Ken Herd, water supply program director, Resource Projects Department
A District employee with more than 20 years experience in regional water supply development will continue to make an impact in the field as a member of the National Research Council’s Water Science and Technology Board.
Ken Herd, the District’s water supply program director, accepted a three-year appointment to the Water Science and Technology Board, which studies water resources issues for the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. The board’s studies set the research agenda for the nation and are accomplished through the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine.
“I am excited to be able to continue my involvement with the establishment of national water policy and the opportunity to work with world-renowned experts in the water industry,” said Herd. “This experience has helped solidify my awareness of Florida being a national leader in water resource development policy and supply technology.”
The Water Science and Technology Board meets twice a year. Herd will attend his first meeting in October in Washington, D.C.
Herd joined the District in February 2008 after 21 years with Tampa Bay Water.
He is responsible for managing the District’s development of alternative water supply sources to help utilities meet future water supply needs.
Herd’s involvement with the National Research Council’s Committee on Advancing Desalination Technology played a major role in his appointment to the Water Science and Technology Board.
As a member of the desalination technology committee, Herd was selected to represent the nation’s utilities because of his experience with Tampa Bay Water’s desalination plant, which is the only operational seawater desalination plant in the country. Herd was the lead writer for the “Implementation Issues” chapter of the national desalination report and provided information about the Tampa Bay Water project. The national desalination report can be found on the Water Science and Technology Board’s web site at dels.nas.edu/wstb/.
“I believe my experience gained at Tampa Bay Water can be an asset to the District as we encourage utilities to develop alternative water supply projects and pursue regional solutions,” said Herd.