SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 8, 2002 — Contra Costa Water District Director Bette Boatmun takes office this month as president of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), the oldest and largest water organization in the state.
Boatmun's election during ACWA's fall conference in November marked several firsts. Boatmun is the first water official from the San Francisco Bay Area and the first woman from Northern California to hold the association's top post. She had served as vice president of ACWA since January 2000.
With more than 27 years of experience in California water issues, Boatmun said she is ready to lead the association as it helps craft solutions to the state's water challenges.
"Though California appears to be headed for a normal rainfall year in 2002, there is a tremendous amount of work to be done to ensure reliable water supplies for the state in the future," she said. "I'm honored to help ACWA and its members play an active role in that task. ACWA will seek to protect and improve California's water supply and water quality. It will work to advance the balanced CALFED program that is essential to assuring a stable water future for California."
Boatmun, a former public school teacher and YWCA executive director, lives in Concord. She has been active in community affairs for years, including the American Association of University Women, Sons of Italy and Soroptomist International. Boatmun currently serves on the governing boards of the Center for Human Development, the Kennedy King Scholarship Foundation and Gallery Concord.
Among her personal goals as ACWA President, she is developing a Hands Across the Border program to assist water providers in Mexico and will develop a network of women leaders in California water.
Boatmun is only the second woman to serve as president in ACWA's 91-year history. The first was Lois Krieger, a director and former president of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, who was president of ACWA from 1990 to 1992.
Boatmun was first elected to the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors in 1974 and was president from 1990 to 1992, during the height of a six-year drought.
Also taking office this week was ACWA's new vice president, E. G. "Jerry" Gladbach, director of Castaic Lake Water Agency. Gladbach has served on ACWA's Board of Directors for nearly 10 years and previously was chair of the association's Region 8, which includes Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
ACWA is a statewide organization whose 440 public agency members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California.
