Longtime water professional joins IRWD Board of Directors

IRWD welcomed Dan Ferons as the District’s newest Board member on Monday, as he was sworn into office to represent Division 4. He replaces Karen McLaughlin, who did not seek re-election to a second term in November.

Ferons is a water professional with more than 40 years of experience planning, designing, financing and operating public systems providing drinking water, recycled water, and sewer services.

He recently retired as Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Margarita Water District, where he led a team of 175 employees serving more than 200,000 residents from Mission Viejo to San Clemente.

Key projects under his leadership included construction of the Upper Chiquita Reservoir and Dam, a reverse osmosis water treatment plant, and Trampas Reservoir, a 1.2-billion-gallon recycled water storage reservoir.

Also at Monday’s Board meeting, Doug Reinhart was selected to continue as president for 2025, and Steve LaMar was selected to continue as vice president.