Powell currently serves as DC Water’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, overseeing Shared Services, IT, Operations and Engineering, including oversight of the Authority’s $6.4 billion capital improvement program, as well as Customer Service for a utility that distributes drinking water and treats wastewater for more than 672,000 District of Columbia residents.
“I’m incredibly honored to have the trust of the Commissioners and excited to lead this nationally recognized utility and be part of the WSSC Water team,” says Powell. “I look forward to working with the Commissioners, a dedicated workforce, and stakeholders as we enter a new era of leadership focused on opportunities to improve services across the board.”
Powell has 24 years of public- and private-sector water and wastewater utility experience serving clients across the United States and London, England. Before joining DC Water in 2020, Powell held executive management positions at three water/wastewater utilities serving millions of customers in Atlanta, Ga., Jackson, Ms., and Baltimore, Md.
As Atlanta’s Watershed Management Commissioner from 2016 to 2020, Powell was responsible for day-to-day management and oversight of the water and wastewater utility serving 1.2 million customers. With an annual operating budget of $644 million and a five-year capital program of $1.26 billion, Powell leveraged strategic investment to improve service delivery, utility business processes and workforce development – including partnering with Atlanta’s Department of Corrections to reduce recidivism by providing job training and apprenticeship opportunities to non-violent offenders.
“We are confident that Ms. Powell’s extensive prior experiences provide her with well-rounded leadership skills that will benefit WSSC Water customers for years to come,” says Regina Y. Speed-Bost, commission vice chair. “We thank outgoing General Manager/CEO Carla Reid for her many years of leadership and service to the citizens of Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.”
Powell is a registered Professional Engineer and has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Morgan State University’s Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering. She resides in Bowie, Md. Her first day as WSSC Water’s General Manager/CEO will be Sunday, January 1, 2023.
Powell was also recently interviewed on Storm Water Solutions to discuss water workforce challenges:
