Advocacy Priorities
Focused on Safe, Clean, and Affordable Water— Every Day.
Every day, more than two million California Water Service (Cal Water) customers turn on their faucets and know they can rely on us to deliver safe, clean, and affordable water. As a water provider and community partner, our purpose is to enhance the quality of life for our customers and the communities we serve, and we are committed to doing that year after year — it’s the Cal Water Difference.
To that end, every year, Cal Water actively reviews bills introduced at the California Legislature and items our regulatory agencies introduce and supports those that align with our core values and principles, and opposes those that run counter to our mission.
For 2024, Cal Water has taken a position on the following legislative and regulatory issues according to our policy priorities:
Affordability
Water is a basic human need and Cal Water is committed to ensuring our customers have access to an affordable water supply that is safe, clean, and reliable. That’s why we support:
LIHWAP Establishment Act
(Federal)
AB 2735 – Joint Powers Authority
(JPA)
SB 1255 – Water Rate Assistance
Water Quality
Protecting our customers’ health and safety is our highest priority. Each year, we invest hundreds of millions of dollars into our water systems to ensure we continue to deliver a reliable supply of high-quality drinking water. That’s why we support:
AB 805
Water Systems Consolidation
Accountability
for PFAS
(Federal)
Infrastructure
Cal Water has invested more in infrastructure maintenance and upgrades in the last decade than any other regulated water provider in California. Building and maintaining our infrastructure is critical to delivering safe, reliable water service to our customers. That’s why we support:
PFAS Treatment
Facility Project
(Federal)
For 2023, Cal Water has taken a position on the following legislative and regulatory issues according to our policy priorities:
Water Quality
Protecting our customers’ health and safety is our highest priority. Each year, we invest hundreds of millions of dollars into our water systems to ensure we continue to deliver a reliable supply of high-quality drinking water. That’s why we support:
AB 805
Water Systems Consolidation
AB 805
Water Systems Consolidation
Affordability
SB 3
Access To Water Service
SB 3
Access To Water Service
Permanent LIHWAP Program
Conservation & Sustainability
As climate change brings more frequent and harsher droughts, water conservation will continue to be a critically important tool for water suppliers and customers alike. Water conservation not only helps us adapt to climate change, but it also helps mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the energy used by the water sector. That’s why we support:
AB 1572
Turf Irrigation Standards
AB 1572
Turf Irrigation Standards
Infrastructure
Cal Water has invested more in infrastructure maintenance and upgrades in the last decade than any other regulated water provider in California. Building and maintaining our infrastructure is critical to delivering safe, reliable water service to our customers. That’s why we support:
AB 838
Water Reliability & Safety
AB 838
Water Reliability & Safety
Combatting Chemicals
Cal Water has tested every one of our water supplies for PFAS and has strongly supported state legislation that would prohibit the sale and use of certain PFAS-containing products; require the certification of accurate testing methods; and establish a publicly accessible database that includes PFAS sources entering water supplies. That’s why we support:
AB 246
Prioritizing Female Health
AB 347
Enforcing PFAS Compliance
AB 727
Safe Cleaning Products
AB 1290
Removing PFAS from Packaging
AB 1423
Artificial Turf Standards
AB 496
Safer Cosmetic Products
In 2022, Cal Water took a position on the following bills according to our policy priorities:
Conservation & Sustainability
As climate change brings more frequent and harsher droughts, water conservation will continue to be a critically important tool for water suppliers and customers alike. Water conservation not only helps us adapt to climate change, but it also helps mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the energy used by the water sector. That’s why we supported:
SB 1469
Decoupling Water Rates
AB 2142
Turf Replacement
SB 1197
Drought Resiliency Act
Water Quality
Protecting our customers’ health and safety is our highest priority. Each year, we invest hundreds of millions of dollars into our water systems to ensure we continue to deliver a reliable supply of high-quality drinking water. That’s why we supported:
AB 2247
Tracking PFAS Sources
AB 1817
No PFAS in Textiles
Community Safety & Partnerships
We are invested in the communities we serve and actively pursue opportunities within the communities we serve to improve the quality of life for our customers and their neighbors. That’s why we supported:
AB 2243
Heat Standard
AB 2538
Wildfire Smoke Notification
Affordability
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. That’s why we supported: