Jonathan W. Powell Elected New WSSC Water Commission Chair for Fiscal Year 2027

Laurel, Md. – June 17, 2026 – Jonathan W. Powell was unanimously elected WSSC Water Chair at today’s Commission Meeting. Powell was appointed as a commissioner representing Montgomery County in September 2024 and most recently served as Vice Chair. 

Powell has more than 20 years of experience implementing complex and sophisticated programs and systems for large corporations and the United States military. He is currently a project manager with the U.S. Navy.

“I am honored to serve as Chair of the WSSC Water Board of Commissioners and grateful for the trust placed in me by my fellow Commissioners and the leadership of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties,” said Powell. “As I step into this role, my priority is to build on the strong foundation already in place. Our Board is committed to fulfilling our fiduciary responsibilities by supporting initiatives that ensure safe, clean, and reliable water, improve customer service, and optimize operations. We will also continue seeking cost savings and new revenue opportunities to help ease the burden on our 1.9 million customers."

The Commissioners also unanimously voted Lynnette D. Espy-Williams as Vice Chair. Espy-Williams, a resident of Prince George’s County, is a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Commercial Litigation Department and currently serves as the firm’s Chief Culture Officer. She was appointed Commissioner in September 2022.

Six Commissioners, three from each county, govern WSSC Water, which has an annual operating and capital budget of $1.9 billion. Five Commissioners (three from Prince George’s County and two from Montgomery County) are appointed by their respective county executives and confirmed by their county councils. One is the Director of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, or the Director’s Designee. Read more information on WSSC Water Commissioners on Our Governance page.

As a not-for-profit public utility, WSSC Water is focused on serving customers, not shareholders. Every dollar collected is reinvested directly into infrastructure, technology and our workforce to strengthen reliability, improve service and protect public health for generations to come.