Jerome B. Gilbert (November 29, 1930 – May 13, 2025) was an American water utility manager, consulting engineer and pollution control state official whose career was focused on crafting efficient water utility operations. He graduated with a master's degree from Stanford University. He worked for the United States Army Medical Service Corps, North Marin Water District, California water pollution control agencies, J.B. Gilbert & Associates and the East Bay Municipal Utility District. In 1991, he opened a solo consulting engineering practice serving water utilities and industries in the U.S.
He was active in the American Water Works Association, and he served as an officer in that organization over several decades. He was a member of other water organizations. He received a number of awards for his service, and in 1989, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Early life
Jerome B. Gilbert was born in 1930 in Dayton, Ohio. He attended grammar school and high school in Dayton. His mother, Mathilda Gilbert, was a concert pianist, and his father, Maurice Gilbert, was a city attorney. He had one sibling, Paul Gilbert.
Education
In 1953, he earned his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He finished his master's degree in Civil Engineering Administration in 1954 at Stanford University specializing in construction engineering and cost control. Newell, T. (1962). "Wherever You Find Water, You'll Also Find Jerry Gilbert." Daily Independent Journal. (San Rafael, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 28, 2025). May 19. p. 23.
Personal life
Before he finished his undergraduate degree, he was introduced to Judy Bogen and they were married in 1952."Marriage Licenses." The Cincinnati Enquirer. (1952). (Cincinnati, Ohio). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 28, 2025). October 24. p. 32. They had three daughters Victoria Quintanilla, Jean Smith, and Tania Scheer. Judy (Bogen) Gilbert is recognized as an authority on teaching English pronunciation. She has published several books on this topic with Cambridge University Press.Authors--Judy Gilbert
Tennis was an important part of his life. He was captain of the team that won the Dayton high school championship in 1948. He was on the University of Cincinnati tennis team for four years. He was captain of the Army tennis team that won the Army championship in 1955."GOLDEN TENNIS VICTOR; Beats Pharr, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3, to Take All-Army Title." (1955). New York Times. (New York, New York). (pdf downloaded from Times Archive. September 29, 2025). August 7. Section S, p. 6.
Early career
After finishing his master's degree, he received a commission in the United States Army Medical Service Corps. He was stationed at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas where his duties included mess hall inspection and water and wastewater control on the post. He moved with his family to the San Francisco Bay Area where he worked for T.C. Binkley construction engineer in Palo Alto. His first job was to develop a master plan for the Alameda County Water District. He also designed the Middle Field Reservoir for that agency.
North Marin County Water District
Gilbert was chosen as assistant manager and chief engineer for North Marin in May 1958."Water Rationing This Summer?" (1961). Novato Advance. (Novato, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 28, 2025). May 3. p. 1. Gilbert developed a master plan for North Marin creating one large, integrated water system. In March 1959, he was selected as General Manager for the utility."McLaughlin Quits NMWD Position." (1959). Daily Independent Journal. (San Rafael, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 30, 2025). March 18. p. 1. In June 1960, a bond issue was passed which funded a 10-mile, 30-inch pipeline to the Russian River and many improvements to the North Marin County Water District system. Gilbert managed a 7.4 percent rate increase in 1961."District Explains Water Rates." (1961). Novato Advance. (Novato, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. October 1, 2025). October 18. p. 1. While at the District, he became President of the Eel River Association, which was a consortium of 10 northern California counties seeking additional water supplies.Wells, B. (1966). "Water Control in Vast Area--Eel River Association Aim." The Press Democrat. (Santa Rosa, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 28, 2025). May 1. p. 47.
California Water Pollution Control Agencies
In 1964, he was appointed by Governor Pat Brown to a seat on the Bay Area Water Pollution Control Board."Memos From the City Desk." (1964). Novato Advance. (Novato, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 30, 2025). October 7. p. 1. He was vice chair of the committee that drafted the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act"Water Law Steps Generally Favored." (1969). The Sacramento Union. (Sacramento, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 28, 2025). February 8. p. 3 and led pollution enforcement actions against cities and industries to clean up San Francisco Bay.Garretson, F. (1968). "Plant Accused of Water Pollution." Oakland Tribune. (Oakland, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 28, 2025). May 24. p. 4. His California organizational work included: authorship of the Urban Water Management Planning Act, establishment of the California Urban Water Agencies, development of planning legislation and programs that are the foundation of today's pollution and water quality control in California."Jerome Gilbert Obituary." (2025). San Francisco Chronicle. (San Francisco, California). May 25.
Gilbert was named executive director of the California State Water Resources Control Board in February 1969."J.B. Gilbert Takes State Water Post." (1969). Daily Independent Journal. (San Rafael, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). February 7. p. 1. As executive officer, he warned three Marin sewage dischargers that construction bans would remain in place until they completed the design of a subregional wastewater system and discontinued discharge of raw sewage during wet weather. "A Warning of Continued Marin Construction Bans." (1971). Daily Independent Journal. (San Rafael, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com. September 28, 2025). October 27. p. 20.
