Special Districts – Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency

Note: this post will be periodically updated! (10/07/2026)

VOTER GUIDE – QUICK LINKS:

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY WATER AGENCY, Division 3 (Vote for 2)

Division 3 includes Western Newhall, Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, Tesoro del Valle, and Valencia above Copper Hill Rd.

ENDORSED Lynne Plambeck – Nonprofit Executive Director

  • Party: Democrat
  • Employment and experience:
    • 25+ Years of Experience as a water district board member
    • 40+ Years Living in Santa Clarita Valley (SCV)
    • B.A., Calif. State University Northridge
    • SCV Ground Water Sustainability Agency, Alternate Member. 2018-2022
    • Member, Association of CA Water Agencies, Ground Water Committee 1993-2022
    • Member, Association of CA Water Agencies, Water Quality Committee 2018-2022
    • Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment, Executive Director/President*
    • Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club, former Board member, multiple terms* 
  • Priorities: (Website)
    • The Drought & Climate Change:
      • Honest and accurate water supply reporting—polluted water should not be included in drinking water supply calculations. 
      • Reduced supply from climate change must be factored in to ensure that water supplies are not exaggerated. 
      • Water availability letters for thousands of unbuilt housing units should not be promised to developers while residents are told to cut back. 
      • We must have fair distribution of recycled water throughout the SCV.
    • Clean Water
      • Maintain our water supplies at the highest standard. 
      • Anticipate new water standards and meet them prior to deadlines. 
      • Accurately predict water availability. 
      • Don’t report polluted water as available, until the facilities to clean it up are built and functioning.
    • Safe Water
      • Diligently pursue the containment of perchlorate, PFAS contamination and other pollutants.
      • If contaminants are discovered, remove wells from production immediately. until well head treatment facilities can be installed.
      • Keep the public informed of these threats to their drinking water by reporting closed wells, reduced supply, and the extent of the pollution plume in a timely and transparent manner. 
    • Affordable Water
      • Lynne voted against water rate increases and raising board member stipends. 
      • No backroom deals that make our rates skyrocket! 
      • Secret arrangements like the $73.8 million questionable purchase of Valencia Water Co, tied to promises of water supply for Newhall Ranch are not acceptable.
  • Links:
Henry Stern
– Paul Koretz, Former LA City Councilman 
– Christy Smith, Former SCV Candidate for Congress, District 27, Director,,Emerge
– Edel Alonso, Member, Board of Trustees, College of the Canyons
– George DeMott, Retired Los Angeles Fire Captain
– Peggy Stabile, Founding Member PFLAG SCV
– Dr. Gene Dorio, M.D., Geriatric Doctor and Senior Advocate
– Ulysses Taylor, Retired Los Angeles Police Officer
– John Chiang, Former CA Controller and CA Treasurer, ^2022  Endorsement
– LALCMI LOS ANGELES LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, ^2022  Endorsement

BEST PICK Maria A. Gutzeit – Water Director/Engineer – incumbent

  • Party: No Party Preference
  • Accomplishments:
    • $23 Million and Counting in Outside Funding — Maria has personally advocated in Washington, D.C. to bring home more than $23 million in grants for treatment and safety upgrades — with nearly $17 million more in the pipeline — money that doesn’t come out of ratepayers’ pockets.
    • Protecting Local Wells Before They’re Lost — When new contamination standards put local groundwater wells at risk, Maria helped guide the agency to build durable, low-maintenance treatment facilities — protecting infrastructure we already paid for instead of drilling costly new wells or buying pricier imported water.
    • Water Security 20 Years Out — Maria pushed for an updated, long-range water supply plan that keeps Santa Clarita prepared through drought and beyond — which is why residents haven’t faced mandatory rationing even when the state has required it elsewhere.
    • Incentives, Not Fines — Rather than penalize customers to hit new conservation targets, Maria championed rebates and smart water meters that help families catch leaks early — before a small problem turns into a big bill.
    • Merger Savings Already Banked — Maria led the merger that created SCV Water, already saving ratepayers more than $10 million by ending duplicated overhead and years of litigation between former agencies.
    • Making Polluters Pay, Not Ratepayers — Under Maria’s watch, SCV Water has secured millions of dollars in penalties from polluters responsible for historic contamination — funding cleanup without adding to customers’ bills.
    • Watching Water Quality Before It’s Required — Maria pushed for extra groundwater monitoring near the closed Chiquita Canyon Landfill well before any regulator required it — testing continues to show no impact on drinking water.
  • Link:
National Women’s Political Caucus recruits, trains, and supports progressive, pro-choice women for elected and appointed offices at all levels of government.
sierra club
– Santa Clarita Councilman (Retired) Cameron Smyth
– Santa Clarita Councilman (Retired) Bob Kellar
– C.A Rasmussen Inc. Chairman of the Board Charlie Rasmussen
– C&P Rasmussen Foundation President Patti Rasmussen
– Community Member and Business Woman Helene Sachs
– Boys & Girls Club SCV CEO (Retired) Jim Ventress

Kenneth “Ken” Petersen – Member, Board of Directors, Santa Clarity Valley Water Agency

  • Party: Republican
  • Employment:
    • Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering, where he has made significant contributions to water management in Southern California.
    • General Manager of the Valencia Water Company before its integration into the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) in 2017.
    • Actively involved in various water-related boards, including positions with the Santa Maria Groundwater Adjudication, Los Osos Groundwater Litigation, and the Ojai Groundwater Management Agency. Additionally, in Orange County, he served on the board of the South Orange County Wastewater Authority.
  • Priorities:
    • Water Quality and Contamination
    • Water Supply Reliability
    • Infrastructure and Maintenance: The need for ongoing maintenance and upgrades to water infrastructure is a significant issue. The SCV Water Agency’s strategic plan emphasizes the importance of maintaining and improving infrastructure to ensure sustainable water delivery. This includes everything from storage tanks to pipelines, which require constant attention to prevent issues and ensure long-term reliability.
    • Financial Resiliency and Rate Changes: With the increasing costs associated with water treatment and infrastructure improvements, there is concern over potential rate increases. Ensuring financial resiliency while keeping water rates affordable for residents and businesses is a delicate balance that the SCV Water Agency needs to manage carefully.
    • Environmental Stewardship:Lastly, there is a growing focus on environmental stewardship, with the community expecting the SCV Water Agency to manage resources sustainably. This includes water conservation efforts, efficient use of resources, and protecting local ecosystems from the impacts of water management practices.
  • Links: