Detroit Water Department Leadership, Board Members, Staff Groups and Public Meeting Help
If you are looking for the Detroit Water Department Director, DWSD staff structure, Board of Water Commissioners, public meeting agendas, policy documents, customer-service contacts or the right official page for leadership information, this guide organizes the verified City of Detroit resources in one practical place.
Detroit Water Department searches can mean different things. Some readers want the current DWSD Director. Some want the Board of Water Commissioners. Others need staff departments, meeting agendas, policy decisions, public comment details, or the right customer-service contact for an account problem.
The key point is this: DWSD operations and customer issues are handled by the department staff, while governance and oversight are handled by the Board of Water Commissioners. For personal account help, sewer emergencies or bill issues, use DWSD Customer Service instead of trying to contact commissioners directly.
👤 DWSD Director information
Use this for: finding the current DWSD Director, leadership structure, board oversight and the difference between staff operations and board governance.
Before starting: decide whether you need leadership information, public meeting records, board documents, or customer-service help for your own account.
Safe action: verify names and meetings on official Detroit pages because leadership and board appointments can change.
Detroit Water Department Leadership Quick Facts
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department is a City of Detroit department. It delivers water service, collects wastewater and manages local water/sewer infrastructure for Detroit customers. The official board page states that DWSD’s governing body is the Board of Water Commissioners.
The official City page lists Gary Brown as the Director managing day-to-day DWSD operations. It also lists DWSD’s operating groups as Customer Care, Field Services, Finance and Procurement, Administration, and Meter Operations.
What This Detroit Water Leadership Guide Covers
Who Is the Detroit Water Department Director?
The official Board of Water Commissioners page lists Gary Brown as the Director who manages DWSD’s day-to-day operations. For users searching “Detroit Water Department Director,” this is the most direct official leadership answer.
However, most customer issues should still go through customer service. The Director’s role is leadership and operations management, not the normal front-door route for a single bill, account login, sewer backup or payment issue.
Director role
Day-to-day leadership, operational direction, public utility management and department-level execution.
DWSD operationsCustomer route
For bills, emergencies, portal login, EasyPay, sewer backup and account problems, use 313-267-8000.
Customer supportUse the official board page to verify the Director
Open the official Board of Water Commissioners page to confirm leadership language and current board information.
Use the DWSD department page for customer resources
Open the official DWSD department page for billing, customer service, emergencies, policies and resources.
Route personal customer issues correctly
If the issue is your own bill, account, payment, sewer backup, emergency or service request, call 313-267-8000 instead of searching for executive contact details.
DWSD Deputy Directors and Senior Leadership Notes
The official Board of Water Commissioners page lists Palencia Mobley, P.E. as Deputy Director and Chief Engineer overseeing field operations and infrastructure. A City of Detroit 2024 update also announced Sam Smalley, P.E. as Deputy Director after his role as Chief Operating Officer.
Because senior staff pages can change, use careful wording. For a live article, present these as official City-reported leadership details and direct readers to the official DWSD/Board pages for the newest updates.
| Leader | Officially reported role | What readers should know |
|---|---|---|
| Gary Brown | Director | Official board page lists him as managing DWSD day-to-day operations. |
| Palencia Mobley, P.E. | Deputy Director / Chief Engineer | Official board page says she oversees field operations and infrastructure. |
| Sam Smalley, P.E. | Deputy Director | City update says he was appointed Deputy Director after serving as COO. |
Detroit Board of Water Commissioners: Role and Public Oversight
The Board of Water Commissioners is DWSD’s governing body. The official City page explains that the board has a long history going back to the 1850s and continues as the governing body today.
The board is important for public oversight, policies, rates, budget hearings and major department actions. But for routine customer support, residents should start with DWSD Customer Service.
Board role: Oversight, public meetings, policies, rates and department governance.
Staff role: Customer care, field services, finance, administration, meters and daily service delivery.
Resident role: Attend meetings, review agendas, submit public comment and use official service channels.
Customer route: Call 313-267-8000 for bill, portal, emergency or sewer issues.