J.B. Gilbert & Associates
An early consulting assignment was funded by the U.S. Public Health Service where Gilbert and others assessed the viability of Filipino water systems."Marinite Sees Long Road in Filipino Water Crisis." (1967). Daily Independent Journal. (San Rafael, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 29, 2025). September 6. p. 31. Gilbert founded J.B. Gilbert & Associates in 1972."Area Water Agencies Hail Dendy Selection." (1971). Redlands Daily Facts. (Redlands, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 29, 2025). December 6. p. 3. He provided consulting engineering services to public and private clients on water quality and wastewater planning, engineering and water conservation."Pinole, Hercules Urge Flexible Plans." The Independent. (Richmond, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). April 5. p. 3. The firm prepared industrial, water and environmental plans for such companies as Dow Chemical and Sunkist Growers, Incorporated and such cities as San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego.Taylor, B. (1974). "Homeowners Sewer Rates to Jump $2." The Sacramento Union. (Sacramento, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). February 5. p. 3. Work products included water rights applications, rate studies, environmental reports, regional water studies, testimony and presentations."Ground Water Conference to be Held at UCSB." (1973). The Lompoc Record. (Lompoc, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). September 13. p. 8. In 1977, the firm was acquired by Brown & Caldwell consulting engineers."Engineering Firm Expands." (1978). Oakland Tribune. (Oakland, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). June 13. 45.
East Bay Municipal Utility District
Gilbert was named General Manager in February 1981.Ross, A. (1981). "EBMUD Names a New General Manager." The Berkeley Gazette. (Berkeley, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). February 11. p. 4. As General Manager and Chief Engineer (1981-91), Gilbert directed operations of a California regional water and wastewater utility with recreation, land management and power generation responsibilities. Issues that were addressed during his tenure included: water rights,Gilbert, J.B. (1985). "EBMUD Needs American River Water." Oakland Tribune. (Oakland, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). August 28. p. 16. watershed protection,Gilbert, J.B. (1987). "Don't Rush to Judgment on Buckhorn." Oakland Tribune. (Oakland, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). November 24. p. 19. conservation, health and environmental regulations,Gilbert, J.B. (1985). "EBMUD Gives Its Side of Local Water Dispute." The Sacramento Union. (Sacramento, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). October 2. p. 9. wastewater treatment, reuse, industrial pretreatment, computerization of administrative function and system operations, major plant modernization, rates, budgets and financing, interagency cooperation and state and federal legislation. Gilbert retired from East Bay MUD in April 1991.Evangelista, B. (1990). "EBMUD Official's Retirement Opens Doors for Environmental Reform." Oakland Tribune. (Oakland, California). (pdf downloaded from newspapers.com September 28, 2025). November 14. p. 32.
Consulting Engineer Practice
Gilbert was an independent consulting engineer (1991 to the 2020s) providing advice on water resources, water transfers and rights, regulatory compliance, water and wastewater management and rate analysis. Activities included:
Management and Public-Private Partnerships. Assistance on Seattle, Wisconsin and San Gabriel Basin (California) projects to develop design/build/operate privatization strategies and specifications employing a public/private partnership model. Of these, the Seattle consultation spanned a ten-year period in which Gilbert partnered with Seattle Water in conceiving and executing the first and second major use in the US of a design/build/operate procurement approach in developing large-scale municipal drinking water treatment plants.Westerhoff, G., Gale, D., Gilbert, J.B., Haskins, S., and Reiter, P.D. (2003). The Evolving Water Utility. American Water Works Association. Denver, Colorado.Bipartisan Policy Center, “Infrastructure Case Study: Tolt Water Treatment Facility”, 2016.Culp, G. (2011). “Alternative Project Delivery Methods for Water and Wastewater Projects: Do They Save Time and Money?” Leadership and Management in Engineering. 11(3). July.Kelly, E.S. (2001). “Seattle Public Utilities’ Design-Build-Operate Treatment Facility Projects.” Seattle Public Utilities, Northwest Construction Consumer Council, June 17. He developed the organization concept, goals and objectives for the Western Urban Water Coalition, assisted in a management audit of the Puerto Rico Water and Sewer Authority and provided assistance to the Sydney Water Board of Australia in establishing an expert review panel.
Groundwater Management. Gilbert assisted private (Superfund potentially responsible parties) and public agencies (Three Valleys Municipal Water District, Metropolitan Water District, and the San Gabriel Watermaster) in developing strategies, policies and cost sharing for the conjunctive use and remediation project for the extraction, treatment and delivery of water to the drinking water systems in the San Gabriel Basin and similar work in the San Fernando Basin.