For the past 100 years, Cal Water's commitment to providing safe, clean, and reliable water to our customers has not waivered. This commitment doesn't happen by chance; it's the result of our dedicated professionals and proactive approach of investing in our infrastructure, water quality processes, emergency preparedness efforts, and more.

Infrastructure improvement planning

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently finalized our 2024 Infrastructure Improvement Plan, which includes $1.45 billion in planned investments across our service areas as well as rate adjustments to help fund these important upgrades. Our rates are set by the CPUC after thorough analysis of our operations, service, and books-and with input from the public, so that rates reflect the current cost of operating and upgrading our water system.

This process involves a review of critical infrastructure needs across all Cal Water communities. These investments allow us to fund projects so we can continue delivering safe, clean, reliable water to more than two million Californians each day. They include installing new pipes, treatment facilities, pumps, fire hydrants, and more.

Water quality and emergency preparedness are at the core of our infrastructure upgrades

Each year, our experts conduct more than 600,000 water quality tests, screening for over 300 contaminants. From the source to the tap, we constantly monitor that our infrastructure improvements directly translate into the high-water quality our customers expect every day.

Even the best-maintained systems must be ready for the unforeseen. That's why Cal Water has built an emergency preparedness strategy designed to keep our systems running and our communities protected. When conditions are at their most challenging, whether due to natural disasters or other unexpected events, proactive upgrades help us deliver safe, clean drinking water, and improve emergency readiness.

Much of this work begins long before an emergency strikes. We regularly inspect and upgrade our fire hydrants, replace aging and high-risk water mains, and reconfigure pipelines in certain areas to maximize flow. Additionally, we install generators at key facilities to help keep our infrastructure operating properly if power is lost or shut off.

We've also made significant investments in increasing water storage capacity, upgrading pump stations, and expanding remote monitoring capabilities. These improvements give our operations teams real-time visibility into system performance.

In conjunction with our emergency preparedness strategy, we also work closely with local fire departments and cities. In 2025, we granted over $186,000 to help nine fire departments pay for life-saving equipment, bringing the total amount provided to fire departments to $1,204,000 since our Firefighter Grant Program started in 2019.

Supporting customers in managing their bills

We understand that financial hardship can make even an essential utility bill difficult to manage. At Cal Water, we offer a range of financial assistance programs designed to meet customers where they are.

Our Customer Assistance Program provides a monthly discount to eligible low-income households on their water bill, helping to ease the burden for families who need it most.

For customers carrying a past-due balance, our PromisePay payment arrangement program offers an interest-free path forward. Rather than facing the stress of an overdue bill alone, customers can work with us to establish a manageable, flexible payment plan on their terms.

We also offer conservation programs and rebates to help customers save water at home that can lead to savings. Our Conservation Kits provide customers with free water-saving fixtures such as high-efficiency showerheads and faucet aerators. Additional rebates are available for upgrading to high-efficiency toilets, clothes washers, smart irrigation controllers, and other devices.

For outdoor savings, our free Smart Landscape Tune-Up program offers a professional evaluation of residential irrigation systems and provides for the installation of efficient devices. Customers can also take advantage of our Lawn-to-Garden program and earn a per-square-foot rebate for replacing grass with water-wise, California-native plants.

At Cal Water, we're committed to our purpose of enhancing the quality of life for our customers and communities that has guided us for the past century. For more information on our Infrastructure Improvement Plan, community-specific investments, and financial assistance programs, visit the Infrastructure Improvement Plan page.

The post Investing in Infrastructure, Quality, and Our Customers appeared first on Cal Water.

"We proactively upgrade our water systems and perform ongoing maintenance to keep our systems reliable, because the community depends on the water we provide for their everyday and emergency needs. That's something we take seriously," said Dawn Smithson, Cal Water's Los Altos Suburban District Manager. "This approach has allowed us the privilege of serving customers for 100 years, and it will enable us to continue providing quality, service, and value for the next 100 years."

Crews will be working on Barbara Avenue, from Miramonte Avenue to Brookdale Avenue, and Isabelle Avenue, from Marilyn Drive to Barbara Avenue, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with temporary lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Crews will work to minimize traffic disruption. The infrastructure upgrade is expected to be completed in October.

Temporary asphalt will be applied until permanent paving is completed, which can be up to 30 days after project completion.

The project is part of Cal Water's Main Replacement Program, which focuses on proactively replacing aging infrastructure, while maximizing the existing infrastructure's life to help prevent small, manageable issues from getting bigger and more expensive to fix.

The post Mountain View Infrastructure Upgrade Begins appeared first on Cal Water.

Work on the first project is occurring in northern Menlo Park, where crews are installing 3,695 feet of new six-, eight-, and 12-inch main. Construction is expected to be completed in July. The second project is happening in central Menlo Park, where crews are installing 5,605 feet of new six-, eight-, and 12-inch water main. This project is expected to be completed by January 2027.