Detroit Board of Water Commissioners Members Listed by the City
The official Board of Water Commissioners page lists the current commissioners below. Because appointments can change, always verify names on the official page before publishing an updated leadership article.
| Board member | Listed role | Useful context for readers |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Einheuser | Chairman | Official board page lists him as Chairman and provides professional background. |
| Mary E. Blackmon | Vice Chairperson | Official board page lists her as Vice Chairperson. |
| Ademola Fagade | Commissioner | Official board page says he was appointed by Mayor Mary Sheffield in February 2026. |
| John Henry Davis | Commissioner | Official board page lists him as a long-time Detroit resident and community/labor figure. |
| Linda D. Forte | Commissioner | Official board page lists her business, finance and civic background. |
| Jane C. Garcia | Commissioner | Official board page lists her community advocacy and public-service background. |
| Jonathan C. Kinloch | Commissioner | Official board page lists his public policy and community engagement background. |
DWSD Staff Operating Groups Explained
The official Board of Water Commissioners page says DWSD is organized into five operating groups: Customer Care, Field Services, Finance and Procurement, Administration, and Meter Operations.
This is helpful for readers because they often search for “staff” when they really need to know which division handles a specific problem.
Billing, account help, customer questions, portal guidance and public-facing support.
Water and sewer field operations, service work, maintenance and infrastructure response.
Budget, purchasing, contracts, procurement and finance-related administration.
Department administration, internal coordination and management support.
Meter-related operations, usage data, meter service issues and customer meter support path.
Official public communications, meeting resources, media/community information and public notices.
Board Governance vs DWSD Customer Service: Which One Should You Use?
The Board of Water Commissioners handles governance, policies, meetings, rates, budget hearings and public oversight. DWSD staff handles daily operations, customer accounts, emergencies and service delivery.
This distinction helps users avoid wasting time. A sewer backup, bill dispute or payment plan question should not start with the board. A public policy, budget, meeting agenda or commissioner question should start with board documents.
| User need | Best route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pay water bill or login | DWSD Customer Portal / Customer Service | This is an account-service issue, not a board issue. |
| Report water/sewer emergency | Call 313-267-8000 | Emergency response needs the operations channel. |
| Review rates or budget hearing | Board of Water Commissioners documents | Board handles public oversight and hearings. |
| Find board members | Official BOWC page | The City board page lists current commissioners and roles. |
| Submit public comment | Specific meeting/event notice | Comment instructions are meeting-specific. |
| File FOIA or public records request | Official DWSD FOIA / City request route | Public records have formal process requirements. |
How to Find DWSD Board Agendas, Documents and Public Actions
The official DWSD department page links to Board of Water Commissioners Agendas and Documents. This is the best official path for meeting materials, board actions, committee meetings and related public documents.
Open the official agendas page
Use the Board of Water Commissioners Agendas and Documents page.
Check the most recent meeting month
Look for the latest agenda, committee meeting, board meeting or related document before writing current information.
Review votes and actions carefully
Board agenda items may include contract approvals, policy revisions, rate hearings, public notices and department reports.
Do not treat drafts as final actions
Meeting agendas, proposed resolutions and final approved actions are different. Verify final status before summarizing a policy.
Detroit Board of Water Commissioners Meetings and Public Comment
The City posts Board of Water Commissioners meetings and committee meetings on official event pages. These event pages may include meeting time, location, Zoom details, phone access, YouTube viewing links and public comment instructions.
Because meeting access details change by date, avoid hardcoding Zoom IDs in evergreen content unless you are writing about a specific meeting. Instead, send readers to the latest official event listing.
Use event pages for
Meeting date, time, location, virtual access, public comment instructions and livestream details.
Meeting accessUse agenda pages for
Meeting materials, agenda items, documents, policy items, contracts and public board records.
Meeting recordsWho Should Detroit Residents Contact?
Most residents do not need the Director or a board member for normal water service. They need the right official DWSD contact route. Use the table below to route common user problems correctly.
| Problem | Best contact | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Bill payment or customer portal | DWSD Customer Service / Portal | Use the customer portal or call 313-267-8000. |
| Water or sewer emergency | DWSD Emergency Line | Call 313-267-8000 immediately. |
| Sewer backup or damage claim | DWSD Customer Service + Damage Claims page | Report the issue and review the claims page. |
| Payment assistance | DWSD assistance programs | Review assistance pages and call 313-267-8000 early. |
| Board member names | Official BOWC page | Verify current commissioner list on Detroit’s official site. |
| Meeting agenda or board vote | BOWC agendas and documents | Review latest agenda and meeting documents. |
DWSD Policies, Metrics and Public Resource Pages
The official DWSD page links to customer policies, DWSD metrics, board-approved policies, water quality reports, legal notices, FOIA requests and public resources. These are helpful for users who want more than names.
