The Cal Water Difference

We serve about 2 million Californians across the state from Chico in the north to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the south. We are the second largest retail water provider in the state, and the largest regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission. Our vast experience providing water to more than 110 diverse communities up and down California makes us unique and differentiates us as the leading water service provider in the state, benefiting every community we serve, and even those we don’t.

We believe everyone should have access to water that is safe, clean, reliable, and affordable. Providing this for our customers requires a proactive commitment to infrastructure investment, water quality, conservation, community safety, and equity. Here’s what sets us apart:

Water
Quality

Our drinking water is among the safest in the nation

Proactive Investment in Infrastructure

We prioritize upgrades & maintenance to keep water safe and reliable

Conservation
& Sustainability

We help customers save water while securing new supplies for the future

Low-Income Assistance

We were among the first to provide bill assistance for low-income customers

Community Safety
& Partnerships

Our partnerships improve community safety & quality of life

Water
Quality

Our drinking water is among the safest in the nation

Proactive Investment in Infrastructure

We prioritize upgrades & maintenance to keep water safe and reliable

Conservation
& Sustainability

We help customers save water while securing new supplies for the future

Low-Income
Assistance

We were among the first to provide bill assistance for low-income customers

Community Safety & Partnerships

Our partnerships improve community safety & quality of life

Industry Leader on Water Quality

As a water provider, maintaining safe, clean drinking water is paramount. We have an extensive water quality assurance program in every community we serve, and we are leading the way identifying and treating for high-risk contaminants well before it is mandated by regulators, making our water among the safest in the nation.

  • Our water quality lab is one of the most extensively certified in the state. Our water quality experts use water testing equipment so sensitive it can detect levels as low as 1 part per trillion. That’s equivalent to detecting one second in 32,000 years.
  • Our rigorous treatment and testing process protects our customers’ water from contaminants. We conduct more than 400,000 tests on 62,000 water samples for approximately 300 contaminants every year to ensure our water meets the highest levels of safety and complies with the most stringent water quality standards in the world.
  • We have been testing and treating for chromium-6 prior to regulations from state and federal authorities. In fact, we became one of the first water utilities in America to use advanced treatment technology for this specific contaminant, which has since become a model for other cities and utilities in their treatment of chromium-6.
  • While state and federal governments are in the process of developing enforceable water quality regulations for PFAS – often called “forever chemicals” – we have already been monitoring, testing, and treating for these high-risk contaminants. Our new treatment facility in Montebello is the first in the area to be constructed specifically to treat PFOS and PFOA in the water. We also have installed PFAS treatment plants in Oroville and Visalia.
  • We consistently work with regulators and policymakers to help them gain a better understanding of how a variety of chemical compounds have impacted water supplies. We also actively take legal action against polluters to make sure they, not our customers, pay for cleanup.
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Industry Leader in Reliability through Responsible Investments in Infrastructure

We know that building and maintaining infrastructure is critical to delivering safe, reliable water to our communities across California. We have invested more in infrastructure maintenance and upgrades in the last decade than any other regulated water provider in California.

  • In the past four years, we invested more than $1 billion in the communities we serve to upgrade pipes and water delivery infrastructure; expand water supplies and capacity by adding wells, booster pumps, and water tanks; and undertake seismic and security upgrades.
  • In 2022, we invested $328 million in critical infrastructure that improves quality and reliability for our customers to include 18 projects to better prepare us for power interruptions and wildfire events, 12 projects to enhance water quality treatment and seven projects to replace or improve pressure tanks.
  • Cal Water has constructed two treatments plants specifically for per-and polyfluorinated substances, commonly known as PFAS.

We will continue to be proactive. We recently proposed a three-year Infrastructure Improvement Plan with $1 billion of projects that will help us keep safe, clean, and affordable water flowing to those we serve.

