Deven Upadhyay named new Metropolitan general manager
The Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors has exercised its contractual right to terminate General Manager Adel Hagekhalil’s employment under the terms of his employment contract. The change is effective immediately.
“We thank Mr. Hagekhalil for his contributions to Metropolitan,” board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. said following the closed-session board meeting today where the decision was made. “With a more than 80% vote, the board took decisive steps to stabilize our organization and workforce, while doubling down on climate action and long-term water supply sustainability. We need to reinforce our focus on fulfilling our core mission and addressing the immediate challenges ahead.”
Through a unanimous vote, the board voted to appoint Deven Upadhyay as general manager and will consider his employment contract in February.
"Metropolitan takes all allegations of discrimination, harassment, and unfair treatment seriously,” Ortega added. “We are committed to maintaining a workplace environment that upholds the values of fairness, respect, and due process.”
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.
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