Water in California is complicated…and governing water use is arguably even more complicated. Local water agencies are as diverse as the communities and landscapes of California. There are thousands of agencies across the state, both public and private, that provide water. They range from a system serving a single mobile home park to huge agencies serving millions of people and businesses and thousands of acres of farmland.

Some water agencies’ governing boards are appointed by a county board of supervisors or city council. The five-member board that oversees the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is appointed by the L.A. mayor and serve for five-year terms, for example. Others are directly elected by voters. Those are the ones you’ll see on your ballot.

There are also private, for-profit investor-owned and operated water agencies and other types of private water companies that have neither elected nor publicly appointed officials, such as the California American Water Company, which provides water for about 675,000 homes and businesses across California. They’re regulated at the state level by the State Water Resources Control Board and California Public Utilities Commission (both of which have their oversight boards appointed by the Governor). Because the governing systems for these types of for-profit water agencies are not directly elected by the public, we won’t talk about those any further in this guide.

What do water agencies do?

The statewide patchwork of water regulations and agencies means your specific water provider’s responsibilities will likely vary, but generally they’re making decisions on everything from setting water rates to how to spend public funds on water quality and safety to developing new sources of local water and planning for long-term water sustainability amid worsening drought cycles.

Though where your water comes from can vary dramatically depending on where you live, many water agencies purchase some amount of water from the major state and federal-owned water projects, such as the State Water Project, and manage that water for farms, businesses and residents along with local groundwater sources. Water agencies are also responsible for managing other sources of water supply, such as recycling water or pursuing ocean desalination projects.

Water agencies’ size and power vary dramatically, from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves nearly 19 million people across six counties, to tiny water agencies that serve just a handful of customers.

Despite the high stakes for the future of water in California, these are often low-profile races and many people repeatedly run unopposed, leading to a lack of accountability and misgovernance. A study found that between 2014 and 2018, 75% of local water boards in unincorporated communities in California didn’t hold elections. In L.A. County, the majority of water board elections have been canceled this year.

You might recognize their work from…

One topic local water agencies play a big role in? Drought. Water agencies can:

• Make decisions on water rates and address water quality concerns
• Mandate water conservation measures, such as the number of days you can run sprinklers.
• Decide on programs to invest in, such as rebates for replacing lawns and water-guzzling appliances 
• Develop long-term drought resilience plans that have to be approved by the state
• Decide what methods to pursue to expand local water supplies (including water recycling, stormwater capture, and groundwater replenishment)
• Support customers with information about their water and available financial and other assistance programs

One very current example of why local water agencies matter: California has a voluntary 15% cut in water use in place right now (though there are some statewide mandatory measures in place), leaving it up to local water agencies to decide when and how much of a cut to mandate in their district and how to get there.

For example, southern California’s Metropolitan Water District, which supplies water to dozens of its member cities and water agencies in the Southland, declared a water shortage emergency in April. By declaring an emergency, the water district forced member cities and agencies to take steps to reign in water use. That’s what prompted the stricter outdoor watering rules we’ve had here in L.A. this summer.

This is also why you see different outdoor watering rules across the state and squabbling about whether each part of the state is doing its fair share to help California make it through this current drought.

In addition to providing water supplies, many local water agencies also oversee flood control, sewers, and even parks and other recreational spaces.

What does each type of water agency do?

In the California Water Code alone, there are more than ten types of water agencies. One study identified 26 different types of water systems across the state. A UCLA study categorized six major types of water systems in California.

The agencies you’re most likely to see on your ballot are some kind of city- or county-run agency or “special district." These are local public agencies that provide many of the same services as a city government. Special districts can be responsible for a specific task, such as supplying affordable water, or they can be responsible for a wide range of public services such as flood control, sewer management, and providing electricity. The most common types of special districts that act as local water providers are irrigation districts, community services districts, public utility districts, municipal water districts and irrigation districts.

On the L.A. County ballot, you may see candidates running for:

• Municipal or county water district: In L.A. County you might see the Central Basin Municipal Water District, which serves about 2 million people in Compton, Bell Gardens, East L.A. and 21 other cities and unincorporated areas across southeast L.A. County. 
• Irrigation district: One of the most important irrigation districts in the western U.S. is the Imperial Irrigation District, which provides water and electricity to homes, businesses and about 500,000 acres of farmland in Imperial County and parts of the Coachella Valley in Riverside County. The district holds the largest share of water rights to California’s portion of the dwindling Colorado River. 
• Water agency (this is not a legal term like the others listed, but we're including because you may see this description on your ballot): One example is the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, which is holding its second election since emerging from the consolidation of several smaller agencies in 2018. The agency serves 273,000 people and businesses. 
• Water replenishment district: The Water Replenishment District of Southern California manages groundwater serving 4 million people from Long Beach to Inglewood to Whittier, a total of 43 cities across southern L.A. county. 

