A Little Bit About Me

Hi, I’m Kay. I was elected to the WaterOne Board in 2017. During my time, I have been an advocate for public health and fiscal responsibility while moving WaterOne towards increased use of renewable energy sources. I continue to support staff efforts to protect our source water, towards fleet electrification and for participation in Climate Action KC's regional Climate Action Plan. Our Board has strengthened its commitment to environmental stewardship. As a result, WaterOne applied for and was awarded a 2019 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award by AMWA (Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies) for its years of proactive, energy efficient, educational and source water protection strategies. I am committed to WaterOne as an employer of choice that prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion. I'm proud that my campaigns and Board participation have helped raise community awareness of and engagement in the safe, reliable, affordable and delicious water that our essential WaterOne employees provide us daily.

I have lived in Johnson County most of my life. My husband, Bill Roush, and I raised our two sons, Skylar Roush and Logan Heley, in northern Overland Park drinking WaterOne tap water. My parents, Jim and Marilyn Heley, instilled in me the importance of community service. As a Peace Corps health educator in a rural clinic in West Africa, I saw the illness and death from water-borne diseases. We educated families on boiling water, rehydration solutions and protecting our stream and we did save lives. I returned to graduate from KU School of Nursing (BSN) and have spent over 35 years in public health (Bethany Medical Center, Truman Medical Center and Wyandotte County Health Department). I retired in 2018 as an SMSD school nurse (Antioch Middle and Briarwood Elementary). I have earned a BA from Yale University and an MA in Global/International Studies from KU. I’m involved with the League of Women Voters, Climate Action KC-OP and serve on the Climate Change Committee for the American Water Works Association from which I received the AWWA Public Water Official certificate. I am honored to serve on the WaterOne Board and seek your support for my re-election on or before Nov. 4, 2025.

Please contact me if you have questions or comments about my campaign or our drinking water. The more we know, the better we can protect our water.

"Water is too precious to take for granted. The more we know, the better we can protect our drinking water."

What Is the WaterOne Board?

WaterOne (officially named Water District #1 of JoCo), is an independent, public utility providing safe, plentiful, affordable and delicious drinking water to over 470,000 customers daily. We are fortunate to have two river sources, the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. Our seven-member elected Board oversees a $135 Million budget, regulates rates, approves projects from our 40 year Master Plan to maintain 2900 miles of pipe, two treatment plants and other vital infrastructure, sets policy and rules/regulations and hires the General Manager. WaterOne has a Triple AAA Bond rating and the lowest rate in the area. I am currently Vice Chair and serve on the Finance and Government/Community Relations committees.

When do we meet? Our Board meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7 pm. The Operations Committee meets the Friday before the Board meetings. Meeting details can be found at: https://www.waterone.org/about-us/the-board. Please attend our meetings.

Who can vote for the WaterOne Board? While we file for a specific position, all registered voters who are served by WaterOne can vote for one candidate per position. WaterOne’s entire service area is our District. WaterOne serves most of Johnson County and small parts of Wyandotte and Miami Counties. The WaterOne Board is a nonpartisan Board. Water is nonpartisan. The election is Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

Does WaterOne treat wastewater? No, that is Johnson County Waste Water, run by the County.