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When Michael R. Markus, P.E., was named General Manager of the Orange County Water District in September 2007, he became only the sixth general manager in the District’s 74-year history. With more than 27 years of experience, Mike is well known for his expertise in construction management, planning and water resource management.
Mr. Markus joined OCWD in 1988 as construction manager. In 2004, Markus was elevated to assistant general manager overseeing water production and groundwater recharge operations, in addition to serving as program manager for the Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) System, the world’s largest indirect potable water recycling project. His portfolio at OCWD is impressive and includes overseeing construction of many of the water facilities OCWD depends upon today to refill and manage the groundwater basin.
Since joining OCWD, Markus has overseen the capital projects program that includes construction of more than 70 projects such as the Green Acres Project, a water recycling effort that provides reclaimed water for landscape irrigation at golf courses, schools and parks. Other projects include installation of two rubber dams across the Santa Ana River, pump stations at all of OCWD’s major recharge basins and the construction of wetlands behind Prado Dam.
Prior to OCWD, Markus spent two years with John Carollo Engineers and eight years with Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co. He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and his master’s in civil engineering from the University of Southern California. He is a registered Civil Engineer in the state of California.
The Orange County Water District manages the large groundwater basin that underlies north-central Orange County that provides most of the water for more than 2.3 million citizens. The District is committed to enhancing Orange County’s groundwater quality and reliability in an environmentally friendly manner. OCWD is a special district, separate from the County of Orange, which supplies water to retailers in the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster and Yorba Linda. | 