Use for: performance dashboards, Director metrics and department progress context.
Use for: customer policies and board-approved policy documents.
Use for: formal public records requests when normal pages do not answer the question.
Use for: annual water quality reports and drinking water information.
Use for: official public notices and department legal communications.
Use for: account rules, service policies and customer rights/requirements.
Detroit Water Department Office and Water Board Building Map
The official Board page says DWSD and GLWA are headquartered in the Water Board Building located at 735 Randolph Street in Detroit. Before visiting, call DWSD or check official pages because not every leadership, board or account issue is handled by walk-in office access.
Water Board Building – 735 Randolph Street, Detroit
Use this map for location reference. For customer service and emergencies, call DWSD first.
Official Detroit Water Department Leadership and Board Resources
Use these official City of Detroit resources for DWSD leadership, board governance, meetings, policies, metrics, customer service and public records.
DWSD Department Page
Main official page for Detroit Water and Sewerage Department services, resources and web apps.
Open DWSD PageBoard of Water Commissioners
Official board page with governance explanation, leadership details and commissioner biographies.
Open Board PageAgendas and Documents
Official page for BOWC meeting agendas, documents and public board materials.
Open AgendasDWSD Customer Service
Official customer-service section for account, billing, emergencies, claims and service help.
Open Customer ServiceWater/Sewer Emergencies
Official DWSD page for water and sewer maintenance and emergency reporting.
Open Emergency PageCustomer Portal
Official online portal route for bill payment and DWSD account access.
Open PortalDWSD Metrics
Official department metric resource linked from the DWSD page.
Open DWSD ResourcesDWSD Policies
Official customer and board-approved policies linked from DWSD resources.
Open Policy ResourcesCity Events
Use City events to find current BOWC meeting dates and participation details.
Open City EventsDetroit Water Department Director, Staff and Board FAQs
Who is the Director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department?
The official Board of Water Commissioners page lists Gary Brown as the Director managing DWSD’s day-to-day operations.
Who governs the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department?
The Detroit Board of Water Commissioners is DWSD’s governing body. The official City page says all seven current commissioners are Detroit residents appointed by the Mayor.
Who are the current Detroit Board of Water Commissioners members?
The official board page lists Michael Einheuser, Mary E. Blackmon, Ademola Fagade, John Henry Davis, Linda D. Forte, Jane C. Garcia and Jonathan C. Kinloch.
Who is the chair of the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners?
The official board page lists Michael Einheuser as Chairman.
Who is the vice chair of the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners?
The official board page lists Mary E. Blackmon as Vice Chairperson.
What are DWSD’s main staff operating groups?
The official board page says DWSD is organized into Customer Care, Field Services, Finance and Procurement, Administration, and Meter Operations.
How do I find DWSD board meeting agendas?
Use the official Board of Water Commissioners Agendas and Documents page.
How do I contact DWSD for a bill or emergency?
Call 313-267-8000 for DWSD customer service and water/sewer emergencies. For non-urgent customer-service email, DWSD lists mydwsd@detroitmi.gov.
Should I contact board members for a water bill problem?
No. For a personal bill, account login, payment plan, sewer backup, outage or service issue, start with DWSD Customer Service at 313-267-8000. The Board of Water Commissioners is a governance body, not the normal customer-service desk.
Where is the Detroit Water Department office?
The official Board page says DWSD and GLWA are headquartered in the Water Board Building at 735 Randolph Street in Detroit. Call DWSD or check official pages before visiting.
Best Way to Find Detroit Water Department Leadership Information
For leadership and governance details, start with the official Board of Water Commissioners page. It gives the clearest public information on DWSD governance, the current commissioners, board role and the relationship between the department and the board.
For customer-service issues, do not start with leadership pages. Use DWSD Customer Service at 313-267-8000, the customer portal, or the official emergency/service pages depending on the issue. For public meeting records, use the official agendas and documents page.