EBMUD Board President Luz Gómez kicked off her reelection campaign for Ward 2 on Wednesday, Aug. 5, pitching herself as the director who backed a major upgrade to the Walnut Creek Water Treatment Plant even when neighbors pushed back.

The plant at 2201 Larkey Lane is the primary drinking-water supply for roughly 225,000 people in EBMUD's East-of-Hills service area, covering portions of Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Alamo, Danville, Blackhawk and the San Ramon Valley. The Pretreatment Project adds capacity to handle wildfire runoff and algae blooms that climate change is making more frequent.

"After I looked at all the facts, there was no alternative," Gómez said at her campaign launch at Shish Grill in San Ramon, according to Contra Costa News. "I had to vote based on what was going to benefit all of us."

Gómez's fellow board members unanimously elected her president of the seven-member board on Jan. 13. She was first appointed to the Ward 2 seat in April 2024 after former Director John A. Coleman resigned, then won election that November to finish the term, which expires in December 2026. Ward 2 spans much of central and south Contra Costa County, including portions of Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Danville, Alamo and San Ramon.

Her campaign rests on three priorities: hardening the water system against wildfires, earthquakes and cyberattacks; protecting East Bay watersheds; and accelerating infrastructure investment while keeping rates affordable.

That last point hits Walnut Creek wallets directly. EBMUD is midway through a 10-year, $5.6 billion capital program to rebuild pipelines, modernize treatment plants and strengthen reservoirs. To pay for it, the board approved 6.5 percent average water-rate increases in both FY2026 and FY2027 in a 5-2 vote on June 10, 2025. A typical household using 125 gallons per day saw its bill rise about $3.77 per month starting July 1, 2025, with an additional $4.30 per month effective July 1, 2026, according to EBMUD.

Gómez has also championed EBMUD's first artificial-intelligence policy and an employee AI training program, both expected to come before the board later this year.

Her endorsement list includes former San Ramon Mayor Bill Clarkson, San Ramon City Councilmember Richard Adler, Lafayette City Councilmember Jim Cervantes and Concord City Councilmember Carlyn Obringer. No challenger has emerged. Contra Costa News reported no opposing candidate had been publicly identified as of Aug. 5.

Walnut Creek-area voters in Ward 2 will decide the seat in the November 2026 election. The filing deadline had not been announced as of Aug. 5.