Steve Grasha Seeks Seat at Desert Water Agency

Steve Grasha says his ‘experience’ males him a better fit than his opponents

Steve Grasha of Palm Springs and a member of the Mission Springs Water District Board of Directors is one of three candidates vying for spot on the Desert Water Agency Board of Directors.

Grasha is one of three candidates seeking the Division 1 seat on the Desert Water Agency Board of Directors.

The other qualified candidates are Steve Bronack, a technology design professor of Desert Hot Springs, and Marcus Miceli, a real estate broker of Palm Springs.

Uken Report (UR) distributed identical questionnaires to all three candidates. Bronack did not respond. Following are the questions and Grasha’s responses.

UR: Who or what motivated you to run for the DWA Board of Directors?

Steve Grasha: More than half the families in Division 1 are drinking water that is unsafe for human consumption as determined by the California State Department of Health and the California State Department of Water Resources due to extreme levels of the deadly cancer-causing toxin Chromium 6.

I have made it my life’s work to fix the water and have been fighting for our customers for decades and I will not stop until I succeed.

Let’s never forget the out-of-town special interests that fund my opponents’ campaigns are making millions, perhaps billions of dollars every year serving this otherwise deadly toxic water to the poorest people in America living right here in Division 1.

It is an outrage, and I will spend my last breath and last dollar trying to protect people from these powerful interests that lie to ratepayers about water quality on a daily basis telling them that it’s “the best water in the world.”

UR: If elected, what knowledge, experience and/or expertise would you bring to the role?

Steve Grasha: I am best known in Palm Springs for inventing the high-pressure misting systems we enjoy here in Palm Springs and worldwide. I served as the company’s CEO for decades until my retirement in 2015 and was soon elected to our local waterboard, where I have served with honor and distinction ever since.

I have long demonstrated my commitment to community leadership in both the private and public sector serving Palm Springs for decades having worked for two members of Congress including the first female Speaker of the California State Assembly. Currently as Chairman of the Riverside County Leadership Forum and having served as Interim Executive Director of FIND (Food in Need of Distribution) Founding Director of Desert Community Outreach, Desert Business Association, Desert Aids Project and Disaster Services Coordinator for the American Red Cross being presented with the Volunteer of The Year Award by the American Red Cross.

UR: What makes you a better fit than your opponent for the position?

Steve Grasha: EXPERIENCE.

UR: Is the DWA doing enough in the area of conservation? Why or why not? If not, what do you believe should be done?

Steve Grasha: As District Director, I have focused on sustainable water management practices during this critical time of drought. Recently we celebrated the historic groundbreaking of the most important advancement in local water management history beginning construction of the new Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility under my leadership securing the largest grant of its kind in California history paying 100% of construction costs ensuring no expense to ratepayers providing safe, clean, affordable drinking water for generations to come.

UR: What is your No.1 priority if elected and how will you achieve it knowing you are only one vote on the board?

Steve Grasha: Fixing the water.

UR: Do you believe DWA and MSWD should consolidate?

Steve Grasha: Further Study needs to be conducted but I have stated publicly many times that consolidation needs to be achieved for the benefit all ratepayers in the watershed.