News

Home / News

Water Services Announces Appointment of Two New Utility Officers

Posted on November 21, 2013

(Kansas City, Mo.) — Kansas City Water Services announces the recent hiring of two new utility officers – David Nelsen, Wastewater Utility Officer, and Charles Stevens, Water Utility Officer. Mr. Nelsen and Mr. Stevens joined Water Services’ Executive Leadership Team, which has been specifically re-structured to improve customer service, performance management, and carry out the important work that is performed by Water Services’ three distinct utilities – Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater.

“Water Services will greatly benefit from the dedicated roles and focused expertise of our two new Utility Officers,” said Water Services Director Terry Leeds. “Charlie and David both bring the experience and leadership necessary to help us continue our transformation into a professional, data-driven, and customer-focused utility.”

As the new Wastewater Utility Officer, David Nelsen will lead Water Services’ Wastewater Utility which provides wastewater services to more than 460,000 Kansas City residents and 27 wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. Mr. Nelsen most recently served as the Operations & Maintenance Manager for Veolia Water Guam, LLC, located in the United States Territory of Guam, where he was responsible for the operations and maintenance of the wastewater utility.

Mr. Nelsen has over thirty years of wastewater utility management and regulatory oversight for wastewater utility operations, maintenance, collection systems, pre-treatment, bio solids management, rate structure, technical consulting, and specialized experience in nuclear waste processing. Mr. Nelsen’s previous positions include: Operational Manager, CH2M Hill Corporation; Assistant Commissioner of Water, Indiana Department of Environmental Management; Wastewater Division Manager, City of Richland, Washington; and Superintendent of Training, Detroit Wastewater Treatment Plant. Mr. Nelsen is a graduate of the University of Southern Oregon, receiving a Bachelors of Communications as well as a Bachelors of General Science.

As the new Water Utility Officer, Charles Stevens will lead Water Services’ Water Utility. The Water Utility provides safe and reliable drinking water services to more than 460,000 Kansas City residents and 33 wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. Mr. Stevens most recently served as the Director of Utilities for the City of Liberty, Missouri, where he oversaw the successful transition of Liberty’s water treatment plant operations from a contract operation and management approach to a City of Liberty operation and management approach, without loss of service. During his tenure, Mr. Stevens re-aligned the City of Liberty’s utility maintenance organizational structure to provide more focused, timely, and efficient services.

Mr. Stevens has over twenty years of water and wastewater utility management, including unique leadership experience in developing new utility operations. Mr. Stevens’ previous positions include: Director of Utilities; City of Rifle, Colorado; and Superintendent of Wastewater Operations; City of Knoxville, Iowa. Mr. Stevens is a graduate of Iowa State University, receiving a Bachelors of Science in Biology.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Kincaid, Media Relations Coordinator, at jennifer.kincaid@kcmo.org or 816.513.0284.

###

KC Water maintains and operates water treatment and distribution systems, stormwater management systems, and wastewater collection and treatment systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. KC Water is primarily funded by fees charged to customers based on their use or impacts on the three utility systems.

Follow KC Water: WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagram • NextDoor