West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) proudly congratulates its former Assistant General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh on his appointment as the new General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), the largest wholesale water provider in the nation.
Deshmukh served as West Basin’s Assistant General Manager from 2010 to 2019, where he advanced the District’s recycled water program and oversaw major projects that expanded water supply reliability for the region. Among his accomplishments was a critical expansion phase of the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility, which increased recycled water production and delivery to protect groundwater supplies and meet growing industrial and community demands throughout the 17 cities West Basin serves. He also directed technical research and environmental studies for West Basin’s proposed ocean water desalination project, one of the most comprehensive desalination evaluations undertaken in California.
“On behalf of the West Basin Board of Directors, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Deshmukh,” said West Basin Board President and Division II Director Gloria Gray. “His leadership at West Basin left a lasting legacy, and his vision will continue to benefit Southern California at Metropolitan Water District. Mr. Deshmukh’s career reflects innovation, technical expertise and a deep commitment to protecting Southern California’s water supplies. We are proud of his accomplishments and look forward to his leadership at MWD.”
“Mr. Deshmukh’s tenure at West Basin leading our ambitious water resource management program and complex water recycling system has served him well as his sphere of influence and leadership has continued to expand,” said West Basin Division III Director and Metropolitan Board Member Desi Alvarez. “His initiative, knowledge and experience will serve him well as he represents MWD and its member agencies in state and national water supply discussions and negotiations.”
His outstanding management at West Basin served as the career pathway for his subsequent role as General Manager at Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) and now the General Manager of MWD. At IEUA, he applied the innovation, technical expertise and collaborative skills honed at West Basin, and throughout his career, to advance regional water supply projects, strengthen partnerships and guide the agency through an era of increasing water supply challenges. These combined experiences positioned him as a visionary leader, uniquely prepared to take on the top role at MWD.
West Basin celebrates this appointment as recognition of Deshmukh’s decades of leadership in advancing sustainable, diversified and reliable water supply solutions for Southern California.