In Memoriam – David Williams

It is with great sadness that BACWA shares the news of Dave Williams’ passing on Wednesday, March 1. Dave served BACWA as our Executive Director from 2013 to 2020. Dave was deeply committed to public service and he was passionate about protecting the environment. Dave served as a friend and mentor to many of us in the BACWA community, and his loss is deeply felt on a personal as well as a professional level.

Dave served at our helm while BACWA achieved many milestones and accomplished significant objectives, including garnering support for practical science-based regulation, particularly related to nutrients and contaminants of emerging concern, fostering broad collaboration amongst the membership and regulatory bodies, and successfully managing BACWA’s finances. During his tenure as BACWA’s Executive Director, Dave ensured that the region’s needs and concerns were clearly communicated at local, state, and national forums.

During his long career, Dave was the Director of Wastewater for the East Bay Municipal Utility District in Oakland, and served on the Board  of Directors of the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. Dave served as a Board Member of the San Francisco Estuary Institute/Aquatic Science Center and was a past President of both the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and the California Association of Sanitation Agencies. He was a registered Professional Engineer and held a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science Degree in Civil/Sanitary Engineering from Purdue University, as well as a Master of Science Degree in Business Administration from U.C. Berkeley.