Adel Hagekhalil is the CEO of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It is the largest
wholesale agency in the country serving 19 million residents and 26 member-public agencies. Given the challenges of water in California, this conversation should resonate with listeners not only in the US, but worldwide.
Adel discusses how the fourth aqueduct, including reuse of water, will secure water for 90 million people over the next 100 years.
Adel has worked in Los Angeles Sanitation, Street Services, and now the MWD. The common theme, he tells Mahesh, is uplifting lives and taking care of people. Not only does this mean taking care of MWD's customers, but also bringing together all employees and stakeholders to the table.
In terms of infrastructure, Adel speaks of the Met becoming not just a water importer, but a water provider. There are many ways to do this, including the creation of a fourth aqueduct to serve the area. Climate change has affected all aspects of water, and the organization must adapt old methods.
Hagekhalil also believes in serving underserved communities - not just in water service, but in providing employment opportunities as we look for the workforce of the future in the sector. He believes the water industry has not done a good enough job of telling its story and its importance. And newcomers to the industry can quickly learn how much they can affect - and even save - lives.
Adel's mindset when it comes to water comes down to his "Three I's" - integration, innovation, and inclusion.
Additional Information:
Met Website: https://www.mwdh2o.com/
Adel Bio: https://www.mwdh2o.com/bios/adel-hagekhalil/
Aquasight Website: https://www.aquasight.io/
Note: Transcript is auto-generated and may not be 100% accurate.
Mahesh: Well, good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. I am delighted to invite today. Adel Hagekhalil. Adel is the chief executive officer of metropolitan water district of Southern California. It is the largest wholesale agency in the country serving over 19 million residents and 26 member public agencies.
Given the challenges of water in California. I think the conversation with Adel will be not only meaningful, but it's an outstanding thing not only for the U S but also worldwide audience. Welcome Adel.
So let me get right down to it. you and I have been talking for several 4, 5, 6 years, and you move from LA sanitation dealing with.
To LA street services, dealing with streets and trees. And now you are the CEO, of the metropolitan water district dealing with drinking water, that's a whole range of services. How do you describe your journey?
Adel: It's a great journey. I think it's a rewarding journey, but at the end of the day, what we all stand for is uplifting people's lives and taking care of people.
So, I've been working in the water industry for the last 32 years. And whether it's in , the wastewater recycled water sewer system storm water, and storm water reuse, integrated planning all these things really helped me bring people together collaborate plan for leveraging resources, address the change in climate.
And three years ago, when the mayor asked me to take on StreetsLA. What he wanted me to do is come in and really integrate multiple benefits solutions, climate adaptation, and equity into holistic solution. and now as I move into metropolitan, the journey we have before us is addressing the shrinking water supply, the changing climate, the drier days and harder.
And what it means is we need to develop integrated planning and we need to bring people together to plan for the future to build infrastructure that can recycle, reuse, utilize efficiency, and build trust, and move forward to prepare us for the next hundred years and to provide resilient safe water for everyone.
So for me, all my life, I really was empowered by uplifting people's lives, taking care of people protecting the environment bringing people together for a common cause. And I think they're all my journey. I think just prepared me to be where I am today.
Mahesh: It's fascinating that it isn't just about running an organization, but it is about ultimately the public service and the way you described it. what is your vision
at metropolitan water district. Where do you want metropolitan water district to be in three to five years from now and where do you, see your specific value that you will add in this roadmap?
Adel: I think maybe things are meant to be when I come in here, met. Isn't a place where there was a lot of division between the 26 member agencies that we.
I represent there was not an agreement that how to move forward. We're meeting right now, we're dealing a pressing drought, we're dealing with changing climate we're seeing hotter and drier days, shrinking water supplies, both in the Colorado river where we get almost 25% of our water.
And also in Northern California and it's here as well. We get also the additional 25% of our water. So we are in the middle of this Challenge for our resiliency and our future for water. We have agencies dependent on one source of water, which is not acceptable in the 21st century.
So when I see myself coming in it's first is making the tent bigger and bringing in everyone inside the tent, environmental groups, member agencies. Government agencies, everyone working together for a common cause and really it's providing the resilient, safe, reliable water in this climate change.
