FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., March 31, 2004 -- The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) has announced that Kevin P. Hunt has been named its new general manager, beginning Monday, April 5, 2004.
A registered civil engineer with more than 34 years of broad water resource expertise - and direct experience helping supply water to Orange County - Hunt will be the district's sixth general manager since its formation 53 years ago. He replaces Stanley E. Sprague who recently retired after 32 years with the district and 21 years as general manager.
MWDOC is a public planning and resource management agency that was formed in 1951 and today provides imported water to more than 2 million Orange County residents through 30 member agencies that include cities, retail water districts, two private water companies and one service district.
"Kevin Hunt is a well respected and well known entity in the water community," said MWDOC President Brett R. Barbre. "His background in both the private and public sectors will make him a real asset for MWDOC and I look forward to his leadership as he champions the goals of MWDOC in Orange County, at the Metropolitan Water District, and in Sacramento and Washington, D.C."
Hunt says he need only look at the district's mission statement to determine his priorities and objectives as general manger. "Continuing to provide Orange County with a high quality, reliable, and economical supply of water is what MWDOC is all about," said Hunt. "As general manager, it is my responsibility to ensure that we stay true to our mission and that MWDOC continues working to increase the value it provides to its member agencies as well as effectively representing Orange County's interests at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California."
For Hunt, being general manager of MWDOC represents much more than a professional opportunity. It is also a role that will offer great personal satisfaction as he works to ensure Orange County's water needs continue to be met.
"I have a passion for water," said Hunt. "It's one of the most exciting fields you can be in because it is always changing, along with the challenges in our mission to provide water to nearly 3 million people in Orange County."
Hunt possesses a wealth of knowledge about water in Orange County, acquired during his four decades in the industry. Early in his career, Hunt served as the consulting district engineer for MWDOC and as part of its master planning team. He also served as project manager for the development of the Allen-McColloch Pipeline, which serves as Orange County's primary imported water pipeline.
Hunt's career in the private sector as a water resources consultant continued until accepting the general manager position with MWDOC. Hunt's most recent role has been that of director of business development for Psomas, a land development, water, transportation and information technology company based in the western United States. He also served previously as the group leader for Psomas' Water and Natural Resources, Transportation, and Construction Management Practices.
Hunt earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, New York. He is also a California-registered civil engineer. During his career, Hunt has come to specialize in water resource planning and management, competitiveness and privatization studies, water resource economics, and water marketing. He also educates the community about water through talks regarding topics such as ethical water transfers, impacts of water policy on water supply, debunking the myth of privatization, and economical analysis of regional water systems.
Hunt resides in Fountain Valley with his wife Susan. They have four adult children.
The Municipal Water District of Orange County is a public planning and resource management agency that was formed in 1951 and today provides imported water to more than 2 million Orange County residents through 30 member agencies that include cities, retail water districts, two private water companies and one service district. Call 714-593-5012 or visit online at www.mwdoc.org for more information.
