$23 Million and Counting in Outside Funding — Maria has personally advocated in Washington, D.C. to bring home more than $23 million in grants for treatment and safety upgrades — with nearly $17 million more in the pipeline — money that doesn't come out of ratepayers' pockets.

Protecting Local Wells Before They're Lost — When new contamination standards put local groundwater wells at risk, Maria helped guide the agency to build durable, low-maintenance treatment facilities — protecting infrastructure we already paid for instead of drilling costly new wells or buying pricier imported water.

Water Security 20 Years Out — Maria pushed for an updated, long-range water supply plan that keeps Santa Clarita prepared through drought and beyond — which is why residents haven't faced mandatory rationing even when the state has required it elsewhere.

Incentives, Not Fines — Rather than penalize customers to hit new conservation targets, Maria championed rebates and smart water meters that help families catch leaks early — before a small problem turns into a big bill.

Merger Savings Already Banked — Maria led the merger that created SCV Water, already saving ratepayers more than $10 million by ending duplicated overhead and years of litigation between former agencies.

Making Polluters Pay, Not Ratepayers — Under Maria's watch, SCV Water has secured millions of dollars in penalties from polluters responsible for historic contamination — funding cleanup without adding to customers' bills.

Watching Water Quality Before It's Required — Maria pushed for extra groundwater monitoring near the closed Chiquita Canyon Landfill well before any regulator required it — testing continues to show no impact on drinking water.