PWSA Executive Director Robert A. Weimar
As of May 31st, I am stepping down from my life as PWSA’s Executive Director, though I will remain available as a part time employee to help whenever I can. I do so with the knowledge that our Authority will sustain and continuously improve for the benefit of Pittsburgh and the region. I am proud that we have reached several critically important goals during my tenure. We have addressed, or are correcting, the most severe deficiencies of the water and sewer systems; developed an essential Water Quality Program to mitigate river overflows; localized street flooding and sewer backups; and raised the bar for project delivery from a meager $10 million per year to more than $100 million last year—with much more to come!
We developed one of the most sophisticated and successful lead service line replacement programs in the United States. We restored the “r’s” (redundancy and resilience) for the entire water and sewer system. We have met and successfully addressed every challenge from the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Our billing, customer service representatives, field operations staff, and managers are being recognized for their competencies and stellar delivery.
And, who can forget the virus that forced us to change overnight—our workforce adjusted without missing a beat.
We are proud that we are regaining your confidence to deliver essential services—the most important triumph for a utility. Most importantly, we did all this as a publicly-owned and controlled agency—a notable achievement in today’s utility landscape. For our success, we also owe a debt of gratitude to the Board of Directors and you as our customers for your confidence in us, and providing the financial support essential to improve PWSA. I also thank Mayor Peduto and the City Team for their critical encouragement and assistance. These accomplishments make me extremely proud to have worked to make GSD happen!
One thing that has been critically important for PWSA and it’s staff to succeeed in the long term is steady, consistent leadership. I am proud to pass the torch to Will Pickering as of June 1st. He has served as a dedicated director of our Public Affairs Department and as my deputy executive director, and has been an essential part of our leadership team as we navigated through rough waters. I leave the Authority in good hands. My best wishes to everyone as we continue to make PWSA one of the best utilities possible.
But it is time for me to go home--to New Hampshire. My wife and I are now at the age when most couples retire to the porch swing. I will miss my time in Pittsburgh. Thank you for letting me be part of the Pittsburgh family. I will be a Pittsburgher forevermore!
