ECUA Unveils Commemorative Plaque Dedicated to Dale Perkins

The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is pleased to announce the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on Pensacola Beach honoring longtime board member Dale Perkins, who is set to retire in November 2026 after 32 years as ECUA's District 4 representative.

Perkins was first elected to the ECUA board in November 1994. Since then, he has helped guide ECUA through recovery efforts following Hurricane Ivan in 2004, supported the closure of the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant and construction of the Central Water Reclamation Facility, and served on the board that approved the donation of the iconic Pensacola Beach Ball water tower to the Santa Rosa Island Authority in 2008 rather than its removal.

Throughout his service, Perkins demonstrated a strong commitment to ECUA's customers by balancing environmental stewardship, customer advocacy and transparent governance.

The plaque is located in front of the ECUA water tanks near the Gulf Breeze entrance to Pensacola Beach. It bears the following inscription:

"In honor of Captain Dale Perkins: fisherman, environmentalist, fierce protector of the people's purse, and longest-serving member of the ECUA Board from 1994 to 2026."