It was my first month serving as general manager for DC WASA. I panicked in 2009 as I watched a crew repairing a pipe that was a century old, looking at printed maps stained from years of use and wondering who would talk to angry customers.  I witnessed why many see water as a threat – dirty drinking water, sewer backups, dangerous floods – managed by crumbling systems.

I knew that the scale of change was a “moonshot.” Yet I also recognized the impact that water has on every living organism, person and job on the planet. That realization sparked my journey with DC Water to 

transform the organization.

The journey that followed, including rebranding to DC Water, is inspiring. Today, crews arrive in modern trucks with maps on iPads, video sensors that can diagnose problems - while customers receive updates through social media.  Old pipes are being replaced, energy conserved, costs reduced, and revenue generated by new approaches.