The Water Environment Federation Board of Trustees has named Jeff Eger as its new executive director. Eger comes to WEF from Sanitation District 1 in Fort Wright, Ky., the second-largest public sewer utility in that state. As executive director there since 1994, he was responsible for $1 billion in physical assets.
“It is with great excitement that we announce Mr. Eger’s addition to our team,” said WEF President Jeanette Brown. “We are fortunate that someone with Jeff’s leadership, experience and creativity is taking up the torch to represent WEF as it faces the next generation of environmental challenges.”
Eger's former district is recognized as a national leader in embracing and implementing green infrastructure in wet-weather control strategies, advocating for state and federal legislation and policy change, and using adaptive watershed management to control and manage stormwater.
During his tenure, Eger developed and implemented a regional stormwater management program to comply with U.S. EPA regulations. His district began taking responsibility for public stormwater collection systems in 2009. He also supervised the regionalization of 30 municipal sanitary sewer systems in response to pending federal environmental regulations and legislative changes.
Eger has vast experience in working with regional and national organizations. He is a member and past chairman of The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, the water pollution control agency for the Ohio River and its tributaries. He also chairs the Wet Weather Partnership, a national organization dedicated to environmentally responsible solutions to urban wet-weather issues.
“Through the strong leadership of the board of directors and staff, the organization has proven that an innovative and a cost-effective plan can be developed to manage the vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure in northern Kentucky,” Eger said. “I look forward to promoting the concepts we pioneered here on a national and international platform.”
Eger will assume his new role on Jan. 24, replacing William (Bill) Bertera. Bertera leaves a legacy of increasing WEF membership, promoting financial stability, and growing the annual WEFTEC conference into the largest annual water-quality conference and exhibition in the world.
