Mejoras de la infraestructura en curso en Visalia

Cal Water está trabajando en importantes mejoras de infraestructura, y se planean más para los próximos meses y años, en el sistema que brinda agua potable segura, limpia y confiable a aproximadamente 145,000 personas en Visalia. Hoy, la empresa de servicios públicos recibió a los medios de comunicación en algunos de los sitios de sus proyectos para brindar una visión más detallada.

Currently, construction of a fifth water storage tank and booster station, along with installation of 3,350 feet of new 12-inch and 16-inch water main to support the project, are underway just east of downtown Visalia. In coming weeks, Visalia customers will experience the benefits of the 975,000-gallon water tank and booster station, which is a major expansion of the system's capacity to provide water amid the peak demands of summer.

"Infrastructure improvements like these ensure that Cal Water maintains a reliable water supply for both everyday and emergency needs," said Stephen Johnson, Cal Water Visalia District Manager. "We continually modernize and upgrade our water system so that we can provide safe, clean, and reliable tap water to our customers and community-any time they need it."

The storage tank and booster station are expected to be fully operational in September, which is also when Cal Water is set to begin construction to install granular-activated carbon treatment on two wells to address the state's new water quality standard for two manmade compounds, PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid).

In October, Cal Water will begin work on another main replacement project in downtown Visalia, which will include the installation of about 2,600 feet of new 8-inch and 4-inch main on Acequia Avenue, from Clarke to Bridge streets, and on Santa Fe Street, from Willow to Main streets.

The projects are part of Cal Water's efforts to continually modernize and upgrade its water system for customers. Cal Water's investment in infrastructure is spelled out in its Infrastructure Improvement Plan (IIP), which it is required to file every three years with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Cal Water filed its most recent IIP on July 8, beginning an approximately 18-month review process by the CPUC, an independent state agency. The CPUC will analyze the plans to establish water rates for 2026-2028 that reflect the actual cost of providing safe, reliable water service. Associated rates set by the CPUC would become effective no sooner than January 2026.

In Visalia, Cal Water proposes to make future upgrades that will strengthen reliability, safety, and supply through projects such as:

• Replacing 48,965 feet of water main to prevent failure of aging and high-risk pipelines.
• Installing new treatment sites and enhancing existing facilities to expand capacity to deliver safe, clean water.
• Rehabilitating existing wells to improve water supply and reliability.
• Identifying locations for new wells and groundwater recharge locations.

For these important upgrades and costs to maintain and operate this system, under this proposal, the typical customer using 8,228 gallons of water per month would have an increase of 25 cents per day beginning in 2026, followed by 10 cents per day in 2027, and 12 cents per day in 2028.

"Rate adjustments help fund critical water infrastructure projects such as new pipes, treatment facilities, pumps, and fire hydrants, along with improving water supply and storage," Johnson said. "Even with our strong record of system upgrades, our delivery of safe, clean tap water, and our commitment to exceptional customer service, our customers pay about a penny per gallon."