I am a long time North County resident. I moved to Leucadia in 1972, met my future wife in 1976, and we were married in Solana Beach in 1982.

I received my BS in Civil Engineering from UC Irvine in 1980, with an emphasis in Water Resources. My Professor and faculty advisor at UCI was part of the team that developed the innovative Orange County Water Factory 21 in the 1970’s. This plant took treated waste water, ran it through reverse osmosis, and injected it into the ground water to prevent salt water intrusion into the aquifer that provides more than half of the drinking water for Orange County. WF-21 was way ahead of its time and paved the way for current water reuse efforts. This experience inspired me to learn all I could about water supply.

I received my Professional Civil Engineers license in 1983. I have worked my entire career in the private engineering consulting industry helping to build the places we all enjoy. Places to live, work, learn, and play.

We have lived in our current home in south east Carlsbad for 33 years. Our three adult children attended school in the Encinitas and San Dieguito Unified School Districts.

Looking back now I am grateful to have lived most of my life in this beautiful area with an ideal year-round climate. Though much has changed, it remains a wonderful place to live. I want to make sure it stays that way.

Why am I running for this office:

I want I have always been enthusiastic about water supply, wastewater treatment, and water reuse. A safe and reliable source of water is essential to life. I have the technical knowledge of water supply and waste water collection, treatment and reuse. I am intimately familiar with all aspects of the large-scale complex infrastructure that brings and treats the water that we all get to use. I will use this knowledge to assure our community that the pure clean water that comes from your tap will always be there, at a reasonable cost.

After 44 years in engineering and 32 years at Fuscoe Engineering, I am retiring at the end of this year. I had been searching to a way to give back to the community in my retirement when the Division 2 seat opened up. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to serve our neighborhoods in this role. And in retirement I will be able to give the Board of Directors my full attention.

OMWD is a very well-run water district. One of the crowning achievements of OMWD is the construction of the David McCollom water treatment plant. This plant was put into service in 2002 and uses a near reverse osmosis level of treatment. As a result OMWD customers get some of the best high quality drinking water in our region.

There are future challenges ahead for the District. The OMWD Board of Directors must be on top of their game and needs educated and informed decision makers to insure we manage the infrastructure cost effectively to keep costs reasonable.

Biggest issues the OMWD is facing that I can help with are:

• Cost of Water

OMWD is a non-profit public utility. Approximately 60% of the cost of water is the wholesale cost from MWD and SDCWA. These costs are passed through to OMWD. The other 40% are the fixed O&M costs for OMWD to treat and deliver the water to your tap. OMWD can do little to control the wholesale cost of water. We are just one vote on the SDCWA Board which has 35 board members representing every water retailer in the County.

But we can control the 40% fixed costs. This is where I will go to work. I will ensure costs we can control are professionally managed to the benefit of the ratepayers.

• Recycled Water Distribution:

Recycled water is a great resource that OMWD has in it’s quiver. Did you know that the 4S Ranch Reclamation Facility does not have an Ocean outfall? That means that 100% of the wastewater from this plant must be recycled. OMWD has a reliable supply of recycled water that is a less expensive, drought proof source of water for irrigation. This reuse of water preserves our fresh clean drinking water for people to use in their homes. There is a need to extend recycled water to areas that can use it. OMWD does have projects underway to do this. But we still have large, public and HOA maintained landscaped areas that are still using expensive drinking water for irrigation. For example the area east of El Camino Real on both the north and south side of Olivenhain Road are still using drinking water for irrigation of parks, large landscaped slopes, and open space. I will make sure these areas are considered in the next round of recycled water main extensions.

• Infrastructure replacement:

Much of the service area of OMWD is more than 50 or 60 years old. At this age pipes, pumps, pressure reducing stations and other appurtenances are near the end of their service life and will need replacement. Wouldn’t it be nice to have one board member who is a Civil Engineer qualified to make sure the plans and specs that are put out to bid and the construction contracts that come that come before the Board for approval represent the best deal for the rate payers? As the only professional engineer the board I will make sure we get the best competent bids for infrastructure repairs and replacement and get the best deal for the rate payers.

My knowledge and over 40 years of experience will add to the current Board talent and strengthen OMWD’s ability to meet the challenges that are coming in the constantly changing landscape of water supply and water reuse.

I am proud to have the endorsement of the current OMWD Board President and former Mayor of Encinitas, Christy Guerin.

Please vote for Armstrong for Water.