"These upgrades are all about improving water service reliability for our customers' daily needs and supporting our local first responders as they work to protect our community," said Dawn Smithson, Cal Water's Bear Gulch District Manager. "Our proactive infrastructure improvement projects are undertaken to provide quality, service, and value to the communities we serve."

In northern Menlo Park, work is being done Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Bay Road, from Peggy Lane to Greenwood Drive, just west of Flood Park. In central Menlo Park, work is occurring from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the following three phases with the exception of University Drive, which will require road closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and customers will be notified.

Phase one: Along University Drive and El Camino Real, from Harvard Avenue to Partridge Avenue.

Phase two: Along University Drive, from Partridge Avenue to Creek Drive.

Phase three: Along University Drive, from Middle Avenue to Patridge Avenue.

Crews will work to minimize any disruption to traffic. Temporary asphalt will be applied until permanent paving is completed, which can be up to 30 days after project completion.

The projects are part of Cal Water's Main Replacement Program, which focuses on proactively replacing aging infrastructure, while maximizing the existing infrastructure's life to help prevent small, manageable issues from getting bigger and more expensive to fix.

The post Two Water Infrastructure Upgrades in Menlo Park appeared first on Cal Water.

The G480 framework outlines the key components of an effective water conservation and water-use efficiency program. It covers utility efforts to improve water use in terms of both supply-through planning and distribution system management, and demand-through strategies such as billing and customer education. Programs that meet this standard are able to benefit all water users and serve as a benchmark for developing and evaluating utility conservation efforts. Platinum certification verifies that a utility's water conservation program meets 100 percent of the compliance requirements outlined in the voluntary standard. Cal Water is the first utility to earn the platinum certification under the newly updated standard, labeled G480-25.

"As a 100-year-old company, our long-term success has been grounded in our commitment to responsible long-term planning, high-quality service, care for our communities, and stewardship of our limited natural resources," said Marty Kropelnicki, Cal Water Chairman and CEO. "From our urban water supply planning and stringent water loss control measures to our customer conservation incentive programs, our data-driven sustainability efforts will help keep our communities thriving into our next century."

“We are pleased to be recognized by AWE with the G480 Platinum Certification as a testament to our robust, industry-leading program,” Kropelnicki said of the designation presented to Cal Water representatives at the CalWEP Peer-to-Peer conference held last week.

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This upgrade was the second phase of a larger main replacement project and wraps up recent water infrastructure upgrades in the area, with a total installation of 4,850 feet of new main. Crews installed 3,100 feet of main during phase one, which occurred around Chestnut Street and Hazel Street.

"It's all about improving water service reliability for our customers' daily needs and supporting our local first responders as they work to protect our community," said Evan Markey, Chico District Manager of the second phase, which began in February. "Our proactive infrastructure improvement projects provide quality, service, and value to the communities we serve."

The project is part of Cal Water's Main Replacement Program. Implemented in 2014, the program's focus is on proactively replacing aging infrastructure, while maximizing the existing infrastructure's life to help prevent small, manageable issues from getting bigger and more expensive to fix.

The post Infrastructure Upgrade Completed in Chico appeared first on Cal Water.

The Sustainability Report aligns with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Water Utilities & Services Industry Standards, Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. Key data and metrics are further detailed in the supplemental Sustainability Data Download.

"While much has changed over our 100 years of service, our dedication to delivering safe, clean, reliable water and being a responsible corporate citizen has remained steadfast," said Martin A. Kropelnicki, Group Chairman & CEO. "By focusing our efforts on key areas, we can fulfill the promise we have made to our customers, communities, employees, and stockholders to provide quality, service, and value-day in and day out. It is this focus that will sustain us into our next century of service."

Highlights in Group's key focus areas in 2025 alone include:

Protecting the planet

• Invested $7.3 million in emissions-reducing energy solutions.
• Delivered an estimated 2.6 billion gallons of recycled water for landscaping, irrigation, and industrial uses.
• Invested $3.4 million in customer conservation rebates and programs in California, which are expected to save more than 100 million gallons of water annually.
• Reduced total Scope 1 and market-based Scope 2 GHG emissions by 26.7% from a 2021 base year.
• Procured 12.8% of energy from renewable sources, including onsite solar and a utility green rate program.

Serving customers

• Achieved 100% compliance with primary and secondary federal and state water quality standards, as confirmed by 630,000+ water quality tests conducted.
• Offered $22 million in discounts to 100,000+ customers through its California subsidiary's low-income Customer Assistance Program.
• Submitted $20.4 million in grant funding applications for water quality or supply projects to reduce rate impacts to customers, with $10.1 million already approved for PFAS treatment in New Mexico.
• Received an overall satisfaction score of 9.1 out of 10, based on customer survey results.
• Donated nearly $1.9 million to local community organizations.