And I tell people, this is an opportunity for us to have great Mulholland moment to really build for the next hundred years.. So my goal is developing in one water plan for metropolitan collaborating with our partners along the Colorado river to work on providing more water in our lake Mead while we create more local water supply here in Southern California.
We're working with our partners up in Northern California to protect them And conserve while we continue to provide water for our agriculture and urban users, It's a balance.. And to me, providing sustainability resiliency for our future, but also equity is a huge thing for me.
Metropolitan is now looking into underserved communities and how we can really help underserved community in our region in workforce development and giving them access to rebate programs for conservation addressing issues like leaky pipes. where they cannot afford to put money out of their pocket for fixing leaky pipes.
And you want to just do also direct install instead of having people put money. And then we come back and reimburse them. And that's difficult. What we want to do is really step up And make Met the provider of water, not just the importer of water, create more local water supply, invest in building local water supply and add what I say, we're going to build the fourth aqueduct.
We have three aqueducts that made us last a hundred years where we are. The LA Aqueduct, the. California aqueduct and the Colorado aquaduct. And we want to build the fourth aqueduct, which we call the one water aqueduct, which is a mixture of conservation, reuse, storage, connectivity, recycled water, stormwater capture, all this coming together to provide the future water that can sustain us for the future.
Mahesh: That's a fascinating vision. And specifically,, I want to talk about this fourth aqueduct, what percentage you believe the fourth aqueduct can fulfill your ambition. 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now. Are we talking 3%, five, 10%. What numbers are we talking?
Adel: I mean, just for example, by 2030, if we build the regional recycled water project, the one down in Carson, this recycling wastewater will be recycling 150 million gallons a day.
150 million gallons a day. That's equivalent to water for half a million households. To me, that's a huge step. Half a million household is a big chunk. And then we have our partners in the city of Los Angeles developing equivalent program. And we are going probably if over the next 10 years, I see us probably, reducing our import water, hopefully by 20%, 25%.
And to me, what the biggest thing is not just providing that kind of less dependence or import water. Well, we need to build the storage.. And underground storage and build partnership for the groundwater basins surface water in 2000, we built diamond valley lake and Hamad. A lot of people don't know diamond valley lake.
If you haven't seen it, it's on the map. It was built by metropolitan and it's has more water than lake Havasu. And this is the backbone right now. We're using that lake to help us meet the challenge that we're facing. So storage is critical. So we can fill it up when we have ample water use the groundwater to recharge, use the groundwater to put water in so we can pull it out when you need it. Make sure our groundwater basins are safe and clean because if we contaminate the groundwater basins, all the groundwater basins are impacted. That means we got to take them out of service and now we have to import water to offset that. So all of these things come together.
So I'm hoping if we can cut our imported water by 25% I think we're doing a great job.
Mahesh: Yeah. What is interesting about this conversation Adel is that this integrated planning is such an abstract subject for an average resident. It's unfathomable when you're talking about, these aquaducts and the storage and the reservoirs and the fourth platform that you're building for water reuse, but ultimately this is what's actually going to protect the water, so it's an abstract subject, but it's really important as you said. Now, an organization like yours, what does your operating and governing structure look like?
And how will this grow to meet the vision you just described? Because clearly the current structure it may not be sufficient, To go towards the direction that you're trying to go.
Adel: I mean, metropolitan is a large service area, right? we have over 5,200 square miles, 26 member agencies.
We have 19, 20 million people and we have, 38 board members. So it's a very complicated process. And you look at the topics and it varies from liberal to conservative, to, many. To me, what I want to do is, and I have been doing it over the last three months is to reach out to everyone, to bring people together, to see a common vision.
So. About a month ago, we had a retreat with the board members and we actually went through my vision of one water. And we talk about the challenges We had straight talk about what we need to do, and it's amazing how people all have it. Maybe they say different, but it's all the same.
It's really what they want is a resilient, affordable, and safe water for everyone. And that's a common goal and how we do it. That's the challenge. And the challenge is you can't just do it the old way because it doesn't exist anymore. If you look at this year, the snow packs in the Colorado Rockies and in the Sierras was about 80% of normal.
What came out of it in runoff into our rivers and our reservoirs was 30%. So you look at the snowpack said, oh, it's good. But what's happening is you have hotter days. That means it's evaporating the snow. The ground is so dry that the water is not making it to the reservoirs. So our way of storing water and the whole days is no longer a viable option.
