Jorgel Chavez, a Bell Gardens city council member, is running for the Southern California Water Replenishment Board, Division 4, in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The nonpartisan race also includes Samuel A. Peña and Sergio Joseph Calderon.

Asked why he is running, Chavez said in our candidate questionnaire: "I am running because I believe our communities deserve clean, reliable and affordable water, and new leadership that is focused on the future. I was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles, so these are the communities I know and care about. I want to protect our groundwater, address PFAS and other contaminants, capture more stormwater, invest in our infrastructure and reduce our dependence on imported water."

Candidate information

Party affiliation: "Democrat," Chavez said in our questionnaire. The race is nonpartisan.

Education: "I graduated from Bell Gardens High School and attended Long Beach City College, where I earned associate degrees in Political Science and Communication Studies. I transferred to USC, where I earned my bachelor's degree in Political Science with a minor in Communications, Policy and Law, and later earned my Master of Public Administration. I graduated Cum Laude and was the first in my family to graduate from a four-year university."

Family: "I come from a working-class family and was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles. My family taught me the importance of working hard, helping others and never forgetting where I came from."

Experience and public service

Chavez said in our questionnaire: "I currently work as an Infrastructure Consultant and serve as a Bell Gardens City Councilmember. Before that, I worked as a union organizer with SEIU, where I organized alongside workers and working families throughout Southern California."

He was first elected to the Bell Gardens City Council in 2020 and reelected in 2024, Chavez said in the questionnaire. He previously served as mayor of Bell Gardens, according to The SELA Sun.

Asked about past accomplishments, Chavez said: "As a Councilmember and former Mayor, I have had to make real decisions involving budgets, infrastructure and essential public services. I am especially proud of helping deliver a new $31 million Aquatics Center for our community and investing in parks and infrastructure."

On the issues

Water challenges: Asked about the three most important water challenges facing the district's service area, Chavez said: "First, we need to protect our groundwater from PFAS and other contaminants and make sure we are investing in treatment and prevention. Second, we need to become less dependent on expensive imported water by expanding water recycling, stormwater capture and groundwater recharge. Third, we need to prepare our infrastructure for the future. That means replacing aging infrastructure, improving emergency reliability and planning for drought and climate change."

Balancing infrastructure costs and affordability: "We have to do both. We cannot continue putting off infrastructure investments because eventually residents end up paying even more when systems fail. At the same time, we cannot balance every investment on the backs of working families," Chavez said. "… Investing in recycling, stormwater capture and groundwater recharge can also help reduce our dependence on more expensive imported water. Long-term planning and affordability have to go hand in hand."

Groundwater replenishment and conservation: Chavez said he wants the Water Replenishment District, which he referred to as WRD, to take a more active role. "I want WRD to be more aggressive about preparing for the future … I want to see greater investment in stormwater capture and groundwater recharge, including opportunities along the LA River and throughout our communities," he said. "… My goal is simple: protect our groundwater, use more local water and reduce our dependence on imported water."

What sets him apart: "I bring a new generation of leadership and a different perspective to this race," Chavez said. "… I understand how government works, but I also understand what it means to organize, show up and listen to people directly."

Candidate responses were collected through the Pasadena Ledger's candidate questionnaire conducted by Surround Sound News. Answers may be edited for length but not for substance.