Mrs. Leticia Vasquez-Wilson
Is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her mother, Olga, and father, Luis, reared six children in Lynwood, all of which pursued higher education. Leticia attended Our Lady of Victory School St. Pius X High School in Downey. She is well-rooted in the community and has been a resident her entire life.
Early on Leticia made a conscious decision to dedicate her life to public service in our community. She entered the workforce at an early age and as a teenager participated in a Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) youth employment program She worked her way through college as a teacher’s assistant for Los Angeles Unified School District. On weekends, she worked at Su Casa Familia Crisis & Support Center in Lakewood where she assisted families victimized by domestic violence. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy & Administration from California State University, Long Beach. She earned a second Master’s Degree in Education from Pepperdine University. Leticia is a certified domestic violence and sexual assault counselor.
After graduating college, she worked for the Young Women’s Christians Association – an organization dedicated to providing services aimed at empowering women and eliminating racism. She has taught undergraduate students in the California Community College and Cal State University systems and graduate students at National University. She left teaching for several years after being recruited to work for former U.S. Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally in the California legislature.
In 2005, Vasquez-Wilson made history as first Latina mayor. At the time, she led one of the city’s most aggressive lobbying efforts, bringing millions of dollars for new parks, schools, housing, shopping centers, streets, and a new state-of-the-art senior citizen center. In 2013 she was elected to the Central Basin Municipal Water District Since being elected Leticia has fought to bring clean water to its all its residents. She has brought millions of dollars in water conversation programs, lobbied and securied millions to connect public facilities to recycled water to reduce reliance on imported water and delivered education programs for our schools and community organizations. Director Leticia has brought numerous water conservation programs into our neighborhoods, including the popular ‘Turf it Out’ program.
Leticia was selected, with the overwhelming support of her colleagues, to serve as Secretary of the prestigious Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). The MWD is our nation’s largest water wholesaler. Its Board of Directors manages over a 1.6-billion-dollar budget serving 19 million residents across 5,200 square miles in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. It owns and operates the Colorado River Aqueduct and the entire system used to deliver water to its 26-member agencies. Vasquez currently serves as a Member of the Communications and Legislation Committee; Conservation and Local Resources Committee.
Leticia is a 2002 alumna of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality Leadership Institute (HLI). She is the former president of the Southeast Chapter of National Women’s Political Caucus. Leticia is founder of Strong Women Healing Their Community – a women’s organization that hosts an annual women’s empowerment conference during women’s history month.
Leticia is a member of the South Gate Chamber of Commerce, Greater Lynwood Chamber of Commerce, Downey Chamber of Commerce, Paramount Chamber of Commerce, Compton Chamber of Commerce, and founding member of Cudahy Chamber of Commerce.
She has been recognized for her public service by numerous community organizations and elected officials, including the Young Women’s Christians Association,Rotary, Congresswoman Nannette Diaz Barragan, Congresswoman Lucielle Roybal-Allard, Senator Ricardo Lara (Ret.)
She is married to long time civil rights lawyer Attorney Ronald Wilson with two adult children.
Why I’m Running
I am running for re-election to the Central Basin Municipal Water District because I believe in the power of community-driven leadership. During my tenure, I have championed transparency, accountability, and equitable access to clean water for all residents. I am committed to continuing my work to protect our water resources, advocate for sustainable practices, and ensure that every voice in the community is represented. My dedication to making a positive impact drives me to seek another term, so that I can keep fighting for the health and well-being of our neighborhoods.
Join Letici’as Compaing Today
About the District
About US
Established in 1952, Central Basin Municipal Water District (District) is a water wholesaler that provides imported water to 40 retail water providers and one water wholesaler including: cities, mutual water companies, investor-owned utilities and private companies in southeast Los Angeles County. The District purchases imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD).
With a vision to secure water supplies in southeast Los Angeles, Central Basin also provides the region with recycled water for municipal, commercial and industrial use.
Today, the District serves 1.6 million people from 24 cities and unincorporated areas in southeast Los Angeles and uses a mixed-governance model for our seven-member board of directors. The seven-member board of directors is made up of four members elected individually by the voters to represent each of our four electoral districts and three members are nominated and elected by the cities and water purveyors we serve.
CBMWD Service Area
Central Basin Municipal Water District serves a population of nearly 2 million people living within 24 cities in southeast Los Angeles County as well as unincorporated County areas.
Central Basin’s 227 square-mile service area is governed by four publicly elected directors and three directors who are appointed by the water purveyors in our service area. Each of the elected directors serves a four-year term.
Publicly Elected Directors
Division I: Director Leticia Vasquez Wilson
Cudahy, South Gate, Lynwood, Paramount, Willowbrook, Compton, Carson & Downey (partial)
Division II
Pico Rivera, Bell Gardens, La Habra Heights, Whittier, South Whittier, East Whittier, West Whittier-Los Nietos, Santa Fe Springs, Downey (partial) & Norwalk (partial)
Division III
Montebello, East Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, Bell, Maywood, Commerce, Florence-Graham CDP, Walnut Park & Monterey Park
Division IV
La Mirada, Cerritos, Lakewood, Bellflower, Signal Hill, Hawaiian Gardens, Artesia & Norwalk (partial)
Appointed Water Purveyors
City Representative: Appointed by 24 cities located in the Central Basin Municipal Water District service area.
At-Large Representative: Appointed by all Central Basin Municipal Water District Purveyors (customers)
Large Water Users: Appointed by 5 largest water users of the Central Basin Municipal Water District service area
With a vision to secure water supplies in southeast Los Angeles, Central Basin also provides the region with recycled water for municipal, commercial and industrial use.
Today, the District serves 1.6 million people from 24 cities and unincorporated areas in southeast Los Angeles and uses a mixed-governance model for our seven-member board of directors. The seven-member board of directors is made up of four members elected individually by the voters to represent each of our four electoral districts and three members are nominated and elected by the cities and water purveyors we serve.
Our Goals
Water Reliability – Central Basin will partner with its retailers and wholesalers to provide a level of regional water reliability that ensures customers’ water needs are met.
Financial Integrity – Central Basin will manage its financial resources in a responsible, effective, and transparent fashion.
Stewardship – Central Basin will act as responsible stewards of human and capital resource assets.
Communications – Central Basin will proactively engage, inform, and respond to its customers, purveyors, community leaders, and employees.
Formation & Purpose
Central Basin was established by a vote of the people to help mitigate the over-pumping of underground water resources in southeast Los Angeles County. District founders realized they would have to curtail the use of relatively inexpensive yet diminishing local groundwater by providing the region with imported water. In 1954, Central Basin became a member agency of MWD, an agency which provides the region with imported water. The eight Central Basin Directors appoint two representatives to the 38-member MWD Board of Directors. Central Basin is one of the largest member agencies of the MWD.
Municipal Water District Act
Central Basin was formed by the California Legislature under the Municipal Water District Law of 1911 (Water Code Section 71000). Central Basin is a governmental agency authorized under Section 71000 of the California Water Code for the purpose of providing an adequate supply of water within its service area.
WHERE DOES CENTRAL BASIN GET ITS WATER?
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