Source: www.acwa.com

Board of Directors Elects New Leadership and Welcomes Three New Directors

Fetched 2026-07-17 08:00 from www.acwa.com

Reading Summary (AI-generated)

Reading Summary: Zone 7 Water Agency Board Reorganization

Key Facts

Zone 7 Water Agency elected Laurene Green as Board President and Sarah Palmer as Vice President at its July 15 reorganization meeting
Three new directors were seated: Alan Burnham (Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, LLNL background), Jim Lehrman (licensed Professional Geologist/Certified Hydrogeologist, 40+ years experience), and Sean Roberts (computer engineer, 25+ years infrastructure experience)
Zone 7 serves approximately 270,000 residents in the Tri-Valley (Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin area) of eastern Alameda County
Zone 7 is one of 10 active zones of the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, established by state legislature in 1949; Zone 7 became a special district in 1957
Wholesale water customers include cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, Dublin San Ramon Services District, and California Water Service Company

Who Is Affected

~270,000 Tri-Valley residents in eastern Alameda County
Retail water agencies receiving Zone 7 wholesale supply
Agricultural operations and golf courses receiving untreated water
Communities dependent on the Livermore-Amador Valley Groundwater Basin

Policy/Legal Angle

No specific laws or regulations are cited; governance context involves the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District’s enabling legislation and Zone 7’s Groundwater Sustainability Agency obligations (implied by repeated references to groundwater sustainability)

Blog Angles

The new board is strikingly technical (a hydrogeologist, a geochemist, a civil/water resources engineer as president) — does this signal a shift toward more science-driven governance on groundwater sustainability decisions under SGMA?
Jim Lehrman’s 40-year hydrogeology background arrives as the Livermore-Amador Valley Groundwater Basin faces ongoing sustainability planning — what specific challenges is the basin facing that may have made his expertise a priority?
How does Zone 7’s dual role in both flood protection and water supply create governance tensions or synergies, and how might this new board composition address them?

Full Text

Board of Directors Elects New Leadership and Welcomes Three New Directors

by Zone 7 Water Agency
Member Submitted News

LIVERMORE – The Zone 7 Water Agency Board of Directors elected new leadership during its annual reorganization at the regular monthly board meeting on July 15, naming Laurene Green as Board President and Sarah Palmer as Vice-President.

The Board also welcomed three newly elected directors who will help guide the Agency as it continues its mission of providing safe, reliable water, managing the region’s groundwater basin, and protecting the Tri-Valley from flooding.

“It is an honor to serve as President of the Zone 7 Board of Directors,” said Board President Laurene Green. “Zone 7 plays a vital role in the daily lives of everyone who lives and works in the Tri-Valley. I look forward to working with my fellow directors to ensure we continue investing in reliable water supplies, protecting our groundwater resources, and providing the high level of service our community expects.”

Green, who has served on the Zone 7 Board of Directors since 2020, is a Pleasanton resident with a B.S. in Geology, and an M.S. in Civil Engineering (Water Resources) from Stanford University. She brings valuable technical expertise in groundwater, water resources, and environmental engineering that support the Board’s work in guiding long-term investments in water quality, water supply reliability, groundwater sustainability, and flood protection.

General Manager Valerie Pryor welcomed the new Board members and recognized the value of their diverse professional backgrounds.

“Each member of our Board brings unique experience and perspectives that will help guide important decisions affecting water reliability, water quality, groundwater sustainability, flood protection, and long-term infrastructure investments,” Pryor said. “We look forward to working with our returning and newly elected directors as we continue planning for the future of the Tri-Valley.”

The Agency welcomes the following newly elected directors:

Alan Burnham of Livermore holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Illinois and spent much of his career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory contributing to energy and national security research. His professional background also includes work in geochemistry and geology, and he has served in numerous civic and nonprofit leadership roles throughout the Livermore community.

Jim Lehrman of Pleasanton is a licensed Professional Geologist and Certified Hydrogeologist with more than 40 years of experience in groundwater investigations, environmental consulting, and groundwater quality. A longtime Tri-Valley resident, Lehrman has dedicated his career to protecting groundwater resources and brings extensive technical expertise in hydrogeology and environmental stewardship.

Sean Roberts of Livermore is a computer engineer with more than 25 years of experience leading large-scale infrastructure and technology programs in both the public and private sectors. His experience includes organizational governance, strategic planning, financial oversight, and infrastructure management, bringing valuable expertise to the Board’s oversight of critical water and flood protection infrastructure.

The Agency also congratulates Vice President Sarah Palmer on her re-election and looks forward to continuing to benefit from her leadership and experience on the Board.

The seven-member Board of Directors provides governance and policy direction for Zone 7 Water Agency, ensuring the Agency continues to deliver safe, reliable water, sustainably manage the Livermore-Amador Valley Groundwater Basin, maintain critical flood protection infrastructure, and make strategic investments that serve approximately 270,000 Tri-Valley residents today and into the future.

Zone 7 Board meetings are open to the public, and community participation is welcomed and encouraged. Meetings may be attended in person or viewed live and on demand on TV30 through the link provided with each Board meeting agenda. Members of the public may comment on agenda items and other matters within the Agency’s jurisdiction in person or by mail, email, or telephone.

For more information on Zone 7’s board and committees, please visit https://www.zone7waterca.gov/board-directors

Zone 7 Water Agency is one of the 10 active zones of the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. The District was established by the State Legislature in October 1949 to solve problems of flooding, drainage, channel erosion and water supply and conservation in Alameda County. In 1957, by popular vote, Zone 7 became a special district governed by a seven-member board of directors. Along with flood protection, Zone 7 supplies water to all of eastern Alameda County and a population of approximately 270,000 residents. Treated water is sold wholesale to local retailers, including the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, the Dublin San Ramon Services District, and the California Water Service Company. Zone 7 also distributes untreated water to local agriculture operations and golf courses.

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