Eagle River Water & Sanitation District board selects Roman as new general manager

The Eagle River Water & Sanitation District on Thursday issued the following press release on its board selecting director of operations Siri Roman as its new general manager:

The Eagle River Water & Sanitation District board of directors has selected Siri Roman, the district’s current director of operations, as the district’s next general manager. Roman’s appointment was formalized by a unanimous vote of the district board during their Sept. 22 meeting. She will assume the new role in January after the year-end retirement of current GM Linn Brooks.

As a professional engineer, Roman has overseen numerous water and wastewater infrastructure projects, bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects, and designed utility, roadway, and site construction documents. Her environmental engineering background has been key to shepherding the district through complex regulatory upgrades of the regional wastewater treatment system, technical water quality regulatory processes and negotiating with state regulators to achieve desired water quality outcomes in Gore Creek and Eagle River while balancing the fiscal impact to rate and taxpayers.

Hired in 2012 and promoted to director of operations in 2019, Roman led district operations through the COVID-19 pandemic with onsite staff continuing to safely provide essential water and wastewater services. Her community focused leadership has stressed the importance of drinking water and wastewater treatment operations and their relation to public and environmental health in the headwaters of the Colorado River Basin.

In announcing the selection, ERWSD board chair Dick Cleveland says Roman’s tenure with the district has prepared her to lead the organization through a challenging water future. “Siri is well aware of diminishing water supplies, the effect on water quality, and the challenges ahead for Eagle River Water & Sanitation District to provide a safe, reliable supply of water for our customers,” he said. “Her dedication to our community, to the district mission, and to leading our staff with competence, accountability, and gratitude is apparent in everything she does and will sustain our organization through ever-tightening regulatory processes and a warmer, drier climate.”

Prior to joining the district in 2012, Roman held professional engineering positions with the Colorado Department of Transportation, Eagle County Government, and private companies in several western slope counties. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Roman is honored by the appointment. “Providing safe drinking water, returning clean water to local waterways, and protecting our watershed is a calling. District staff are experts in what they do and care deeply about our community and our water resources. I’m grateful for the board’s confidence and look forward to leading our talented, dedicated team of professionals through the next chapter.”

Roman was selected after an intensive selection process following the announcement of Brooks’ intent to retire.