TFTT Report

Each year at the NAWC Water Summit, leaders and professionals in the private water community celebrate one of their peers by honoring him or her with the “Living Water Award.” The award recognizes an employee who goes above and beyond and represents the best of the private water industry. The 2016 Living Water Award recipient is Chris Whitley, local manager of California Water’s Kern River Valley and Antelope Valley Districts.

In his nomination, California Water’s Greg Milleman described how Chris led the charge to protect their customers during the deadly Erskine Fire this past June in Kern County, California. When the fire caused water service lines to rupture, Chris drove to the heart of the fire to manually shut off the meters from the burned homes, knowing that the water could not go to waste because firefighters depended on the local water supply.

While the fire went on for a week, Chris also arranged for relief crews from his company to provide safe and reliable drinking water to Kern River Valley customers around the clock. He also helped families in the community get back on their feet by distributing $23,000 in gift cards through Cal Water’s philanthropic giving program and helping raise more than $40,000 for the Erskine Fire relief fund.

Chris’ story is a great example of the commitment and service private water employees provide to their communities each day. Congratulations to Chris and his team at Cal Water’s Kern River Valley and Antelope Valley Districts.