California Water Service to Meet New Water Quality Standard for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane in All Impacted Districts

Treatment Facilities Online in Accordance With January 2018 Compliance Deadline

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- California Water Service (Cal Water), the largest subsidiary of California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT), announced today that construction of treatment facilities was completed so that water provided in all of its service areas impacted by 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) will meet the new state standard of 5 parts per trillion, in accordance with the compliance deadline set for January 2018.

Since the new maximum contaminant level (MCL) for TCP was set by the State Water Resources Control Board in July 2017, Cal Water has been constructing granular-activated carbon treatment facilities at impacted well sites in its Bakersfield, Visalia, and Selma Districts, which are located in the state’s Central Valley. Cal Water is installing facilities in phases, with treatment at the most critical water sources being completed first. Future phases will be completed by the summer of 2018 to enable the utility to bring additional sources of water online.

“Our highest priority has always been to protect the health and safety of our customers,” said President & Chief Executive Officer Martin A. Kropelnicki. “Thanks to the preparation and hard work of our employees, support from our customers, and cooperation of our local cities, we continue to deliver a reliable supply of high-quality water that meets increasingly stringent federal and state standards. This is the cornerstone of our promise to provide our customers and communities with quality, service, and value.”

TCP is a manmade organic chemical used mostly as a soil fumigant until the 1980s; it seeped into groundwater supplies in Cal Water’s Bakersfield, Visalia, Selma, South San Francisco, Stockton, and Chico service areas. The utility has already been meeting the new standard in South San Francisco, Stockton, and Chico, which had fewer detections of TCP than its Central Valley districts.

California Water Service serves about 2 million people through 482,400 service connections in California. The utility has provided water service in the state since 1926. Additional information may be obtained online at www.calwater.com. 

Released January 25, 2018