The Big Idea
If you live in the Phoenix area, SRP is probably in your life whether you think about it or not.
You might see SRP on an electric bill. You might bike along an SRP canal path. You might drive past one of the big water gates near Tempe Town Lake and never wonder who is turning the knobs.
SRP is Salt River Project, and it is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides water and power in central Arizona (source: SRP, “About SRP.”). That simple sentence hides a lot of history, a lot of infrastructure, and a governance model that is genuinely unusual. If you're interested in how SRP's pricing plans work alongside APS, especially for solar customers, check out our guide to Phoenix solar rate changes. Let’s make SRP feel familiar.
SRP stands for Salt River Project
The “Salt River” part is not branding. It is geography.
SRP’s story starts with the Salt River and a basic desert reality: if you want a city to grow here, you have to manage water on purpose.
SRP traces its origin to 1903, when local farmers and ranchers formed the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association and pledged land as collateral to secure federal funds to build what became Theodore Roosevelt Dam. That dam, and the water system around it, helped turn Phoenix from a risky bet into a place that could plan for the future (source: SRP, “SRP’s history.”).
SRP was built by people who looked at a river that could flood one year and vanish the next and said, “We need something more dependable than luck.”
What SRP does today
SRP is one of those institutions that quietly makes modern life possible.
At a high level, SRP does two big things:
1. It delivers water across the Valley
SRP manages a large water system that supports the Phoenix metro area (source: SRP, “Service area and territory.”). SRP reports that its water service area covers about 375 square miles, and the broader watershed area tied to its surface water supplies is about 13,000 square miles.
It is also not just rivers and reservoirs. SRP’s system includes canals, storage, wells, and the practical logistics of getting water where it needs to go.
SRP also notes that over half of the water supply in the Phoenix metro area comes from the SRP water system (source: SRP, “Where your water comes from in the Phoenix metro area.”).
2. It delivers electric power across central Arizona
SRP also runs an electric system serving a broad portion of central Arizona. SRP describes its service territory as covering much of central Arizona, and notes that some addresses get only one SRP service while others get both water and power (source: SRP, “Service area and territory.”).
This “both” part matters. SRP is one of the few places where water and power are so closely tied under one umbrella.
The part most people never hear: SRP is actually two organizations
When people say “SRP,” they usually mean one thing.
Legally and operationally, SRP is two entities that work together:
-
The Association
The Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association is a private water corporation formed in 1903. -
The District
The Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District is an agricultural improvement district and political subdivision of the State of Arizona formed in 1937.
If you ever see SRP pages refer to “the Association” or “the District,” this is what they mean.
It is one name, but two governance structures, two sets of elections, and two sets of responsibilities.
Why this structure exists
SRP did not start as a modern electric utility.
It started as a water project. Then the Valley grew. Irrigation canals multiplied. Towns expanded. The electric side matured alongside everything else that was being built.
What you end up with today is an organization that is still shaped by its origin story.
SRP is not a distant corporation with a headquarters in another state. It is a local institution that grew up with Phoenix.
How SRP is governed (and why it surprises people)
SRP has an election system that feels like a throwback and a civic experiment at the same time (source: SRP, “Governance and elections.”).
Both the Association and the District have:
- A Board
- A Council
- Elected positions, typically filled by landowners within the boundaries of the Association or District
- Staggered terms, with seats coming up on a schedule rather than all at once
SRP also publishes tools for understanding voter eligibility and boundaries, including maps and election information (source: SRP, “Governance and elections.”).
If you like knowing how decisions get made, SRP is a deep rabbit hole in a good way. These governance decisions directly impact rate structures, including demand charges that affect your bill.
Current SRP leadership and board makeup (as published by SRP) (As of January 2026)
SRP publishes the current list of elected officials, including the Boards and Councils (source: SRP, “Board and Council members.”).
Officers (SRP leadership titles)
SRP lists the following officers (source: SRP, “Officers and executive leadership.”):
- David Rousseau, President
- Christopher Dobson, Vice President
- John Felty, Corporate Secretary
- Jon Hubbard, Treasurer
Association Board (10 district seats)
SRP’s Association Board members are listed by district as (source: SRP, “Board and Council members.”):
- District 1: Larry D. Rovey
- District 2: Paul E. Rovey
- District 3: Mario J. Herrera
- District 4: Leslie C. Williams
- District 5: Stephen H. Williams
- District 6: John “Jack” M. White Jr.
- District 7: Nicholas R. Brown
- District 8: Randy Miller
- District 9: Robert C. Arnett
- District 10: Mark V. Pace
District Board (10 divisions + 4 at-large seats)
SRP’s District Board includes (source: SRP, “Board and Council members.”):
Divisions 1–10
- Division 1: Kevin J. Johnson
- Division 2: Paul E. Rovey
- Division 3: Mario J. Herrera
- Division 4: Leslie C. Williams
- Division 5: Stephen H. Williams
- Division 6: John “Jack” M. White Jr.
- Division 7: Nicholas R. Brown
- Division 8: Randy Miller
- Division 9: Robert C. Arnett
- Division 10: Mark V. Pace
Directors at-large (Seats 11–14)
- Seat 11: Casey Clowes
- Seat 12: Krista H. O’Brien
- Seat 13: Sandra D. Kennedy
- Seat 14: Kathy L. Mohr-Almeida
Councils (30 seats each)
SRP also lists the full Association Council and District Council, each with 30 elected members across districts/divisions (source: SRP, “Board and Council members.”).
“What do these board members do outside SRP?”
Here’s where I need to be transparent.
SRP’s official “Board and Council members” page provides names and seats, but it does not provide biographies or occupations for every member. Because of that, I can only confidently cite outside roles when they come from strong, verifiable sources (source: SRP, “Board and Council members.”).
A few examples where reliable public bios exist:
- Krista H. O’Brien is listed by Arizona State University as a Senior Project Manager in Strategic Partnerships and Networks at ASU’s Global Futures Lab (source).
- Sandra D. Kennedy has a public record as a former Arizona Corporation Commission member (and other prior public service roles) (source).
For other board members, there are biographies on campaign and advocacy sites, but those are not official SRP bios and are not consistently verifiable in the way I would want for a permanent “about SRP” blog post.
If you want, I can do a second pass that is strictly “high confidence bios only,” where we list outside roles only when they are supported by primary sources or highly reputable references.
Why SRP feels uniquely “Phoenix”
Here’s the easiest way to understand SRP.
Most cities have utilities.
Phoenix has a utility that was literally built to make life here possible.
SRP’s water work is tied to reservoirs, rivers, and watershed management across northern and eastern Arizona. Its electric system supports the daily rhythm of homes, businesses, and everything in between across the Valley.
That combination gives SRP a particular personality. It is not just a power company. It is part of the region’s long-term survival strategy.
And that is why people care about SRP elections, SRP planning, and SRP infrastructure in a way that feels more local than “utility talk” usually does. If you're on SRP's demand-based rates, understanding which appliances trigger peak demand charges can help you manage your monthly bills more effectively.
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Sources
SRP, “About SRP.”
SRP, “SRP’s history.”
SRP, “Governance and elections.”
SRP, “Board and Council members.”
SRP, “Officers and executive leadership.”
SRP, “Financial data and company stats.”
SRP, “Service area and territory.”
SRP, “Where your water comes from in the Phoenix metro area.”
Arizona State University, “Krista O’Brien profile.”
Ballotpedia, “Sandra Kennedy.”