New Commissioner Chosen for Chicago Water Management Department
Randy Conner will oversee a program that has replaced 470 miles of water mains and 102 miles of sewer mains and has relined 271 miles of existing sewer. He will continue the Meter Save program, which installs water meters in Chicago homes to save residents money and promote water conservation.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel named Randy Conner as the new commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) on May 12. The mayor said he'll submit the nomination for City Council approval.
Conner will begin working as commissioner in an interim capacity on June 3; he replaces Barrett Murphy, who resigned. "I want to thank Barrett Murphy for his many years of public service and I wish him well in the future," Emanuel said. "Randy Conner's extensive track record of experience strengthening city infrastructure and improving city services for residents will allow him to hit the ground running at the Department of Water Management."
Conner has worked at the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation for more than 20 years. Currently, he is first deputy commissioner of CDOT, and he previously served as a deputy commissioner/project manager at its Division of Sign Management. He was first deputy commissioner at Streets and Sanitation, overseeing day-to-day operations and administration of the department.
"I appreciate this opportunity that Mayor Emanuel has given me. It is a task I do not take lightly, but with my background in engineering and construction and over 20 years of operational knowledge in the private and public sectors, we will be able to complete the mayor's goal of 'Building a New Chicago,'" he said.
That program has replaced 470 miles of water mains and 102 miles of sewer mains and has relined 271 miles of existing sewer. He will continue the Meter Save program, which installs water meters in Chicago homes to save residents money and promote water conservation.