We need a new chapters in our playbook. We can't use the same old book it's not working. And so the new chapter,, recycle, reuse, conserve store, build connectivity so you can move water around and no one member agency, no one city, no one customer should be dependent on one source of water.
We need to diversify. And while we take care of our underserved communities, because you may don't want to cause them a hardship. So affordability is a critical issue. And all I'm saying is the only way for us to do it this together. Let's bring everybody together. Let's have a huge stakeholder engagement.
Let's open up and talk about it. Let's bring people and let's have a discussion over it because we need to do something today. The drought may end in a year or two, and then it's going to come back again. What we need to do. We can't respond to drought. We need to plan ahead and planning doesn't happen overnight.
So what I'm telling them, we need to prepare and because, we know water it's life, it's jobs, it's firefighting it's everything we talk about. And I think people see it. And I think when you start opening the door and listening and creating a common vision, so we're working on strategic planning effort.
We came up with five uh, I said, you have priorities for us. And we're starting the process of sharing that with our board members and staff and member agencies and stakeholders. And over time, we're going to embrace common vision. And when we all roll in the same direction, we get somewhere. When you're rowing in opposite directions, we going to be stalling and spinning and not going anywhere.
So my goal is to make sure everybody is moving in the same direction, knowing exactly where we go. And I'm optimistic with my ability to build consensus and collaboration, I can move us forward.
Mahesh: that is a key. What you just said, the consensus and collaboration is key to meet that because you have a very complex structure, above you, complex structure underneath you and around.
And that's a hell of a challenge. Not many water leaders are in a situation like you are. So it's how your playbook develops. How do you get sign-off from all the board members will actually really be an interesting case study for the whole sector. Now, I want to move to this infrastructure that you manage, close to 1.4 billion gallons.
You move water every day, across not only the, all the three aquaducts, but you have 400 connections to member agencies, number of different hydroelectric plants. Now, everything you've talked about now is really a strategy play, right? And vision. How do you personally operationally manage your business and how does that look Adel? Day to day?
Adel: I mean, I have a team working for me. I actually didsome change in my executive team to have somebody just dedicated for operation. I have another team member uh, executive leader in charge of the planning and the water resources. And we have great operational team working every day.
We have technology, how everything is working. But to me, I think the biggest thing that I've done since I've been here is actually get out and move and actually go meet the staff that run these facilities, I actually flew and visited almost every facility we have from lake Havasu all the way down to close to San Diego to you know, the, keep them plants in the Vern and other places to really come in learn from the staff and hear them out. And, there's a pride, that's there for everyone. And what we need to do is empower staff to do the right thing, get them the resources they need and the technology they need to move forward.
And it's just, craving a lot of communication and discussion about our operational efforts and the challenges and really what I'm seeing actually during the drought recently here is a whole creativity of how we can move water around. That was not intended to be that way.
And staff were able to quickly adjust and adapt to move forward. So, we have people just on top of the daily to day operation tracking, everything measuring what's being done, what needs to be done. And checking the large infrastructure we have, but also in you and the system.
And there's a whole system for replacement and renewal and investments as part of our upgrade to new systems that we have to put in place for resiliency, but getting the staff and building trust and meeting with staff and understanding what's going on and what needs to be done.
And then. Going out and letting people know you care about their efforts and what they're doing. We have people in the desert out of nowhere. Three hours to four hours away from any human contact. but they're doing the job with pride. And my job is to make sure that they're taken care of.
, I believe strongly in the three I's that I always talk about. The integration. Innovation and inclusion. And this is exactly what we need to do is how we integrate our technologies and do things better. Innovation, finding better tools and better ways to be efficient, to track, to operate and inclusion.
Bringing everybody into this. The staff are critical hearing their voice, ensuring safety Addressing issues like evaporation and maybe this ideas we can bring energy and through solar installations and other things that we've done, but maybe the things we can do. So getting the ideas from staff and the three I's that I use are anchors for me, anywhere I go.
And it's how we leverage resources, how we innovate and find new ideas and how we engage people and especially staff and the decision-making process.
Mahesh: Right. I'm curious since you made all these operational visits in the first several months, what was one thing that surprised you?
