Influential Women Features Sabrina Sims: Leading Innovation and Excellence in Municipal Water Management
Sabrina Sims is a seasoned water systems professional with over 20 years of experience managing and optimizing municipal and industrial water operations. As the Water System Manager for the City of McCall, Idaho, she oversees daily operations, regulatory compliance, project management, and construction oversight. Known for her hands-on leadership style, Sabrina is dedicated to mentoring her team and fostering innovation, resilience, and excellence in municipal water management.
Sabrina completed specialized training in Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management at Casper College, Chemistry & Microbiology from Williston State University, and Political Science/International Relations from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her journey in the water industry began with her father, who was a Water Operator turned Public Works Director in her hometown. He knew she had a passion for problem-solving and environmental responsibility, guiding her toward water treatment and engineering. Also prompting him to recommend her for a neighboring town’s water operator position. To escape an abusive situation, she left Wyoming for North Dakota and created a family. Seeking both professional growth and a higher quality of life for her family, she then relocated from North Dakota to Idaho to assume a role aligned with her goals.
Before her current role, Sabrina held key leadership positions, including Director of Operations at Western Area Water Supply, where she coordinated operations across more than 2,000 miles of pipeline and multiple water storage and pumping facilities. She also served as Laboratory Operations Manager for the City of Williston, North Dakota, managing certified laboratories and leading operations teams. Additionally, she founded and operated Wet Works, a company providing certified water operations and design-build services to rural communities. Her career highlights include emergency response projects, such as developing temporary wastewater treatment systems during Hurricane Harvey—an achievement requiring long hours, innovative problem-solving, and strict adherence to water quality standards.
Sabrina attributes her success to persistence, creativity, and a passion for finding solutions under pressure. She approaches complex challenges with analytical thinking and hands-on expertise, consistently delivering results while mentoring her team to embrace innovation and accountability. Reflecting on her career, she recalls the best advice she ever received: “Trust your instincts, keep learning, and never underestimate your impact.” Mentorship encouraged her to stay bold and hands-on, even when facing skepticism in a male-dominated industry—a philosophy she now shares with the women she mentors, empowering them to seize opportunities in water systems management and beyond.
For young women entering the water industry, Sabrina advises pursuing water systems engineering with confidence and recognizing analytical and detail-oriented skills as major strengths. She emphasizes that persistence, curiosity, and courage are essential to breaking barriers and advancing in this vital field, while the unique perspectives and leadership qualities women bring are critical to shaping the future of water management.
Sabrina identifies some of the biggest challenges in the water industry today as workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and increasing regulatory complexity. She views these challenges as opportunities for innovation, particularly through adopting smarter technologies, cross-training staff, and attracting new talent. By leveraging a city’s unique attributes, Sabrina helps recruit employees from outside the traditional water workforce, building more adaptable and resilient teams prepared for the future.
The values guiding Sabrina in both her professional and personal life are dedication, integrity, and making a positive impact on her community. She prioritizes teamwork, continuous learning, and mentoring others, especially women in a traditionally male-dominated field. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, snowboarding, and caring for her family and animals on her small farm, maintaining a balance between personal fulfillment and professional excellence.
Through her decades of experience, innovative approach, and commitment to mentorship, Sabrina Sims continues to lead, inspire, and advance municipal water management while shaping the next generation of water industry professionals.
Learn More about Sabrina Sims:
Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/sabrina-sims
Influential Women
Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.
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