AUSTIN, Texas — Shay Ralls Roalson has been appointed as the new Austin Water director and will be the first woman to serve in the role. Roalson’s appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Former Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros resigned in February following a days-long boil water notice that month. Austin Water reportedly learned of the issue affecting the city's water supply 12 hours before it alerted customers.
Interim Director of Austin Water Robert Goode stepped into the role in April after Meszaros officially stepped down.
“I am pleased to announce Shay Ralls Roalson as the City of Austin’s next Austin Water Director,” said City Manager Spencer Cronk on Tuesday. “I am confident that her extensive knowledge of Austin Water’s services and programs will bring the leadership and vision we are seeking for the future of our water utility services.”
Roalson has 29 years of experience working with water utilities on the planning, design and construction of water and wastewater infrastructure projects, the City said.
She joined Austin Water as assistant director in April 2020 and leads the engineering services team responsible for delivering the utility’s $1.4 billion five-year capital program. Her team also supports utility operations and leads initiatives to maintain and improve system performance and resiliency.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to be the City of Austin’s next Austin Water director,” said Roalson. “I look forward to creating opportunities to support and empower employees of the department while continuing to build trust in the community in order to provide exceptional water utility services to the residents of Austin.”
Prior to joining Austin Water, Roalson was the Central Texas Water Business Group Manager at HDR Engineering, Inc., where she consulted with utilities across Texas, including Austin Water, San Antonio Water System and Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. Roalson received her master’s degree from the University of Texas and is a licensed professional engineer in Texas.