Engaging the workforce

• Earned the Great Place to Work® certification from the Great Place to Work Institute® for the 10th consecutive year.
• Reduced OSHA-recordable injuries by 35% compared to 2024.
• Invested more than $1 million in employee training and continuing education.

Governing with integrity

• Named one of the “World's Most Trustworthy Companies” and one of “America's Most Responsible Companies” by Newsweek.
• Held 50+ discussions on sustainability-related matters during board or committee meetings.
• Helped pass CA SB 693, which helps streamline emergency response efforts.
• Spent 26% of procurement in California with diverse suppliers.

The post Group Releases 2025 Sustainability Report appeared first on Cal Water.

TIME honored the top 500 companies out of nearly 10,000 public and private companies worldwide with revenue of at least $250 million, sufficient data coverage, and positive overall net societal impact. Group joins the likes of Moderna, Gilead, Pfizer, Sunrun, and Tesla in the top 35. Group is one of eight water utilities listed in the Utilities and Environmental Services category, which is one of the ranking's 16 industries.

The ranking, grounded in a rigorous, science-based methodology, uses The Upright Project's Net Impact Model, which quantifies the benefits and costs that a company's products and services create across society, knowledge, health, and environment factors. The model considered impact- and sustainability-related data from more than 300 million scientific articles and major public databases, including World Bank, World Health Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“We are committed to doing the right thing and contributing to the greater good, and we are honored that TIME has included us in its first-ever list of the 500 most impactful companies worldwide,” said Marty Kropelnicki, Group Chairman & CEO.

The full listing is published on Time's website.

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Crews will begin construction in May to install 2,300 feet of new 12-, 8-, and 6-inch water main in central Oroville on:

• Norton Street, between Bridge and Montgomery streets
• Montgomery Street, between Norton Street and Linden Avenue
• Center Street, between Norton Street and Linden Avenue

"Upgrades like this are what help strengthen our water system and have kept us serving our customers' everyday and emergency needs for 100 years," said Loni Lind, Cal Water's Oroville Local Manager. "Our proactive efforts to modernize our infrastructure help us continue to evolve and improve the way in which we serve, so that we can continue delivering safe, clean, and reliable water-both now and for future generations."

Crews are working on the project, which is expected to be completed by September, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Customers will be notified of any temporary traffic impacts or service interruptions that may occur as a result of this work at least 48 hours in advance.

Temporary asphalt will be applied until permanent paving is completed, which can be up to 30 days after project completion.

The main replacement is part of Cal Water's broader commitment to proactive, ongoing maintenance and upgrades that support safe, high-quality drinking water.

The post Infrastructure Upgrade Begins in Oroville appeared first on Cal Water.

On Monday, May 4, crews will begin construction to install 3,100 feet of new, 8-inch water main on:

• Caballeros Road (from the intersection of Crest Road to the end of cul-de-sac)
• Maverick Lane (from the intersection of Caballeros Road to the end of the cul-de-sac).

"Upgrades like these are what help strengthen our water system and have kept us serving our customers' everyday and emergency needs for 100 years," said Ralph Felix, Cal Water's Rancho Dominguez District Manager. The district serves Carson, Compton, Dominguez, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Rancho Dominguez, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Torrance, and West Basin. "Our proactive efforts to modernize our infrastructure help us continue to evolve and improve the way in which we serve, so that we can continue delivering safe, clean, and reliable water-both now and for future generations."

Crews are working on the project, which is expected to be completed in August, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Customers will be notified of any temporary traffic impacts or service interruptions that may occur as a result of this work at least 48 hours in advance.

Temporary asphalt will be applied until permanent paving is completed, which can be up to 30 days after project completion.

The main replacement is part of Cal Water's broader commitment to proactive, ongoing maintenance and upgrades that support safe, high-quality drinking water.

The post Infrastructure Upgrade Begins in Rolling Hills appeared first on Cal Water.

"These important water system upgrades will help us continue to provide a reliable supply of high-quality water both for this community's everyday needs and for fire protection in emergencies," said Jim Crawford, Cal Water's East Los Angeles District Manager. "Our infrastructure improvements are all about providing quality, service, and value to the communities we serve."

Crews are currently working to replace 2,500 feet of 6-inch water main on Via San Delarro Street, from Dewar Avenue to Via Campo Street. Work on the project is taking place Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Crews recently completed construction on the installation of 1,476 feet of new 8-inch water main on Sadler Avenue, north of Beverly and Atlantic boulevards.

The main replacements are part of Cal Water's broader commitment to proactive, ongoing maintenance and upgrades that support safe, high-quality drinking water.

The post Upgrade Completed, Another Started in ELA appeared first on Cal Water.