SCV Water recently held a dedication ceremony to rename its Rio Vista Water Treatment as the E. G. “Jerry” Gladbach Water Treatment Plant in honor of the late SCV Water Board Vice President Jerry Gladbach. Gladbach served on the SCV Water Board of Directors, and its predecessor, the Castaic Lake Water Agency, from 1985 until his passing in July 2022, and was a pillar in the water industry, locally, state-wide and nationally, with a career stretching back more than 60 years.

SCV Water Board President Gary Martin shared the inscription of a plaque presented to him at the Urban Water Institute Annual Conference in August 2022, saying, “Jerry was one of the most highly regarded water professionals and decision makers in California. He had an impressive ability to combine his extensive knowledge with his congenial, gentle and graceful style, to work with others, to reach agreements when conflicts arose. He was a teacher and mentor to many in the business, and a visionary leader, respecting all affected by water policies at the local, state and national levels”

Martin continued, “People remember him as the consummate public servant, a deeply knowledgeable water professional, and a gentleman who showed grace even in the most difficult times. His legacy is a recognition of and an admiration for his consistent dedication in support to provide reliable, high-quality water for the community that he lived through his extensive statewide leadership roles.”

The SCV Water Board of Directors also formally announced a ceremonial approval of the treatment plant name change at its June 18, 2024, regular Board meeting.

History of the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant
One of the many projects Gladbach championed was the construction of the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant, which broke ground in 1991. Construction was completed in 1995, with the Plant boasting a treatment capacity of 30 million gallons per day of imported water.

As the population in the Santa Clarita Valley grew, the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plan was expanded between 2009 and 2011, an undertaking that more than doubled the Agency’s capacity for treating imported water to a total of 66 million gallons per day.

Gladbach’s Legacy

Gladbach was first elected to the Castaic Lake Water Agency Board of Directors in 1985 and has served the community continuously, including when CLWA merged with other local water entities to become SCV Water in January 2018. He was the SCV Water Board’s Vice President until his passing in 2022 and served as President of the CLWA Board from 1987-1991. He also played a key role in increasing the imported water supply to the Santa Clarita Valley by 13% through the acquisition of the Devil’s Den Water District in Kern County in 1991.

In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for SCV Water, Gladbach was a leader in state and national water organizations. He was active in the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), serving as president from 2002–2004 and taking roles on many of its committees. In 2022, he was the President of the Board of Directors of the ACWA Joint Powers Insurance Authority, which provides liability, property, workers’ compensation, and health insurance to members of ACWA.

Gladbach was also the 2022 Chair of the Local Agency Formation Commission for Los Angeles County, serving on the commission since 2001. He was the Past President of the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions and was presented with its “Most Outstanding Commissioner” award in 2013.

ACWA’s Scholarship Program

SCV Water, in partnership with ACWA, established the Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach Scholarship in 2023. Each year, the ACWA Scholarship Program will award one $2,500 scholarship to a qualified undergraduate student majoring in engineering, agricultural and/or urban water supply, environmental studies, public administration, or other water-resource-related fields.

“Jerry had an enduring passion and commitment to the water industry on a local, state and national level,” said SCV Water General Manager Matt Stone. “He had such consistency and commitment, day in and day out, with a degree of passion and inspiration to bring others along. Jerry was a wonderful blend of all those things.”

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About SCV Water:
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 75,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on January 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider. More information can be found
at www.yourSCVwater.com. For more information, contact Kevin Strauss, SCV Water communications manager, at kstrauss@scvwa.org.