Adel: One thing is I noticed all our pump stations and facilities are so clean and so pristine, you can actually eat off the floor. And I was surprised, with that much in the middle of a desert. And why is the system so clean and the area, the floors and the pumps are so clean.
, and you know what the answer was for me.
Mahesh: What was it?
Adel: . It's their way of finding out if something's wrong. Yeah. If everything's clean, the pumps are clean, everything's clean, any drop of oil, anything that's not right.
You'll see it. And you can have on and try to wait. Right. And that's when I asked that the answer was that's how we do it for us. It's part of our maintenance.
Mahesh: What a great thing to tell to the residents that when you go into this pump stations, they're just about as, as good as your plate in which you're eating food on.
It's an outstanding representation of the organization. So, let me switch a little bit. You manage over $2 billion of budget every year. What is your investment focus moving forward,
Adel: the investment right now moving forward is clearly on making sure our existing systems properly maintain upgraded.
Making sure that the system is renewed because we have old systems , old valves, old gates, old control systems. All these are under a process of upgrade and the prioritization assessment technology. I mean the amount of technology we have in assessing vibrations and building tools.
And, The whole rehab program is critical. The next thing for me is Building connectivity between the system to create resiliency. And the third one is ensuring that our areas that have one source of water is diversified quickly. From a resiliency, point of view, whether it's earthquake, whether it's water quality or drought or climate change.
None of our system none of our service areas and customers should worry about whether they get water or not. And that's the way you do it is providing multiple sources of water. that's a priority for me is to do that. Then the last one is to invest in recycling and reuse and conservation would focus on the underserved communities.
And the last one now is workforce development. I'm really focused on succession planning and workforce development and hiring from the community for the future jobs and training people. So, we have a good apprenticeship program, but we need to double down on it and move forward
Mahesh: yeah, quite a bit. I mean, that's a lot of initiatives to make investments on in the coming years, but I'm sure you didn't take up this job because it was easy.
You wanted a new challenge in your life. And you got it all and what irony that when you took this job, Is when the drought hit,, and so now you got a real opportunity to create an amazing legacy with this fourth aqueduct. I want to talk about something you raised early on in the conversation, when you took on this role, you said the operating, working relationship with the 26 member agencies, there's room to improve. . So tell me exactly how that works today and what can be done better in the future.
Adel: I mean, to me, it's all about inclusion and listening to everyone. So from the day I got into this position, I started traveling, actually, before I started my job. After the vote confirmed my contract, I went to everyone and started meeting and the people that did not vote for me,
I was talking to them first, just to understand where they're coming from and to understand who I am. And build this relationship of collaboration. And I think I was able to quickly move everybody almost on the same page with me, a trust and really, working with everyone. And the second thing I did is there's a distinction I made, which Met works for the member agencies.
It's not the other way around. And I think that shift in thinking that we're here for you, it wasn't for you, won't exist. So my job is to make sure that you're successful. How can I make you successful? And I need to listen to what you have to say, engage you. So I did this retreat with the board recently. But also the first thing I did in the first month I came in .The managers, the general managers of the 26 member agencies and their staff.
They used to meet on the Friday, following the board meeting on Tuesday. So Tuesday, the board meets Friday, these guys meet and, you know, there was a resignation from them to attend them because what they felt and they told me that is that most of the decisions are done already at the board. Right. And the only thing they're doing on the Friday is just criticizing the decision that was made on Tuesday.
And I said, no, what, we need to do is get you involved in the decision-making process so you can inform us. So if something is not ready for presentation to the board, we can pull it back. If there is information that's needed, let's augment the report to ensure that addresses your point of view, and you can take that information and inform your policy maker.
And we quickly changed that. Now we meet two weeks before the board. And we had one last Friday, and it was two and a half hours on major issues regarding emergency drought and investments and resiliency. And we talk about specifics of it, erosion actions that we have to take. And they're so engaged. I mean, two and a half hours, it stops at 12.
They kept going until almost one, because they want to talk. They want to engage the way. And they said, it's actually, for me, it's rewarding to hear some of them. Thank you because we gave up on this meeting, but now this meeting is back to what it's supposed to be. Is an opportunity for us to have our voice heard, but also not to be surprised, right?
Nobody wants to be surprised and I don't want to be surprised either. So it's good to have that dialogue and that collaborative effort. And I think that's great. It's working
Mahesh: well. Excellent. What a subtle change you made, move those meetings. The head of the board meetings, because what a signal it sends and a, it changes attitude totally.
