Roseville Resident named General Manager of PCWA

Longtime Placer County Water Agency executive and respected leader in the regional water industry Einar Maisch was named Monday (Feb. 9) as PCWA’s new general manager.

Maisch, who has worked with the water agency since 1985 and served as Director of Strategic Affairs since 2000, succeeds retiring PCWA General Manager David A. Breninger, who steps down Mar. 6 from a 23-year career with the agency.

PCWA Board Chairman Primo Santini said he and his fellow directors unanimously agreed that Maisch was the best-qualified candidate for the position.  “We are confident that Einar’s experience, leadership, engineering background and thoughtful recommendations will add immeasurably to PCWA’s ongoing efforts to protect our water rights, grow our electrical generation capabilities, improve our water delivery systems, and remain a good steward of our watersheds on behalf of our ratepayers,” he said.

Breninger said he and Maisch have worked side by side through the years.  “Einar brings vast knowledge and proven leadership to the agency,” said Breninger.  “Our Board of Directors considered several capable candidates but none matched the skills and knowledge that Einar brings to the table.  I’m very happy to be leaving the agency in his good hands.”

Maisch pledged to continue the interest-based, collaborative team approach that has been successful for PCWA and to providing the highest quality water and service to PCWA customers and the communities the agency serves.

“I am very proud and humbled by the confidence that this board has put in me to lead this organization into the future,” he said.  “I believe that PCWA has the finest executive management team of any public agency in the entire Sacramento region; a team which was built by David Breninger, to whom we all owe an enormous debt of gratitude.”

Maisch is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam and returned home to earn a civil engineering degree from California State University, Sacramento, in 1979.  He began his engineering career in private industry, working on land development and water resource projects, before joining PCWA in 1985.

He ascended through the ranks at the water agency serving as senior civil engineer, engineering administrator and director of planning and marketing before being named as Director of Strategic Affairs.

Maisch has been at the forefront in the planning and development of several significant water projects that have improved water system capacity and reliability for Placer County, including development of the award-winning American River Pump Station.

He has been a leader in the successful federal relicensing project of the PCWA Middle Fork American River Project and in negotiations that led to new water supply and power sale contracts with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Maisch has been a leading voice for Placer County in regional water planning efforts including the Sacramento Water Forum Agreement and formation of the Regional Water Authority.  Maisch has frequently represented the agency in legislative matters at the state and national levels.

He holds many professional recognitions, including 2013 Regional Water Authority Water Statesperson of the Year, 2009 American Society of Civil Engineers Project of the Year in California Award for the American River Pump Station, and the 2000 Clair A. Hill Award from the Association of California Water Agencies for participation in the Water Forum.

Maisch resides in Roseville with his wife, Susan, who is a city councilwoman and former mayor of Roseville.  The couple has three children.