Stephanie Locke – Water Demand Manager

“The love for my work comes from the constant contacts with people in the community and the knowledge that I really am making a local difference by creating and implementing programs that reduce water use. I also enjoy the challenges associated with water demand management and community outreach.”

Email: s.locke@mpwmd.net

Staff Member for the following committees:  Water Demand, Public Outreach, Technical/Policy Advisory Committees, Rules and Regulations

Stephanie Locke is the Water Demand Manager for the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD), where she has been involved in all facets of water demand management and water policy on the Monterey Peninsula for over two decades, overseeing water conservation, permitting, and public outreach programs.

During her career, she has authored and implemented numerous ordinances and policies that apply to six cities and a portion of unincorporated Monterey County. Her professional experience ranges from her early days as a conservation compliance inspector and permit processor to her current duties managing customer demand under a severely restricted water supply. As a result of the water efficiency programs she has developed and implemented, the Monterey Peninsula has successfully reduced demand by over 44 percent and boasts a residential per-capita water use of less than 50 gallons per person per day – one of the lowest in the state. Stephanie has been an instrumental figure in developing new regulations to the benefit of Peninsula home and business owners, adding much needed flexibility and opportunity for improvement of properties during drought and moratorium.

This past year, in response to the unprecedented California Drought, Stephanie contributed to the Association of California Water Agencies’ Drought Action Group and provided input to the California State Water Board during development of Governor Brown’s emergency drought regulations. Stephanie is currently a member of the Monterey County Inter-Agency Drought Task Force, helping focus drought response efforts in greater Monterey County.