Update: Helix Water District GM to Retire with $110,000 Annual Pension

Updated at 2:45 p.m. Monday

General Manager Mark Weston will retire Dec. 30 with an annual pension of $110,000, the agency said Monday.

“I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of the employees at Helix who are recognized as among the best qualified in the water industry," Weston said. “I’m happy to have been able to work for such a professional organization.”

The district says Weston, 61, plans to continue to be active in the water community and travel with his wife, Anne. They live in Poway.

His current yearly salary is $203,714, according to the district website. Under the district’s CalPERS formula, Weston’s annual pension will be $110,000, said district spokesman Ted Salois.

Weston worked 13½ years for Helix under a 2.5%-a-year pension accrual at age 55, Salois said.

“He has worked for four other CalPERS contracting agencies, all with different formulas.” Salois said.  “He accrued about 25 years of service in CalPERS.   In addition, he has worked more than 13 years outside of the CalPERS system.  His CalPERS retirement pension will be about $110,000 per year, excluding social security.”

Before serving as GM, Weston spent three years as Helix’s director of engineering.  He has 38 years experience in water, wastewater, municipal infrastructure engineering, and management.

Weston came to the district after serving 10 years as director of engineering for the city of Poway.  Prior to Poway, he worked for the county of San Diego, the city of Helena, MT, and the state governments of Montana and California. 

During his time as general manager, Weston has overseen a large capital improvement program, which included the upgrading of the R.M. Levy Water Treatment Plant in Lakeside.  The facility now uses ozone as its primary disinfectant and is capable of processing 106 million gallons of water per day, providing water to Otay, Padre Dam and Lakeside water districts. 

Other capital projects included the replacement of 30 miles of cast iron piping, replacement of numerous pump stations and storage tanks, the institution of small and large valve replacement programs, and the recent installation of a solar shade structure at the district’s Operations Center in El Cajon.

Under Weston’s tenure, the district developed long-term financing plans, 2020 Capital Improvement Plan, water conservation initiatives, District Vision Plan, Geographical Information System, expanded electronic and computer systems, and modernized every infrastructure system of the District. 

La Mesa-based Helix Water District serves 262,000 customers in La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, El Cajon, parts of Lakeside and Santee, and some of the unincorporated areas of San Diego County.