Longtime Water Executive Joe Grindstaff Joins EMWD Board of Directors by Eastern Municipal Water District Dec 9, 2024 Member Submitted News Perris, CA (December 9, 2024) — Joe Grindstaff, a Hemet resident who has decades of local and statewide water policy leadership experience, was sworn in on Friday as the newest member of Eastern Municipal Water District’s (EMWD) Board of Directors. Grindstaff was elected in the November 2024 election to represent Division 3, which includes the cities of Hemet and San Jacinto, and surrounding unincorporated areas. “I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the residents of the San Jacinto Valley and continue the industry-leading work that EMWD has done in providing reliability and affordability for its customers,” Grindstaff said. Grindstaff was elected to the seat previously held by Randy Record, who was one of the state’s most well-respected water leaders. Record served on EMWD’s Board of Directors for 24 years before retiring this month. In joining EMWD’s Board of Directors, Grindstaff brings four decades of water industry experience, including: Serving as Executive Officer of the Delta Stewardship Council, which established a regulatory plan to support the long-term future of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Leadership positions with the California Natural Resources Agency, where he was the Director of the California Bay-Delta Authority and Deputy Secretary for Water Policy. Overseeing statewide programs as the Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Water Resources. Regional leadership roles, including serving as the General Manager of the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, of which EMWD is a member agency. Grindstaff is also a former EMWD employee, where he worked as a manager in the Operations and Maintenance division early in his career. He is active in community organizations, including serving as Board President of the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre in Hemet. “On behalf of my colleagues, we are excited to welcome Director Grindstaff to EMWD’s Board of Directors,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “For nearly four decades, Director Grindstaff has been a leading and respected voice in shaping statewide water policy issues. His experience will be an asset in supporting EMWD’s mission of creating a more sustainable water supply future for all Californians.” # # # Eastern Municipal Water District is the water, wastewater service and recycled water provider to nearly one million people living and working within a 601-square mile service area in western Riverside County and northern San Diego County. It is California’s sixth-largest retail water agency, and its mission is “To deliver value to our diverse customers and the communities we serve by providing safe, reliable, economical and environmentally sustainable water, wastewater and recycled water services.” More information can be found at www.emwd.org.
