Meet Lori Schectel: Water Industry Expert and Photographer Extraordinaire  

Lori Schectel is the Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Division Manager for the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. She has been working in the water/wastewater industry for over 16 years. When asked what attracted her to water industry work, Schectel said “Water at its basic level is essential to sustain our ecosystems and society. I really wanted to be a part of something so impactful.”

Her experience as an environmental lawyer allowed her to transition into the water industry to focus on watershed management and potable water regulation for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. One of her recent accomplishments was successfully renewing Central San’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. She also played a large role in laying the groundwork to remove raw water as an inclusion in the first statewide NPDES Permit for Drinking Water System Discharges.

Schectel says becoming a CASA member has helped her gain greater insight into the issues facing the wastewater industry in California and nationwide. CASA has allowed her to connect with other agencies throughout the state to exchange ideas and strategies. She says the wastewater field has lots of talented engineers, lawyers, scientists, policy experts and communications professionals who add a balanced perspective to the diverse issues we face.

Outside of work, you can find Schectel hiking, cycling or even taking photographs of the scenic San Francisco landscape. You may even find some of her work in galleries around the city!