Each type of water agency has its own set of laws that lay out its purpose, who can serve on the governing board, and how those members are elected or appointed.

Different agencies can also have different responsibilities: some manage only water supplies, others both water and power, some also oversee sewage and flood systems. That makes it challenging to offer a generalized overview of what each of these governing bodies above does. However, UCLA created this handy map that details the many types of water governance systems just in L.A. County.

Key Issues

The primary responsibility of any agency overseeing a drinking water system is to keep water safe and clean.

Extreme drought and water resilience in the face of an increasingly dry future is also a top concern. Local water agencies make decisions about developing new local water supplies, such as recycling wastewater, capturing stormwater and replenishing groundwater.

Water affordability is another big consideration for water agencies as increasingly severe drought cycles and aging infrastructure affects rates.

Water officials today are making decisions that will affect water availability, water rates, and long-term drought resilience for decades to come.

One local example? Angelenos have been allowed to water outside during the current drought twice a week instead of once a week like many cities, in part due to conservation measures put in place before the regional mandate, according to city officials.

What should I consider in a candidate?

To serve on a water board, candidates have to live in the specific area the board serves, just like running for city council or the school board. Some districts also require those running for election to be a landowner, which can exclude many otherwise qualified candidates and is a requirement many experts consider outdated.

Terms are usually between two and four years, but the limit on terms varies wildly. These positions often go unopposed, so board members might end up serving for decades. That’s something to keep an eye out for. Is someone in your district running against someone who’s sat on the board for a long time? How are they planning to tackle the situation differently from the incumbent?

Board members can range from business owners to farmers to environmentalists to scientists to water managers to policy experts to engineers. For example, in rural areas, board members often have a connection to agriculture or their campaigns are heavily funded by agricultural players with a major interest in water.

When deciding how to vote, you might want to consider the background of someone who’s running for water board and how that influences how they think about water policy. Some expertise in water policy and water issues is also clearly relevant.

More reading

• The Community Water Center’s Guide to Community Drinking Water Advocacy (offers a rundown of the roles of the different agencies)
• Untapped Opportunity: Local Water Boards and the Fight for Water Justice (a study looking at the impact on communities of chronically unopposed water board elections)
• Community Water Systems in Los Angeles County (a UCLA study on the variety of water systems in L.A. county)

Experts we spoke to for this piece:

• Greg Pierce, Co-Director of the Water Resources Group at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab.

What's on your ballot

Depending on where you live in L.A. County, you’ll see the following races on your ballot.

Central Basin Municipal Water District Board, Division 3

Arturo Chacon, Water Board Director

• Campaign website: arturo-chacon.com
• Contributions: No filings reported to California Secretary of State
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Chacon provided no information to Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Leonard Mendoza, Water professional

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Mendoza provided information on Voter's Edge.

Three Valleys Municipal Water District Board, Division 1

Carlos Goytia, Director/Senior Groundsmen

• Campaign website: electcarlosgoytia.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Read more about Carlos Goytia's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge
  

Frank Carlos Guzman, Non-Profit Executive Director

• Campaign website: electfrankguzman.com
• Endorsements: None Listed
• Guzman provided no information to Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Division 3

Brian Bowcock, Incumbent

• Campaign website: None, but you can read their profile on the water district's website.
• Endorsements: None listed
• Bowcock provided no information to Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Jeff Hanlon, Water Educator/Scientist

• Campaign website: jeffthreevalleys.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Hanlon provided information on Voter's Edge.

Javier Aguilar, Regional Urban Planner

• Campaign website: javiforwater.com
• Endorsements: None listed
• Aguilar provided no information on Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board

Division 1

Serge Haddad, Environmental Water Engineer

• Campaign website: sergeforwater.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Read more about Serge Haddad's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Tony Fellow, Director, Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, Division 1

• Campaign website: drtonyfellow.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Read more about Tony Fellow's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Division 5

Roman Rodriguez, Recreation Supervisor

• Campaign website: romogrod.poliengine.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (available on homepage)
• Read more about Roman Rodriguez's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Jennifer Santana, Water Director/Scientist

• Campaign website: Facebook page
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (some available on homepage)
• Read more about Jennifer Santana's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge.

