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Dr. Ting Lu, the city’s first-ever director of public utilities, is on paid administrative leave.
That’s according to an email sent to city leaders this week by Millicent Williams, interim deputy city administrator of public works and the director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation.
A city spokesperson confirmed that Lu is on paid administrative leave—meaning she was placed on leave—but declined to provide any additional details.
Lu took the position as the city’s first-ever director of public utilities in January 2026 as part of the city’s transition to what it’s called the ”One Water initiative," which combined the Portland Water Bureau and the Bureau of Environmental Services under the same director. She previously served as the deputy director of the environmental services bureau and briefly as its interim director.
At the time, Mayor Keith Wilson called her appointment a “watershed moment for Portland”.
“Her leadership and vision will unify our utilities and advance the City’s One Water initiative,” Wilson said. “With her at the helm, we are moving forward as a high‑performing organization—delivering reliable, affordable, and resilient services for all Portlanders.”
Lu’s leave comes just two months after Priya Dhanapal, who had served as the deputy city administrator of public works since 2024, left the city under unclear circumstances. City councilors, who appeared to have enjoyed working with Dhanapal, bemoaned her departure at the time.
City Administrator Raymond Lee, who oversees all of four of the DCAs, appointed Williams to replace Dhanapal in an interim role until a new DCA was hired. Dhanapal received $221,000 in severance.
