Following an extensive national search, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Jenna Covington, P.E., as Executive Director/General Manager. The Board finalized its decision during a Special Called Board Meeting on Monday. Covington, who previously served as Assistant Deputy of NTMWD’s Wastewater operations, assumed her new position on Tuesday, May 4, 2021.
“Jenna has a strong track record in the water utility industry,” said NTMWD Board President Larry Parks. “We conducted a thorough, national search and look forward to her leadership for our organization and commitment to service for our Member Cities, Customers and the entire North Texas region.”
Parks expressed appreciation to Interim Executive Director Rodney Rhoades for his work managing day-to-day operations of the District for the past year. Rhoades decided to retire after many years dedicated to public service.
NTMWD provides essential water, wastewater and solid waste management services to nearly two million people who live in the North Texas region. The District plans, designs and operates the critical water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure critical to public health, economic growth and quality of life for the communities it serves.
“I look forward to the opportunity to continue the legacy of providing critical services to our region,” said Covington. “I have dedicated my career to the advancement and ongoing development of the vital water utilities infrastructure. We have a strong team in place at the District ready to continue meeting the needs of those we serve now and into the future.”
A native Texan, Covington is a professional engineer and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Environmental Engineering from Texas Tech University. She takes over the top leadership role at the District after having served as Assistant Deputy of Wastewater services since 2015, overseeing a staff of over 230 people, 13 wastewater treatment facilities and a complex wastewater conveyance system; operating on an annual budget in excess of $150 million. Wholesale wastewater services are provided for 24 cities and 1.3 million people in the North Texas area.
Covington is a well-known industry leader who has routinely presented and been published throughout her career. She is a recipient of the Water Environment Federation Arthur Sidney Bedell Award, the Water Environment Association of Texas Emerging Leader Award, is a past President of the Water Environmental Association of Texas, and has been inducted into the Texas Tech University Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering Academy.
Prior to joining the District, Covington served as Vice President at a global engineering firm providing consulting, design, construction, and operations services for corporations and governments, where she was responsible for a portfolio of projects for water utilities in north Texas. Her experience covered water treatment, wastewater treatment, conveyance, water resources, water reuse and asset management.