West Basin Muncipal Water District Board

Division 1

Harold Williams, Board member, West Basin Municipal Water District Division 1

• Campaign website: None, but you can read their bio on the district's website.
• Endorsements: List of endorsements. (Voter's Edge)
• Read more about Harold Williams' priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Carol Kwan, Clean Water Advocate

• Campaign website: carolkwan.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements. (Campaign website)
• Read more about Carol Kwan's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Division 4

Scott Houston, Director, West Basin Municipal Water District Division 4

• Campaign website: scotthouston.org
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Read more about Scott Houston's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Sanjay Gaur, Water Resource Economist

• Campaign website: gaurforwaterboard2022.com
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Sanjay Gaur's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Water Replenishment District of Southern California

Division 1

Joy Langford, Appointed Director, Water Replenishment

• Campaign website: joyforwaterboard.com
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Joy Langford's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Gerard McCallum, Environmental Regulatory Manager

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Gerard McCallum's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Janna Elizabeth Zurita, Trustee, Abatement District

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Janna Elizabeth Zurita's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Division 3

John Allen, Director, Water Replenishment District

• Campaign website: None, but you can read their bio on the water district's website.
• Endorsements: None listed
• Allen provided no information on Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Mike Murchison, Water Infrastructure Advocate

• Campaign website: murchison4wrdboard.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Read more about Mike Murchison's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Gerrie Schipske, Water Ratepayer Advocate

• Campaign website: ratepayeradvocate.com
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Gerrie Schipske's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Division 4

Jose R. Gonzalez, Executive/Vice-Mayor/Educator

• Campaign website: josegonazlez4water.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (available on homepage)
• Read more about Jose R. Gonzalez's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Sergio Joseph Calderon, Water Director/Teacher

• Campaign website: calderon4cleanwater.org
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Sergio Joseph Calderon's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency, Division 3

Frank S. Donato, Director, Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency

• Campaign website: Facebook Page
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Voter's Edge)
• Read more about Frank S. Donato's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Mike Lang, Retired Executive

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Lang provided no information on Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.
  

Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency

Division 1

Bill Cooper, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency Board Director

• Campaign website: votebillcooper.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Cooper provided no information on Voter's Edge.

Melissa K. Cantu, High School Teacher

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Cantu provided no information on Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Nicole Wilson, Fiscal Policy Analyst

• Campaign website: Facebook page
• Endorsements: None listed
• Wilson provided no information on Voter's Edge.

Division 2

Kathy Colley, Registered Nurse

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Colley provided no information to Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Dirk Marks, Water Resources Engineer

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: See list of endorsements (Voter's Edge)
• Read more about Marks's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Sage G. Rafferty, Water Equipment Engineer

• Campaign website: sagerafferty.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (campaign website)
• Read more about Rafferty's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Division 3

Lynne Plambeck, Boardmember, Santa Clarita Water Agency Division 3

• Campaign website: plambeckforscvwater.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Read more about Plambeck's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Maria Gutzeit, Appointed Board Member, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency

• Campaign website: mariagutzeit.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (available on homepage)
• Read more about Maria Gutzeit's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Crescenta Valley Water District

James Bodnar, Director/Manager/Engineer

• Campaign website: electbodnar.com
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Bodnar's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Kerry Erickson, Incumbent

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Erickson provided no information on Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Jeffery W. Johnson, Attorney

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Johnson's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Alec Hyeler, Engineer

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Read more about Hyeler's priorities and experience on Voter's Edge

Orchard Dale Water District

Charles Luas, Incumbent 

• Campaign website: None, but you can read their bio on the water district's website.
• Endorsements: None listed
• Luas provided no information on Voter’s edge but you can request that they provide it.

Joseph Velasco III, Incumbent

• Campaign Website: None, but you can read their bio on the water district's website.
• Endorsements: None listed
• Velasco provided no information on Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.

Denise Dolor, Incumbent

• Campaign website: None, but you can read their bio on the water district's website.
• Endorsements: None listed.
• Dolor provided no information on Voter’s edge but you can request that they provide it.

Kevin Noonan, Weather Forecaster

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Noonan provided no information on Voter’s edge but you can request that they provide it.

Rowland Water District, Division 3

John Edward Bellah, Incumbent

• Campaign website: None, but you can read their bio on the water district's website.
• Endorsements: None listed
• Bellah provided no information on Voter’s edge but you can request that they provide it.

Karl Johan Ljungberg (No title listed)

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Ljungberg provided no information on Voter’s edge.

Palmdale Water District, Division 2

Don F. Wilson, Incumbent 

• Campaign website: None, but you can read their bio on the water district's website.
• Endorsements: None listed
• Wilson provided no information on Voter’s edge but you can request that they provide it.

Yvette Silva, Small Business Owner

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Silva provided no information on Voter's Edge.

Walnut Valley Water District, Division 2

Andrew Y. Wong, City Commissioner

• Campaign website: No campaign website
• Endorsements: None listed
• Wong provided no information on Voter's Edge.

Edwin Hilden, Incumbent

• Campaign website: edhilden.com
• Endorsements: List of endorsements (Campaign website)
• Hilden provided no information on Voter's Edge, but you can request that they provide it.