As Ed Kerwin retires from his 24-year tenure at OWASA as executive director, he joins 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck for a conversation about his career and all the work it’s taken to keep the water running for over two decades.

“I love my job as much today as I did 24 years ago,” said Kerwin. “Great people I work with, great community we serve … I just think that time is right for the organization, as well as for me personally, as much as I hate to leave the team, here. I know that the organization is, as I said, really well positioned for the future.”

Kerwin, OWASA’s second executive director — following the first to hold the position, Everett Billingsley, who was director for 19 years — was hired in 1996. In 1997 OWASA launched the program that would eventually become “Care to Share,” and Kerwin also took the lead in expanding OWASA’s capacity and capability to serve the community — while also considering conservation and efforts to improve efficiency.

“I’m really proud of our employees, our most important resources, but I’m really proud of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community. This is amazing — we are selling the same amount of drinking water today as we sold 30 years ago. So even though we’ve grown, what, 50 percent or more, and it’s because people are using less water, we’re using water more wisely. I’ve mentioned the reclaimed water system with the university, which was a big leap forward in our water supply strategy. So I’m really, really proud of our team. I’m proud of the community. It’s been just a fantastic accomplishment.”

You can listen below for the full conversation between Aaron Keck and Ed Kerwin below, and visit the Wonderful Water page here for more interviews and stories about the work OWASA does. 

 

Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents use roughly 7 million gallons of water a day, and “Wonderful Water” is a monthly conversation sponsored by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority highlighting its work to keep our community growing and water flowing.

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