SAWPA staff performs a wide variety of tasks to support the numerous initiatives requested by the SAWPA Commission and our member agencies.  Functionally, SAWPA is divided into five operational units, each with critical responsibilities for making SAWPA a successful organization. SAWPA staff includes a small team of individuals that work together across departments and skill levels to accomplish our programs in the most efficient, effective manner possible.

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SAWPA's Organizational Chart

MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION

SAWPA's Executive Management and Administration team interfaces with and supports SAWPA's Commission, as well as interacts with other water agencies, governmental entities, and stakeholders in the watershed.  The Executive Management team provides leadership on initiatives and facilitation to resolve complex and difficult issues (e.g., drought-proof the watershed, water supply, water quality, water rights, wastewater, and biosolids).

The team also coordinates and functions on monitoring and proactively working with legislators to ensure that water legislation is developed and implemented in the best interests of the Santa Ana watershed, the region, and the state.

ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS

The Engineering and Operations team is responsible for operations and maintenance of existing facilities, design and construction of new facilities, and implementation of major funded programs.  Major existing facilities include the Santa Ana Regional Interceptor (SARI) line, and the SAWPA facility.

One approach for SAWPA is to identify projects that are needed, find a way to bring them to reality, and then turn them over to another agency for ownership/operation.  This work is almost always accomplished in coordination with one or more other agencies. SAWPA is responsible for a number of projects that have been created in this way, including the Chino Desalter I in the Chino Basin, the West Riverside Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the Rapid Infiltration and Extraction (RIX) Plant in Colton.

Currently, the Engineering and Operations team is involved in a number of high visibility projects, including managing a series of projects being performed by member agencies and other stakeholders under the Costa-Machado Act of 2000 (Proposition 13), operations of the Arlington Desalter (in coordination with Western Municipal Water District and Orange County Water District), construction of the Arlington Enhancements Project, and operations of the SARI line.  Projects being accomplished by the Engineering & Operations team are discussed in the Engineering Projects page.

PLANNING

The Planning team focuses on the future of the watershed- supplies, demands, potential new sources of water, and coordinating the numerous agencies that work with or are affected by water, wastewater, and related activities. Major aspects of the team's work include major inter-agency water quality programs (e.g., TIN/TDS),  facilitation of regulatory programs (e.g., Chino Basin TMDL), development of future plans (e.g., the Integrated Watershed Plan) and administration of other major programs (e.g., the Lake Elsinore/San Jacinto Watersheds Authority- LESJWA). Projects being accomplished by the Planning Department are discussed on the Planning Projects page.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND DATA MANAGEMENT

The Information Systems and Data Management team is responsible for all computer and communications technology used by the agency for day to day operations, for identifying and implementing technology solutions that make SAWPA more efficient and effective, for developing and maintaining water-related data that are used by SAWPA staff for data analysis and dissemination, and for providing training and related support to SAWPA staff.

Computers & Communications.  SAWPA provides and maintains computers, networks, telecommunications, and internet capabilities for SAWPA.

Technology Solutions.  SAWPA IS staff are constantly evaluating current and emerging technologies to identify means to improve accomplishment of SAWPA goals.  We implement new capabilities to improve internal and external communication, assist the numerous ongoing projects, and to improve system effectiveness and quality.

Data Management & Data Analysis.  SAWPA uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS), database tools, Internet tools, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and a variety of other tools to manage and analyze data to support SAWPA's and our member agencies' projects.

Training & Support.  SAWPA IS staff provide training and related support to SAWPA staff, Commission and Committee members, and SAWPA member agencies. This includes software support and the use of new communications equipment.

FINANCE

The Finance team is accountable for the day-to-day administration of SAWPA’s finances by establishing internal controls for the financial well being of the agency.  Responsibilities range from coordination and monitoring of SAWPA's annual budget (approved each year by SAWPA's Commission) to payroll and benefits administration, accounts payables and accounts receivables for enterprise funds as well as state grant funding SAWPA receives for regional capital projects approved by the State of California. The Finance Department is also responsible for cash flow management and the investment and security of SAWPA's reserve accounts. Other special projects involving the Finance team include rate setting for the Santa Ana Regional Interceptor (SARI) enterprise fund which transports wastewater flows from the SAWPA member agencies in the upper watershed to treatment facilities located downstream in Orange County.  This group works closely with SAWPA’s project management team looking at the fiscal impact to the agency relative to new projects and upgrades to existing systems operated by the agency.

Copyright: Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, 2002
Last modified 05/02/2008