The City of Portland is seeing key changes in its water management, with the imminent retirement of two long-serving bureau directors. The Portland Water Bureau's interim director, Edward Campbell, along with Dawn Uchiyama, director of the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES), will be stepping down next month, closing the chapter on their 25-year careers, the City of Portland reported. Deputy City Administrator of Public Works Priya Dhanapal, said, "Their leadership has guided the bureaus through substantial projects, policy adaptations, and evolving community needs," tasked with maintaining the resilience and strength of Portland’s water and environmental services.
As Portland navigates this leadership transformation, Quisha Light, with her background in law and energy, notably from Portland General Electric, is assuming the role of acting director of the Water Bureau. After joining BES as deputy director in 2023, Ting Lu will be stepping up to act as the bureau's director, with over 15 years of diverse leadership experience to bring efficient watershed and community outcomes.
Parallel to these transitions, the city's officials are endorsing the One Water initiative, a venture aimed at reinforcing cross-bureau collaboration for enhanced service delivery and financial viability. The initiative is supported by key city leaders including Mayor Wilson, City Administrator Michael Jordan, and Deputy City Administrator Dhanapal. According to Michael Jordan, "The City of Portland remains committed to delivering safe, reliable drinking water and protecting public health and the environment." In their announcement, the city emphasized their commitment to transparency and information sharing prioritized during the transition.
Amidst the pivotal staff changes, the city is preparing to unite the leadership of the Water Bureau and BES under a single director - a move that signals streamlining and integration at the helm of Portland's water and environmental services. A national search is set to select the candidate who will combine these roles for optimized management. During this period of transition, the new acting directors will work towards this goal while continuing their respective bureau’s day-to-day operations.