Based on the example you described and it sounds like this is one of your top priorities is the relationship with member agencies, And the way you described it, if not for your existence met is not an existence. Right? Now, you talked a lot about California water crisis.
Can you describe one big implication of this crisis on Met? And I know you're building up this fourth aqueduct, et cetera, but what is ease? It drops your revenue quite a bit. Does it drop your production and consumption quite a bit? Can you describe what that means from a numbers point of view?
Adel: I mean to me, Matt has been for a long time, the importance of water, right? And we are given a huge investments in people to conserve water through our demand management and rebates. We are paying member agencies, what we call local resource program rebates to develop their own local water supply. So met is actually paying people to get off the system. To get off the system
that means I'm reducing my sales. So what I'm saying is the numbers, 20 years ago, the projection that meant we'll be selling 3.2 million acre feet per year. Projection now for next year is 1.5 million acre feet per year. The question is now the infrastructure that we built, the investments that we're making the system, that's the backup when the base sale is down, that means the cost of water is going up.
Right. And that's a huge issue for us that we're dealing with. , so I'm saying we need a new business model. And the new business model, is that any different because we have to be the ones producing local water, not giving you money to produce your own local water. I want to produce it for you so I can sell it to you.
It's a quick shift, but see that we're not sustainable. If we keep shrinking, if you go down to 1.2 million acre feet to 1 billion acre feet, the $2 billion cost of operation every year. It's now divided by, you know, a thousand acre feet that tells you right away, the cost a water will be $2,000 an acre foot, not $700 an acre foot.
Right. so to me, it's is a huge shift. And the question is How we can meet that gap and how we address it. So we're working through a number of things. That's why we, I will say also that we need to have the state and the federal government help invest in building local recycled water programs, help build the regional recycle program because when we build our local system, it also helped diffuse the tension around the Colorado river, which is a national issue.
It's not a local issue, involves two countries, seven states, and five tribes On the bay Delta and the Northern California is a huge conflict in the environment, protecting the fish the agriculture users and us urban users, how we can create a balance. So to me, there's a huge thing a huge, discussion about the business model.
And what's the value that Met provides to you. And the question is, how do you pay for that balance? I'll tell you, I'm not a historical guide. I don't go back, look too much at history, but history teaches a lot for us. And I tell you when Mulholland and the city of Los Angeles decided to build Met with the 13 original members and we'll build the Colorado aqueduct LA was not taken water from the Colorado. LA was getting water from the LA aqueduct. But LA saw the vision, Mulholland, saw the need to build that system and the taxpayers in Los Angeles and the area voted to tax themselves on the property tax to pay for it without getting any value in the initial process.
Right. that's a huge thing that we all have to think about it. If we invest now, I think there's a, it reflects on the entire country as a whole. There's a lot more people thinking about right away. What does it mean for me instead of what does this mean for us?
And I think that's a huge shift. We all have to think about what does this mean for us and you invest. We all invest in the wellbeing of the whole, not the one. And I'm not being philosophical, but it's a huge thing that we all have to really think about. I want investments, not just in us in me and my kids, it's an investment in the future of our generation and the next generation and the region as a whole and everyone.
to me, that's a big question that people have to think about because our people before us did that for us. And we need to do the same thing for the people coming after us.
Mahesh: Just listening the way you're talking about this Adele, I'm calling you the California regional water architect because it is a complex thing, including the new business model that you described about and rightfully so.
I mean, you cannot shrink the volume and keep the same cost base. So you have to get into new sources of local supply. Where you can add to your, total production. So, it really is one more fascinating topic to cover. Now I want to talk about technology for a second. In the past, When you talk about water sector, you're talking about pumps, treatment pipes, etc.. But now we also add new terms like sensors, digital and AI to this water vocabulary. Where do you intend to focus on technology in the next few years?
Adel: I mean, technologies innovation technology is so critical to everything we do. Working smarter, working more efficient this is key for me.
So, finding leaky pipes is critical, simple, but critical. If we have systems that are leaking let's help the smallest agencies the customers find the leaks and we can fix it together. New technologies on recycling reuse. I mean, imagine as we're dealing with this urgency. Can we have a package treatment system helping plant that you can move it to MGD.
