Donald W. Downey

Registered Geologist

I am a local candidate for the Dublin San Ramon Services District board, representing Division 2, where DSRSD handles wastewater collection and treatment for Southwest San Ramon. 

Qualifications

B.A. in Geology (University of Texas at Austin) with an Engineering minor

M.S. in Geology (CSU East Bay)

Retired Chevron Earth Scientist and AAPG Certified Petroleum Geologist

California Registered Geologist #7487

Graduate of DSRSD Citizens Water Academy

Priorities

Safe Drinking Water: Protect public health through rigorous lab testing.

Smart Infrastructure: Use modern technology to monitor aging systems and prevent costly failures.

Recycled Water Leadership: Maximize our recycled water use success, with a goal of zero treated wastewater to the bay during peak landscape irrigation in the summertime.

Fiscal Value: Maintain high-quality wastewater services at a fair price for Division 2 residents. 

I will use my professional background to keep DSRSD strong, safe, and efficient. I ask for your vote to protect our vital resources. 

I’ve lived here for over 40 years and want to continue DSRSD's excellent work while keeping costs low. The sewer service bill appears on your property tax bill as “DSRSD SEWER SVC”. My bill is $559.02, but consider that Livermore sewer service for a single-family home is $935.88 per year!

DSRSD's best recent project was adding recycled-water treatment to the Pleasanton plant located just off I-680. They almost completely reduce their outflow to San Francisco Bay during the peak-use summer months, which conserves drinking water, greatly reduces harmful nutrients from reaching the bay ecosystem, and puts the nutrients to good use on our local parks and golf courses.

Here is my LinkedIn page:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-downey-122a713b
Here is my YouTube page with a tour of the DSRSD water treatment plant:  https://www.youtube.com/@dondowney

Professional papers: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Don+Downey+saratoga&btnG=

What is your background, and why are you running?

I am a Petroleum Geologist who retired from Chevron after 27 years and then became an independent oilman and started a 501c3 charity to preserve the memory of WWII Veterans, focusing on our local Pearl Harbor Survivors. Since all but one of our Survivors has passed, I've been volunteering in San Ramon and have over 20 hours of service this year alone. I am an alternate member of the Senior Advisory Committee. Through the City of San Ramon's class offerings, I have completed the Police Department-led Community Academy, Community Emergency (CERT) taught at the San Ramon Fire Station, Government 101, and the Planning Academy. I have also toured the various water treatment plants, including Zone 7 Patterson Pass, Livermore, and DSRSD’s Jeffrey G. Hansen Water Recycling Plant in Pleasanton. I toured DSRSD’s treatment plant twice: first at the new recycled water plant during the Citizens Water Academy, and again for a full tour of the facility. Todd Millison, the plant supervisor, leads the tours and does a great job. The Water Academy teachers encouraged us to run for the Board, and I enthusiastically support their work.

What are some things voters don't know about DSRSD?

DSRSD is an enterprise district; California law explicitly forbids it from making a profit. Water or wastewater fees must match the reasonable, actual cost of providing the service. DSRSD has taken some really smart actions that save consumers money: (1) built an area to dump the remaining solids after treatment, saving huge amounts of money that would be required to transport the waste and place it in a specialized landfill, (2) their water recycling partnership with EBMUD takes almost all of the summer effluent out of the bay, saving potable water and also putting the nutrients on the parks and golf courses, preventing harmful algal blooms in San Francisco Bay, (3) DSRSD is working with partners to use the Livermore gravel pit lakes and underground reservoir as a “Chain of Lakes” to provide more consistent water resources during cycles of drought.

What present and future challenges face DSRSD, and how do you plan to contend with them? 

Population trends, climate change, and system maintenance are DSRSD's greatest challenges. The population surge has driven significant increases in fees paid as the system has been built out. This income will drop sharply once the buildout is complete. Cycles of drought and heavy rainfall will probably increase in amplitude, and DSRSD must plan for extremes. I support the Sites Reservoir and Chain of Lakes projects to increase our water supply. DSRSD should also strongly consider drilling water wells. Maintenance is constant, and DSRSD should not defer inspection and upkeep of its infrastructure to save money in the short term.

Why should voters choose you over your opponent?

I am a scientist with geological and engineering training, over 40 years of experience, and I enthusiastically support our water treatment staff.