The Detroit Board of Water Commissioners confirmed Wednesday the appointment of Gary Brown as director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) and Palencia Mobley, P.E., as its deputy director and chief engineer.
Nominated last October to serve as director designate by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Brown is responsible for all DWSD operations and system maintenance serving more than 200,000 Detroit residential and commercial customers. Before being named to the top position at DWSD, Brown the former Group Executive of Operations under Duggan, served the city for nearly four decades holding offices in the Department of Public Works, General Services, Municipal Parking, and Public Lighting. Brown also served as former President Pro-Tem of the Detroit City Council.
Confirmed with Brown was Deputy Director and Chief Engineer, Palencia Mobley. Mobley, an authority on water infrastructure and environmental engineering, has more than a decade of experience as a project engineer providing planning, design and construction administration and management services for water and wastewater treatment facilities. Mobley co-authored a proposal to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that resulted in an $8.9 million allocation for green infrastructure planning and storm water resiliency for the city of Detroit.
As part of the bifurcation agreement between the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), DWSD will receive a $50 million annual lease payment over the next 40 years to upgrade Detroit’s aging water and sewerage infrastructure. Brown and Mobley are charged with overseeing the allocation investment.
“This team will bring balanced leadership and expertise to the city’s water operations,” Mayor Duggan said. “Gary is an outstanding administrator who has helped modernize many city services and generate significant cost savings. Palencia is a brilliant engineer and the type of young talent that will rebuild our Water Department’s infrastructure for future generations.”
About The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is one of the largest water and sewer utilities in the United States serving over 200,000 Detroit residential and commercial customers. DWSD’s water network consists of over 2,700 miles of transmission and distribution mains and nearly 3,000 miles of sewer collection piping.
On January 1, 2016, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department began leasing regional water and sewer infrastructure as well as water and wastewater treatment facilities to the Great Lakes Water Authority. The agreement includes a $50 million annual lease payment to DWSD for the next 40 years to replace and rehabilitate DWSD’s aging water and sewer system. DWSD continues to retain ownership of the water and sewer system.
To learn more about the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department or to request water services, make payments, or report water problems, visit: www.detroitmi.gov/dwsd.