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Industry Leader in Conservation and Sustainability

We have a responsibility to understand climate-change risks and work to mitigate them to provide a reliable source of water for our customers, even in the face of anticipated climate-driven droughts, floods, and worsening wildfires. We take a holistic approach to water efficiency and conservation and are committed to meeting or surpassing all regulatory requirements.

In May 2022, we completed our Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Framework which prioritizes addressing climate-driven risks, including wildfire, to our facilities, operations and water supply portfolio. This one-of-a-kind research helped establish a framework to develop adaptation strategies to climate change impacts on our operations and to better position Cal Water to meet customers’ ongoing needs amid a challenging environment.

  • In 2022, we published our second annual Environment, Social & Governance (ESG) report and updated our ESG objectives and ESG governance structure, all while developing a comprehensive climate change strategy.
  • Conservation programs implemented since 2011 will result in a lifetime cumulative savings of more than 20 billion gallons.
  • In the last 10 years, we have invested more than $65 million in conservation programs, including programs that:
    • help customers identify and fix most outdoor irrigation leaks for free

    • offer rebates to remove lawns, and replace  spray irrigation with drip irrigation

    • provide free residential conservation kits with high-efficiency devices

Our programs have been so successful that between 2000 and 2020, our customers reduced their water use by 30%.

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Passionate About Affordability and Equity for All Customers

Water is a basic human need, and we continually look for ways to manage costs while maintaining the reliability of our systems so our customers can afford and will have access to clean, safe drinking water. We won’t cut corners on quality, and our commitment to efficient operations means our customers pay about a penny a gallon.

  • We were one of the first water suppliers in California to support the Safe Affordable Drinking Water Act, which created a fund that will help ensure every Californian – including those in disadvantaged communities – has safe drinking water.
  • We offer a company-funded hardship grant program to protect access to water.
  • We do not charge late fees.
  • We manage a Rate Support Fund that subsidizes the monthly bills for all customers in our highest-cost districts which have fewer customers available to share the costs of operation, maintenance, and upgrades.
  • We offer no-interest and penalty-free payment plans for all customers who get behind on their bills.
  • We are pursuing grant funds to offset the cost of needed infrastructure projects, which will help keep water bills lower for all customers.
  • Prior to any state mandate, we voluntarily suspended water shutoffs for any customers who fell behind on their bills during the pandemic.
  • As part of our Smart Landscape Tune-Up Program, we fix most leaky and broken sprinkler systems for customers at no charge. This helps customers conserve water and save money.
  • Finally, we were one of the first water suppliers in California to establish a customer assistance program that helps qualified low-income customers pay their bills. We also support creation of a statewide low-income assistance program.
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Working to Improve the Safety and Quality of Life in our Communities

Working to Make Communities Safe

We are pursuing projects in high-risk fire areas to help ensure a sufficient, reliable water supply for firefighting and for our customers in the event of wildfire-related power shutoffs or outages.

  • We have invested in back-up generators in the communities we serve so we can keep the water flowing even if there is a power outage or a public safety power shutoff.
  • We are installing dozens of additional water mains, hydrants, valves, and pump connections to ensure uninterrupted water service, even during wildfire-related outages.
  • Through our Firefighter Grant Program, in 2022 we provided more than $185,000 in grants to seven fire departments across California. The grants are used by fire departments to purchase water hoses, life-saving gear, and other equipment to keep firefighters and communities safe during emergencies.
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Committed Community Partner

We are as passionate about investing in our communities as we are about providing safe, reliable and affordable water service for our customers. As a water provider and community partner, our purpose is to improve the quality of life for our customers and communities.

  • In 2022, Cal Water:

    • Donated $1.5M+ to community organizations and customers in our service districts and beyond

    • Granted $185k to 7 fire departments to help pay for life-saving equipment

    • Awarded $80k in scholarships to 12 students
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If you have a question about your Cal Water account or you’re experiencing an urgent matter with your water service, please visit www.calwater.com.

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