Susan Leal

Susan Leal (born October 11, 1949) is an American water utility consultant and the co-author of the book Running Out of Water. Formerly, she was the General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco Treasurer, and a San Francisco supervisor.

Early life and education Leal was born the youngest of three on October 11, 1949, to Mexican immigrant parents in San Francisco. She grew up in Eureka Valley. Leal graduated from Presentation High School in 1967; the Catholic prep school was founded in 1915 by the Sisters of the Presentation, and it closed in 1991. (The site is now part of the campus of University of San Francisco). San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty was a classmate of hers at Cal.

San Francisco elections Leal was appointed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in June 1993 by Mayor Frank Jordan. She was re-elected the following year to a four-year term. While on the Board, she chaired its Finance Committee. Her duties as Treasurer also included managing all tax and revenue collection for San Francisco as well as managing billions of dollars in short-term revenue. She introduced the first socially responsible investment portfolio among California’s 58 counties. Her socially-responsible portfolio’s return on investments surpassed the other 57 other California counties during her tenure. She helped increase tax collection rates, including a 91% increase in delinquent revenue collection, representing tens of millions in additional revenue. Leal spearheaded the city's e-commerce initiative, which was named one of the top e-government projects nationwide and helped launched the nation's first audio ATM for the visually impaired.

Leal was a candidate in the 2003 San Francisco mayoral election. She lost in the general election and endorsed Gavin Newsom, who later won in the runoff election.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission In 2004, Leal was appointed General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), the county's utilities agency, by Mayor Newsom, though she had no experience in the utilities field prior to this appointment. She upgraded the Bay Area's seismically unsafe water system and initiated a program to update San Francisco's wastewater system. The Commission installed tanks of bluegills at the Millbrae water treatment plant to measure water safety and detect nonbiological threats in the water supply, as mandated by anti-terrorism federal law. It was also in talks to pay $58 million to build a new power plant in Hunters Point, San Francisco to supplement the Hunters Point Power Plant. Although the board did not cite a reason, Commissioner Dick Sklar expressed disappointment in Leal's handling of the power plant negotiations.

Personal life Leal is gay.