I mean, people go to war and they bring their water treatment system with them and we can build something within, a month or two. Can we do that quick and building a system to recycle wastewater or clean contaminated groundwater to provide water in the vicinity.. Which we connect the dots and drops and make it closer to each other.
But I think to me is, and you said the whole AI technology is appealing to me because I started looking at when I was in the Streets LA and sanitation and others, in LA sanitation we developed a system to help predict the weather so we can better manage the storage for wastewater during wet weather.
When do you fill it? When do you empty it? All that is types of sensors, data, and then a history of information that you're involved in, Mahesh. you have that effort, but the same thing came with our weather, with our system, with the future prediction, can we create an AI system to better understand how the water travels how the weather is predicting? the water would be ahead of time, what we need to do to prepare.
And it's all about learning, right? It's all learning what we do, stuff on how we move things. So I think that, AI is sensing and digital work is going to be the future for all of us to do it. and to upgrade our system. I mean right now we're giving rebates for people to put in sensors on their water meter, and for them to watch it on their iPhone.
And know how their water consumption is going. So when they see it going up, they know something is wrong or they're overusing, so you can adjust your behavior or do you get a plumber to come fix leak? So one of the two. So that kind of simplistic stuff like at your home, if you can watch your phone and see it, trend that the water is going up, then, you know, either you're using too much water or something's wrong and you can fix it. and those are the tools that we need to bring to the city level, to the agency level, to Met level that's simplistic ability to measure and attract and move on it. So, we had we looked at the water use in our building headquarters, and we are right now just looked at a report.
We found few areas that we had a water leaks
we had water leaks in our pond. And that was interesting. We had few faulty valves and few faulty sprinklers that we had to adjust, but that's something that we should always be tracking through technology and data. You can see it right away. So it doesn't waste and you don't wait a year or two to find it.
It's immediate. So that's, that's to me as simple as stuff at your home to a city and agency that's using data the artificial intelligence can tell them. Yeah, of course you basically, people don't have the time to do all through all of that. So we can create a system that can send you a warning saying, I think something is wrong here. You better adjusted or do something about it.
Mahesh: Yeah. Some sort of an advisor. So to speak.,
Adel: yes. An advisor, you can
Mahesh: have that, you can't change the behavior if you don't measure. And this is a big component to it. Now I want to talk about workforce. You brought this up very early on in the podcast.
Where are the skill gaps today, Adel, in your organization?. Where do you think the gaps are?
Adel: first of all, I want to make sure that we have diversity. I wanna make sure we have women people of color native Indians. From the tribes. Everybody should have a chance to work for Met,, but not just Met..
I want them to work in the water industry as a whole, and I'm really interested in building a platform, a place where we can bring people from the communities, train them and getting ready to take the on the job and not just for Met, but for the entire region as a whole, including private businesses too.
So we can train them and then make them available for everyone to hire them. I think to me, the biggest thing we have right now is water, operation electrical and mechanical mechanics electricians and instrument decks, and water operators. It's a huge challenge for us.
we are looking for training and developing people into that arena, looking at how we can partner with labor to create an apprenticeship program. But , actually, we've got to start creating lower. In Met we don't have. Like entry-level for people that don't have the skills. And for you to take and become part of apprenticeship program you need two years experience and people don't have experience.
So it kind of boxes people out . So what my goal is to hire from the community as we've done, streets LA started local hire, bring people that either need a second chance at life, or they have no training and bring them in at the lowest level as a maintenance helper. It doesn't matter where puts you in. Starting you fresh to get a job, get your life back, and then over time, get you in the right direction.
So you can become future operator, water operator, future mechanic, instrument tech.. And then if you're interested in staying where you are, you can stay with you are, but we're going to give you the opportunity to grow. And I believe strongly in enhancing wealth in communities. And that's something that I'd be working hard on creating equal opportunity employment for everyone. I'm hiring an equal opportunity employment officer.
That's going to go out for recruitment soon. I'm hiring a diversity and equity and inclusion officer to ensure that our staff and everything that we do is diverse and inclusive. And to me, it's just getting ready for the future.
Mahesh: It is amazing though, just the number of initiatives you're trying to roll out.
