Rosemary Menard bids farewell as she retires after a decade as water director in Santa Cruz. Heidi Luckenbach, who has worked in the department for 25 years, is taking over. As she leaves, Menard reminds us of the unpredictability of climate change and the need to diversify our sources of water.
Rosemary Menard
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
I went to Washington to talk about the looming crisis of water; here’s what I told Congress
We might be on the cusp of a breakthrough to help maintain water services for all, writes Rosemary Menard, director of the City of Santa Cruz’s water department, which provides water to all residents of the city of Santa Cruz. Or we might be unable to keep water affordable for everyone in our community and reinvest in our water delivery system. Menard went to Washington on May 31 to explain her plea for federal funding for Santa Cruz County and other California communities. Here, she explains what she said and why.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
I’m in charge of water for 98,000 people in Santa Cruz. Here is what I’d like you to know.
Santa Cruz Water Director Rosemary Menard is worried about our memory, specifically about what she calls our “weather memory whiplash.” That’s when we think our water crisis is over because of a few storms, like the ones we had in January. It’s not, she tells us here. In fact, ongoing climate change means our water crisis will likely get worse. “Future water rationing will allot only half as much water to families as water rationing of the past, and future rationing will include businesses,” she says. “That might be easier for an accountant, but not so much for a restaurant, brewery or hotel.”