Francisco X. Rivera Appointed to Otay Water District Board of Directors
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Tenille M. Otero
Office: (619) 670-2256
Mobile: (619) 733-1479
totero@otaywater.gov
Francisco X. Rivera Appointed to Otay Water District Board of Directors
Rivera to Serve as Division One Director
Spring Valley, CA – The Otay Water District board of directors announced at its Sept. 4 board meeting that it appointed Francisco X. Rivera to fill the division one vacancy that resulted from the resignation of Tim Smith. Director Rivera was one of three candidates vying for the position to represent division one.
Following the unanimous 4-0 vote by the board of directors at its September board meeting, on Sept 13 at a special board meeting, the District administered the Oath of Office and Director Rivera immediately assumed all powers and duties of the board of directors.
Francisco X. Rivera took the Oath of Office during a special board meeting on Sept. 13.
“I am honored to have been considered and selected as part of this public process and it is with a lot of pride and pleasure that I take the responsibility seriously for the Otay Water District,” said Director Rivera. “I’m ready to begin serving our ratepayers of division one and am dedicated to helping the board and staff carry out the District’s mission. I hope to build on what has already been accomplished at the District and to find ways to continue to make improvements.”
The board of directors conducted open interviews during the regularly scheduled Sept. 4 board meeting. The candidates, whose applications and resumes were included in the board packet, were asked the same set of questions in a public forum. Following the interviews, a nomination was made.
The District’s Board President Jose Lopez welcomed Rivera to the board. “We were impressed by Director Rivera’s background in engineering and his commitment to the community, which will help contribute to the District’s goals. We are confident that he will make a great asset to this board.”
Director Rivera began his career with the City of Chula Vista in 1984, retiring in 2023 after holding key positions such as principal civil engineer, deputy city engineer, and deputy director of engineering. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the United States International University in San Diego and holds California professional licenses in both civil and traffic engineering. Over the years, he has managed major infrastructure projects, including transportation improvements and wastewater systems. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Director Rivera is also an active member of his community, serving on the executive board of the Eastlake III Homeowners Association, the Salvation Army South County Advisory Board, and the SANDAG TransNet Independent Taxpayer Oversight Committee.
During his tenure on the District’s board, Director Rivera aims to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction, foster exceptional employee morale, and minimize water and wastewater rate increases.
Director Rivera will serve the remaining 15 months of Smith’s term, with the next election for the four-year seat scheduled for November 3, 2026.
The five-member board of directors is the governing body of the District and is responsible for setting rates for service, taxes, policies, ordinances, adopting the annual budget and other matters related to the management and operation of the water agency. Each director is elected by voters within one of five divisions to represent the public’s interest on the Board. Directors serve four-year terms in office.
The Otay Water District is a public agency providing water, recycled water, and sewer service to more than 240,000 customers within approximately 125 square miles of southeastern San Diego County, including the communities of eastern Chula Vista, Bonita, Jamul, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego, unincorporated areas of El Cajon and La Mesa, and eastern Otay Mesa along the international border with Mexico. For more information on the Otay Water District, visit otaywater.gov.