New director Shay Rolls Roalson talks about Austin Water’s future

Austin, Texas – Last month, the city of Austin appointed a new director, Austin Water, becoming the first woman to lead the department.

Shay Rolls Roalson, director of water supply for Austin, joined Rebecca Thomas of FOX 7 Austin to discuss her new position.

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REBECCA THOMAS: Shay, again, you’re the first woman to lead Austin Water. What does this mean for you and other women?

SHAY RALLS ROALSON: You know, for most of my career, it was common for me to be the only woman at the table. And everything changed dramatically when I got to Austin Water. Half of our executive team and half of the next level of managers below are women. And I’m so proud to be part of an organization that promotes women to leadership positions. It’s important to Austin Water to be a spokesperson for the community we serve, and that’s just one of the ways we do it.

REBECCA THOMAS: Now you are familiar with Austin Water. You have been an assistant director there since 2020. What have you learned during this time that you want to change now that you are in a new role?

SHAY RALLS ROALSON: You know what really drew me to Austin? It was three things. It was the staff. We have a dedicated organization that works 24/7 to provide our customers with excellent service. Secondly, our technical expertise. We have national level experts in every field in which we operate. And third, innovation from field staff to executive management. Our organization is committed to growth and excellence in business practices. So what I bring from my experience is the ability to bring all these people in the room as we grapple with the challenges of the future and identify where we’re strong, where we complement each other, and then where the gaps are. ? Because the key to solving our future problems is to address these gaps. That is what I will do as a director.

REBECCA THOMAS: Speaking of the future, I mean that we are a growing city. During a four-year period, Austin has had three boil-water notices citywide, the most recent in February of last year. What needs to be done or what has already been done to prevent this from happening?

SHAY RALLS ROALSON: Austin Water is truly a learning organization. After each of these events, we have taken a deep dive and implemented improvements, and we are more reliable and resilient than ever. But we are entering a new era of uncertainty. Water systems across the country are experiencing disruptions due to unprecedented weather conditions. You know, I grew up in central Texas and I remember running a hose in my backyard and you never had to think about where the water comes from. And this is no longer the case. Our community has partnered so successfully with us on water conservation, and we are now channeling this partnership into emergency preparedness. We want you to understand the risks we face so you can help your family and your neighbors get ready so we can work as a community to face the future uncertainty that is our new normal.

REBECCA THOMAS: And the last question, which is hard to forget, in February 2019, dead mussels in the pipeline affected the taste and smell of water delivered to customers. Has Austin Water been able to eradicate the mussels in these lines and what treatment options are available to address this issue?

SHAY RALLS ROALSON: Well, unfortunately, once zebra mussels colonize a waterway or lake, they stay here for a long time. So this is, again, part of our new normality. And we have built the management of these zebra mussels into our operations. So we have cleaning processes in our factories. In fact, we launch divers into the water to clear our infrastructure of zebra mussels. Just last week we lowered Lady Bird Lake a foot to clear the Longhorn Dam of striped mussels. So this is just a great example of how we have been innovating and strategizing to adapt to our new normals and be ready for the future.