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With growing regulatory demands, aging infrastructure, and staff turnover, permitting has become one of the most complex (and risky) responsibilities in water management. For Lisa Haney (Orange County Water District) and Greg Buncab (Contra Costa Water District), the solution wasn’t more spreadsheets, it was clarity, structure, and a single source of truth.
“Before Klir, I was surrounded by Post-it notes, Word docs, Excel tabs—and I was the only one who knew where anything was.”
– Greg Buncab, Environmental Compliance Officer, CCWD
From Manual Chaos to Structured Collaboration
Like many utilities, both OCWD and CCWD were dealing with permitting programs spread across systems - and people’s memories. Lisa had 600+ easement permits tracked in one massive Excel sheet. Greg inherited an entire compliance program with no documentation from his predecessor. Information lived in inboxes, desktops, and (more often than not) sticky notes.
Klir offered a new path:
- A centralized hub for permits, programs, and tasks
- Cross-department collaboration with clear visibility
- Automatic reminders, audit trails, and historic context
- A foundation for future AI adoption
“I probably had 20 people a day asking me where something was. That was my whole day. Now they just find it themselves.”
– Lisa Haney, Executive Director of Planning & Natural Resources, OCWD
Beyond Permitting – A Place for Organizational Memory
Both agencies quickly saw that what started with permitting could extend further. Greg expanded Klir to track pressure vessels, land use agreements, and safety checklists. Lisa’s team added hydrology, easements, and even institutional knowledge - so future staff wouldn’t have to rebuild from scratch after retirements.
“We’re using Klir to train new employees. What used to take a year now takes a few weeks.”
– Lisa Haney
Results: Transparency, Teamwork, and Peace of Mind
With Klir in place, deadlines are met, documents are easy to find, and cross-team coordination is far simpler. Lisa can reallocate tasks for better workload balance. Greg can sleep without wondering what he forgot.
“Now when someone asks why we do something, I don’t have to explain - I can show them the regulator’s email.”
– Greg Buncab
Looking Ahead
Both agencies are now exploring how Klir can support digital transformation, from AI-driven insights to reporting automation.
“We want centralized data so we can move into AI. You can’t build intelligence without structure - and Klir gives us that foundation.”
– Lisa Haney
Final Takeaway
If you’re still managing permits in spreadsheets or worried about losing institutional knowledge, now’s the time to rethink your approach.
“Anything with a due date, a risk, or a program behind it - put it in Klir. It’s been a game-changer.”
– Greg Buncab
Want to hear the full conversation? Watch the recording to see how OCWD and CCWD are building smarter, more resilient operations with Klir.
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