LAFCO Study Confirms Cal Water Well Managed

The Butte County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) today received a study on water utility service in the greater Oroville area, including Cal Water’s Oroville service area. The report, titled “Oroville Region Water Service Study” and requested by the Oroville City Council in 2017, compared Cal Water’s costs and operations with those of South Feather Water and Power Agency (South Feather) and Thermalito Water and Sewer District (Thermalito).

The study concluded that Cal Water’s Oroville service area is “well managed and well operated.” Further, the study confirmed that “the actual costs to produce and deliver water into the [South Feather] system are very similar to the actual costs for Cal Water to produce and deliver water into [its] system.”

Additionally, the study highlighted the fact that “Cal Water pays taxes” while South Feather and Thermalito “do not.”

“The taxes Cal Water pays help support essential services for the community, including schools, teachers, and firefighters,” said George Barber, Cal Water’s District Manager for the area.

The study identified several important differences between Cal Water and its counterparts in the area. For example, the report noted that Cal Water’s infrastructure investment levels exceed those of both Thermalito and South Feather.

“Cal Water is committed to providing our customers with reliable, high-quality water service,” said Barber. “LAFCO’s independent study confirms that Cal Water is making prudent investments into our water system to help ensure our customers continue to receive safe, dependable drinking water for decades to come.”