Silicon Valley Clean Water General Manager Teresa Herrera to Retire After 17 Years of Service
Known for their transformative leadership, Herrera leaves a lasting legacy of safety, innovation, and mentorship
Redwood City, Calif. – Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW) announces the upcoming retirement of General Manager Teresa Herrera, P.E., whose 17 years of dedicated service have helped shape the agency into an industry leader in innovation, safety, and infrastructure renewal.
Herrera joined SVCW in 2008 as Plant Engineer and was appointed General Manager in 2018. Throughout their tenure, they guided the agency through a series of complex and critical infrastructure upgrades and championed the flagship RESCU (Regional Environmental Sewer Conveyance Upgrade) Program—one of the most ambitious infrastructure efforts in SVCW’s history. Under their leadership, the program modernized the agency’s aging conveyance system with a new 3.3-mile gravity pipeline and advanced headworks and pump station facilities, ensuring long-term reliability and regulatory compliance for the region. RESCU has also become a model for cost-effective, progressive design-build project delivery—completed on time and budget despite significant logistical and environmental challenges.
Their legacy includes not only modernized facilities and nationally recognized project delivery but also a cultural transformation centered on safety and team empowerment. Under Herrera’s leadership, SVCW achieved a historic safety milestone: 773 consecutive days without a workplace accident from early 2019 to early 2021, followed by a remarkable 468-day streak from late 2022 to early 2024—an achievement nearly unheard of in the industry.
“When I stepped into this role, improving our safety record was one of our biggest challenges,” said Herrera. “Now, it’s one of our greatest accomplishments. I’m incredibly proud of our staff—especially during a time of so much organizational change and turnover. We’ve welcomed many new faces over the past seven years, and they’ve embraced our values and grown into a strong, unified team.”
Herrera has also prioritized mentorship and succession planning, laying the groundwork for continued stability and success. “SVCW is in great hands,” they said. “The next chapter is bright because of the incredible people here—dedicated, skilled, and passionate about serving the public.”
The recruitment of SVCW’s next General Manager closed on April 1. Herrera will officially retire following the conclusion of the transition process. Their retirement coincides with SVCW’s 50th anniversary, to be celebrated in November.
Please join us in recognizing and celebrating Herrera’s remarkable contributions to the agency, the region, and the future of clean water.