ABOUT US
The Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA), consists of Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Lapeer County Drain Commissioner, Lapeer City, Sanilac County Drain Commissioner and the City of Flint. KWA is a Municipal Water Supply System incorporated under PA 233 of 1955 by the people of the State of Michigan. KWA was incorporated in 2010 and began its first fiscal year on October 1, 2010. The purpose of the Authority is to provide and distribute raw water to the region of the State of Michigan commonly referred to as the I-69 corridor.
In 2013 the water authority held a groundbreaking and began construction for a water intake pipeline. The new pipeline was needed to avoid increased water rates from DWSD, who were implementing increased rates by as much as 15% per year. The pipeline will save local residents millions of dollars in water costs in the coming years. It will also provide a necessary back-up water supply to residents in Genesee County and beyond, as well as increased reliability in service. The KWA pipeline has the ability to supply untreated water to the municipalities of the region, industrial customers, agribusinesses, rural agriculture developments, residential commercial light and heavy manufacturers. The boundaries of the water supply encompass over 2,400 square miles and over a half a million people.
In total the KWA project required the installation of a water intake structure, pipelines and multiple pumping stations. Construction was completed, and the KWA pipeline became operational in June of 2016. . KWA welcomes questions and opportunities to share what the pipeline project will accomplish for the region. Please feel free to contact us.
MEET THE BOARD
MEET CEO- JEFF WRIGHT
Jeff has been a life-long resident of Genesee County, graduating from Atherton High School. He still lives in Burton with his wife Kay. They have 3 children, and 5 grandchildren.
Jeff has been committed to the safety and quality of our residents’ drinking water his entire career. After attending Ferris State University, he began working for the Genesee County Drain Commission, focusing on engineering and inspection. Jeff held the position of Deputy Drain Commissioner for 12 years, and has served the past 12 years heading the Department, making sure our water and sewer systems are leaders in the nation for efficiency and quality.
Jeff has 35 years of experience working within the Drain Commission, however he also knows the issues not only residents face, but also small business owners. Jeff owned a small business for several years, and can relate to the frustration of unpredictable costs which threaten businesses, our economy, and our pocket books. This has been a foundational thought as he works in partnerships with people and business alike trying to keep costs in line, while using the newest technological innovations to implement high quality with low cost.
Jeff is very community oriented, serving as a Genesee County Parks Board Member. He is also on the board of the Genesee County Fair, and has served on the Metropolitan Planning Commission. Other involvement in our community includes the Sam Duncan Memorial Scholarship Fund, Executive Board Member of the Genesee County Democratic Party, Democratic 225 Club, and Special Olympics 1300 Club.