Robert Hillebrecht, PE
Principal Engineer, Sunnyslope Water District
While attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Robert Hillebrecht had the idea to complete his degree and pursue a career in agricultural engineering. He saw the field as a good match for him, particularly because he grew up working on his family’s avocado farm in Escondido, California, and gained quite a bit of experience working with irrigation and piping systems.
It wasn’t until he was exploring options after graduation that his civil engineering degree took him in a slightly different direction.
“One of my first interviews was with the San Benito Water District for an entry-level engineering position. This position would have had me working with the local agriculture district,” Hillebrecht explained.
He explained that San Benito Water hired someone else, but he soon received a call from a member of the interview panel who asked him to apply for another engineering job.
“This position was for the Sunnyslope Water District serving residential customers. A little different from what I’d envisioned for myself, but I decided to give it a try,” he said. “That was over 10 years ago, and I’m still here.”
Hillebrecht worked his way up from assistant engineer to principal engineer in the past 10 years. Over that time, he has seen Hollister, a suburb of San Jose, grow as people moved to commute to Silicon Valley.
Sunnyslope Water District supplies water to residences on Hollister’s eastern side and nearby unincorporated areas in San Benito County, serving roughly 25,000 people. It also offers sanitary sewer services to the Ridgemark, Quail Hollow, and Oak Creek neighborhoods, with approximately 1,300 connections. The district manages a small wastewater treatment plant and two water treatment facilities.
As part of Hillebrecht’s current projects, the District is working on a collaboration with San Benito County, CA Department of Water Resources, Tres Pinos Water District, Venture Estates Mutual Water Company, and San Benito County Water District. The aim is to fully consolidate the struggling potable water systems of Stonegate, Tres Pinos, and Venture Estates into Sunnyslope Water, making all residents of these areas customers of Sunnyslope. Once completed, Sunnyslope will assume full responsibility for potable water service, improving its water safety and reliability.
The plan includes installing over six miles of new pipelines and a new water storage tank, and either abandoning or demolishing wells and facilities that currently serve these areas. Additionally, the region will be incorporated into Sunnyslope’s district boundary.
Hillebrecht also manages the District’s Capital Improvement projects to strengthen and preserve its infrastructure. He focuses on identifying and implementing long-term cost-saving solutions that minimize negative impacts while improving efficiency. Occasionally, Hillebrecht also participates in high school presentations, where he introduces students to the water and wastewater industry and promotes water conservation awareness.
“Rob is making a significant and positive impact on our team and the District as a whole, and his success is a direct result of his professional excellence and unwavering commitment to mentorship,” said Alvin Do, assistant engineer for Sunnyslope Water District. “His success is built on his remarkable patience and mentorship. As a recent graduate, I’ve benefited immensely from his guidance. This patient and kind guidance isn’t limited to our team. He is a go-to resource for employees across different departments, freely sharing his knowledge to help others succeed.”
Hillebrecht takes pride in the District’s efforts to serve the community. Instead of returning south after gaining experience or switching districts, he has stayed at Sunnyslope. He anticipates progressing to a more supervisory role there in eight to ten years.
Hillebrecht mentioned that when the current general manager retires, he could envision himself progressing to assistant general manager and eventually to general manager. He is contemplating pursuing a master’s degree in Public Administration to prepare himself for such career advancement.
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