By Kevin McCusker, Director of Government & Community Affairs
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.