I'm not able to keep up with all these initiatives in my head, in this podcast. it truly is a huge amount. Now getting to the last few minutes in this conversation. Now you have 32 years experience Adel, and you're new to this organization, but I'm sure legacy plays something in your mind.
Always it does. Right. Even as CEO, myself and my organization, I think about legacy. What do you want your legacy to be?
Adel: My legacy would be.
That regardless of climate change, nobody will be worrying about water in Southern California. And we will build the fourth aqueduct, which I'm gonna call the one water aqueduct. And I'll be the one who made it happen. at least I'll be somebody that can be. compared to Mulholland. Maybe I'll be a small Mulholland.
I'm not going to be the big Mulholland, but I'm honored. , He really thought outside the box and was bold enough. Sometimes his actions were a little more stronger than my actions usually are. I have the same strength and vision, but I work with people to bring people along and, you know, I'm, I'm ready.
And I think people can say, when my kids and my grandkids look back and they say, my, grandfather had something to do with this.
Mahesh: because it inspires you right? It energizes you every day to get up and do that. that's a fascinating one. And I have so many guests and this is one of the top legacy topics that I've heard that's outstanding, Adel.. We cannot talk about water utility without not talking about the next generation workforce. It is not, pardon me, but not the sexiest industry, not the most financially rewarding industry.
Just you being in California, either you're focused on tech and high-tech and finance and consulting, et cetera. How do you attract the next generation workforce to this sector?
Adel: Lot of people don't know what we do. I'll tell you that our industry, water industry, as a whole preferred for a long time to be out of sight out of mind. Really that's our detriment. Being out of sight out of mind is not good for us. Being out of sight out of mind is not good for. People investing federal government, people, investing customers, supporting rate increases, people will support and pay $200 for a phone bill, $200 for the cable bill complain about $50 for the water.
I think there's something wrong. And I think it's because we failed to tell the story. Somebody told me, a friend of mine told me from San Diego, said people will never know the value of water until you don't have it. And when you don't have it it's too late.
So to me, we need to do a better job educating people, educating our children educating the folks and reaching out and getting out to the communities, get into schools, get into the colleges. it's not sexy, but it's probably the most rewarding job once you get in it.
I met people across the country, across my member agencies, and across metropolitan and I know how proud people are and we need to just continue working on getting the word out, getting to high schools, getting to colleges, getting to just people at large and just let them know, Hey, there's a chance for you to make a difference in life.
Somebody asked me one time, It's why water for me? and I shared that with a lot of people is I want it to be a doctor, never was able to become a doctor because I could not afford it financially and time. And I needed to help my family. So I became an engineer and I got into water, which I tell them I'm fulfilling my dream of saving lives by being in water.
We save lives. And I think we need to really have a higher calling. To everyone, because if you work in the union mechanic, you're a electrician, you're a janitor. It doesn't matter what you do. You're a gardener, or you're an engineer, you're a tech person. You are saving lives.
You're not just fixing the pump, you're saving lives. This is what we do. if you get a higher calling and you tell people who we are, you know, people are going to come in and we'll be proud to tell the story. And that happens in every infrastructure industry, but especially in the water, it's so critical and people, think twice about it.
If when you talk about water, you're drinking water every single day. that's the first thing that people get sick, from water. And if we don't do our job and we're not doing a good job and how many people get sick, nobody, I mean, it's, we're doing so good of a job here, but that's what it takes pride and tell the story and get out and educate kids and we have a lot of work to do, but I'm excited about it.
And we can do it as an industry, together
Mahesh: Right? Well, human bodies and water are intertwined as we know it, unless some aliens come up on our planet to tell us that you can decouple those two, but we cannot at the moment right? No. So Adel, it's been a terrific conversation. Uh, You're thinking about integrated planning.
You want to create this fourth aqueduct, a new chapter in the playbook for Southern California, focused on the three I's and able to drive diversity and inclusion and more importantly, strengthen the member agency relationship. And creating this new business model for Met, it's a lot of work.
It's a lot of initiatives and, uh, I absolutely wish you an amazing best of luck. to see this through.
Adel: Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Mahesh and thank you for what you do. You're doing the right thing, getting people to see the value of what we do how important it is for our life, our future. So thank you for everything that you do, and thank you for doing this work and allowing me to be part of this. great journey here.
Mahesh: A real pleasure, Adel. Thank you. Thank you. Take care. Bye-bye.