Posted: December 8, 2025
As 2025 comes to a close, Cal Water reflects on its progress on environmental and sustainable initiatives. Shannon Dean, Senior Vice President, Customer Service & Chief Sustainability Officer, shares her insights on the year below:
Q: What advancements did Cal Water make across its water conservation efforts?
A: In 2025, we made significant strides in our conservation efforts, driven by both our conservation programs and partnership with our communities. This year, we launched our Plant Local initiative to promote our Lawn-to-Garden rebate program and the use of California-native plants, which not only promote water conservation, but also contribute to soil health, support local pollinators, and store carbon dioxide to help mitigate climate change. We hosted in-person Adopt-a-Plant events, where customers received free low-water-use plants and learned about water-wise best practices. We estimate that the holistic implementation of our indoor and outdoor conservation rebates and programs in 2024 will save more than 470 million gallons over their lifetime.
Q: How did Cal Water further integrate climate change mitigation into planning and operations this year, particularly concerning energy use and efficiency?
A: At Cal Water, we continue to find ways to mitigate our contribution to climate change in our day-to-day operations through a strategic planning framework. We remain steadfast in focusing on how we can increase our renewable energy; in fact, Cal Water recently committed to two on-site solar projects at our facilities. We will have a solar installation at our San Jose headquarters spanning nearly 11,400 square feet to directly power our administrative operations. Additionally, we announced a 20-year partnership with EDP Renewables to support our Bakersfield Northeast Treatment Plant with 3,800 megawatt-hours annually, significantly reducing its reliance on traditional grid power. These initiatives represent our dedication to reducing our carbon footprint.
Q: Over the past year, how has Cal Water worked to prepare for emergencies such as wildfires?
A: As a California utility, we recognize that being as prepared as possible for natural disasters and emergencies is a fundamental responsibility. Our Wildfire Taskforce continues to lead the charge in shaping our fire hardening strategy by overseeing training, directing vegetation management efforts, and coordinating the placement of critical equipment. We regularly inspect and upgrade infrastructure and collaborate closely with local governments and community leaders, fire departments, and other first responders to best support our communities. While our long-term commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions aims to address the root causes of climate change, our immediate focus for wildfire preparedness is protecting our infrastructure, coordinating the delivery of water for firefighting, and safeguarding our communities.
Q: How did Cal Water’s infrastructure improvement projects in 2025 contribute to long-term water supply reliability and resilience?
A: At Cal Water, the long-term reliability and resilience of our water infrastructure are paramount. We understand that consistent, strategic investment is essential to the delivery of safe, clean, and reliable water for our customers’ everyday needs and fire protection—for generations to come. To uphold our commitment, we are continuously investing in infrastructure across our service areas with projects such as replacing aging water mains to prevent leaks and installing larger water tanks to support peak demand or emergencies. Ultimately, these proactive investments are how we work to secure a sustainable and resilient water future for our communities.
