Clifford Chan
General Manager
Clifford C. Chan was appointed to serve as the 10th General Manager of the East Bay Municipal Utility District on June 9, 2020. In this role, he oversees the delivery of high-quality drinking water to 1.4 million residents and businesses in 20 cities and 15 unincorporated communities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, as well as wastewater treatment for 740,000 customers. Clifford oversees approximately 2,000 employees with an annual budget of $2.7 billion in biennial appropriations and has worked in the water industry for over 26 years. As General Manager, he balances the continued demands of maintaining critical infrastructure and financial stability through innovation and long-term water and wastewater planning. He is proud to lead an organization dedicated to its mission of delivering the highest quality water at a fair and reasonable price while remaining a responsible environmental steward.
Prior to his role as General Manager, Clifford was EBMUD’s Director of Operations and Maintenance. He is passionate about empowering the Districts' community, externally and internally. This includes first-of-its-kind financial arrangements that prevent service termination, establishing one of the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals in the industry, and developing innovative programs for employees to grow and develop in their careers. Clifford is committed to promoting opportunities for diverse groups to learn about each other, and appreciates that through listening and sharing, people will realize they have more in common than not. His experience includes leadership roles with the California Urban Water Agencies, the Water Research Foundation, the American Water Works Association, and WateReuse California.
Clifford made EBMUD history as the first Asian American to hold the position of general manager. He is also a sixth generation Californian and firmly believes that the diversity of the District makes the organization stronger. He earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in geotechnical engineering, both from the University of California, Berkeley.