It's been a life, not a career, says Brazos River Authority GM/CEO David Collinsworth as he reflects on his 30th year with the organization.
"I just have a passion for water for Texas, and a passion for what we do," Collinsworth said. "And as I have grown longer in the tooth here at this organization, I've watched other people that had that same passion. And now I have a passion for those people to be successful."
Collinsworth is the eighth general manager since its establishment by the Texas Legislature in 1929.
Collinsworth oversees the first government entity in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. The BRA is responsible for providing water to municipalities, industry, agriculture, and mining within the Brazos basin. Besides water supply, the BRA works to ensure the quality of the water within the basin by providing services such as potable water treatment, wastewater treatment, and continuous monitoring for specific contaminates through the Texas Clean Rivers Program.
As general manager, Collinsworth oversees more than 275 employees in multiple locations throughout the Brazos River Basin while managing the System's water supply, water treatment projects, and water quality initiatives under the direction of the 21-member Board of Directors, who are appointed by the Governor.
It's increasingly uncommon to find individuals who dedicate themselves to a single organization for three decades, said Matt Phillips, BRA's legislative and governmental affairs manager.
"To devote 30 years of your life to an organization with a mission like the BRA, really, really is special," Phillips said. "In 30 years, David's worked in pretty much every aspect you can work at in the BRA - he's been a part of our environmental team, business development, project management, managed our operations as our central and lower basin regional manager, all before eventually becoming our GM. Everything he's done has contributed to our success and the good work we do at the Brazos River Authority."
With a degree in Aquatic Biology and Organic Chemistry, he joined the BRA as a field operator and water quality educator. He soon began managing water quality grant projects and focusing on non-point source pollution reduction programs.
Over the following two decades, he worked or managed nearly every aspect of the BRA.
Collinsworth had nearly 25 years tenure at the BRA, before his appointment on April 1, 2018, as the eighth general manager of the 95-year-old organization. He was appointed by the BRA Board of Directors to succeed Phil Ford, who retired after 17 years of service. Now, in June 2024, Collinsworth achieves 30 years.
Collinsworth said he's proud to have achieved 30 years.
"I didn't think that I would be this excited about it. But it's pretty cool," he said. "I hope I get 10 more."
As an avid boater whose sport of choice continues to be fishing, Collinsworth recognizes that Texas continues to grow, and municipalities, industry and agricultural interests will continue to need water supplies. He serves in other ways to help ensure Texans have the water they need, having served on the Texas State University's Advisory Council for the School of Science and Engineering, the Texas Water Conservation Association Board of Directors, the Texas Utility Council of the American Water Works Association and the Inland Fisheries Advisory Committee of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Looking forward, Collinsworth said, one of the biggest challenges he sees for the organization is navigating the challenging economic landscape with rising inflation.
"What our customers are going to demand from us is going to cost so much more than anybody ever anticipated," Collinsworth said. "So, if we're going to accomplish the things that they expect us to accomplish, it's going to cost billions of dollars. And 15 years ago, we were saying it's going to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. And now we're using the billion-dollar word."
Although the BRA is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes or receive subsidies from the state or the counties it serves. Except for occasional governmental grants to aid in the cost of specific projects, the BRA is funded entirely through the sale of water and the management of water and wastewater services.
Three decades in, and the passion burns brighter than ever.
"I've seen my entire life change, from going from a young married adult with no focus, to being a father and a husband and a lifelong-career person at one entity," Collinsworth said. "And now, this place means so much more to me than a job. It's been a lifestyle. It's put my kids through college. It is what I think about when I go to bed; it's what I think about when I wake up. It's become a life."