing Division 3, Dennstedt took the seat as president at the Jan. 15 board meeting. Division 3 includes Lake Mathews, the City of Lake Elsinore, properties located south of Cajalco Road and west of Interstate 215, Temecula, Canyon Lake and Murrieta.

“We work hard to secure reliable sources of water, particularly in our semi-arid region. With a drought declaration last week from the governor, controlling costs for customers while addressing dry conditions are my priorities as board president,” Dennstedt explained, adding that this focus is in addition to supporting the District’s mission and vision.

“We’ll also aim to continue our partnerships with regional agencies, from Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District and the Western Riverside Council of Governments, to the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority and the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, among many others.”

Outgoing President and Division 2 Director Tom Evans will continue to serve as Western’s representative on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors.

The other board officer positions named at the board meeting were Donald D. Galleano, Division 4, vice president, and S.R. “Al” Lopez, Division 5, as secretary-treasurer; officers serve a one-year term. Top priorities for Western’s Board of Directors, in continued support of the District’s strategic plan, are expanding local water resources, agency collaboration and customer partnerships for efficiency.

Western’s Board of Directors is supported by GM John V. Rossi, who leads a 130-plus workforce that provides water supply, wastewater disposal and water resource management to the public in a safe, reliable, environmentally sensitive and financially responsible manner.