Raleigh utility director to retire

Dale Crisp, who oversaw the expansion of Raleigh's municipal water and sewer system and helped navigate the region through a record-setting drought two years ago, said Thursday that he will retire as Raleigh's public utilities director at the end of the year.

Posted 11:30 p.m. Dec 10, 2009 — Updated 11:30 p.m. Dec 10, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. — Dale Crisp, who oversaw the expansion of Raleigh's municipal water and sewer system and helped navigate the region through a record-setting drought two years ago, said Thursday that he will retire as Raleigh's public utilities director at the end of the year.

Crisp has worked with the city for 25 years.

He helped craft the mergers of water systems in Garner, Knightdale, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon into Raleigh's system, expanded capacity at Raleigh's water and wastewater treatment plants, began construction on a new water treatment plant and began planning for a new reservoir to serve the region's growing needs.

“Dale has left a legacy as one of the best managed, environmentally sensitive water and sewer utilities in the country,” City Manager Russell Allen said in a statement.

Allen said he will conduct a national search for Crisp's successor.

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