WC144 SeptOct 2025 - Magazine - Page 8
WATER STORY
A Legacy in Every Drop
Lou Di Gironimo didn’t just transform Toronto
Water—he built a culture that will outlast the
infrastructure. BY CORINNE LYNDS
OU DI GIRONIMO didn’t set out to work in water.
A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s
Applied Geography program, he originally imagined
a career in land development, driven by his interest
in urban growth and a passion for building things—
whether in a professional setting or through hobbies like
woodworking and cooking. “Everything’s about making
something, trying something new,” he says.
That creative spirit served him well when his career took a
turn into economic development with the Ontario government. From there, a former colleague recruited him to the
newly created Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) in the
early 1990s—a time when privatization and competition
were reshaping the sector. Though new to water operations,
Lou brought a critical combination of municipal savvy,
entrepreneurial thinking, and negotiation skills. “You know
how to manage contracts and relationships,” he was told. And
with that, he dove in.
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Relationships before regulations
At OCWA, Di Gironimo helped win major operating
contracts, including Peel’s Lake-based systems. But beyond
procurement, he began shaping his leadership philosophy—
one rooted in collaboration, communication, and culture. “We
didn’t change the way we operated plants. We changed the way
people worked together,” he explains. “It was about empowering staff to implement good ideas, to be more confident.”
That philosophy carried through his tenure as general
manager in Hamilton during its post-amalgamation years,
and eventually, into his leadership at Toronto Water. In 2003,
Di Gironimo joined the City of Toronto as one of only two
non-engineers at the director level. Within 18 months, he
became general manager.
People over projects
Di Gironimo is quick to deflect attention from capital
programs or technical achievements. “I’ve worked on some
massive projects,” he admits, “but I don’t focus on that. My
legacy is that Toronto Water is an enduring institution.”
Instead, he’s also proud of the people he’s worked with and
the transformation they’ve driven together. From introducing new work management systems to retraining staff and
helping more than 140 employees obtain their GEDs, his
leadership has always prioritized growth—personal and
professional.
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Leading by example
Di Gironimo’s approach to leadership is simple: remove obstacles, stay connected, and never be the bottleneck. “If I can make
something a priority, you can too,” he says. He’s known for
quickly responding to staff, streamlining approvals, and empowering his team to use judgment in the field—especially when it
means doing the right thing.
In one early example, a young mother was left without water
during an emergency repair. When Di Gironimo learned what
had happened, he told his team: go buy bottled water and
deliver it to her door. “What would you want someone to do for
your wife and child?” he asked. That gesture set a tone across the
organization—customer service isn’t an extra, it’s an expectation.
An institution, not an individual
Even beyond Toronto, Di Gironimo has worked to strengthen
the Canadian water community. He helped form the Canadian
Municipal Water Consortium through the Canadian Water
Network, giving municipalities a space to collaborate on shared
challenges.
He also serves on the Water Research Foundation board, and
mentored countless water professionals, encouraging many to
“bounce” to new roles to grow—and to return when the time
is right. “It tells me we must be doing something right when
people choose to come back.”
The long view
What keeps Di Gironimo in water after all these years? It’s the
people—and the purpose. “I’ve had opportunities to move on,
but I always felt I wasn’t done yet,” he says. “There were still gaps
to close, systems to improve, staff to support.”
For someone whose leadership began in response to a flood,
it’s fitting that his legacy is about endurance—not just of infrastructure, but of values. “We’re building for the next generation,” he says. “I want the engineers and operators 50 years from
now to thank us, not curse us.”
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
