California Water Service Group Contributes $700,000 to Local Charitable Organizations in 2013, Looks to Continue Support in 2014

SAN JOSE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 01/08/14 -- As part of its continuing effort to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves, California Water Service Group (NYSE: CWT) ended 2013 with donations of $698,330 made throughout the year to charitable organizations in its California, Washington, Hawaii, and New Mexico service areas.

According to Martin A. Kropelnicki, President and CEO, these contributions were donated by the company and were not paid for by ratepayers. California Water Service Company (Cal Water), the Group's largest subsidiary, made contributions that include $10,000 donated to the Elite Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Network, which seeks to assist service-disabled veterans by successfully helping them establish and grow their own businesses. Among other contributions made by Cal Water were 8,500 gift checks presented to local organizations through Operation Gobble to help provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need. For the 25th year, Cal Water worked with local legislators through Operation Gobble to help identify more than 100 charities that could help with the distribution. These gift checks helped provide some 42,500 holiday meals to residents across the state.

Also included were $6,000 donations each to the Maui Food Bank and the Food Basket by Hawaii Water Service Company; an $8,000 contribution by Washington Water Service Company to the Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation, which sponsors an event called Race for a Soldier, to support organizations that help soldiers recover from war and readjust to life back home; and $5,000 by New Mexico Water Service Company, which was shared among local organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club and Food Pantry.

"It is important to us to be a good neighbor and support organizations that make our communities a better place to live. This means investing in worthwhile organizations such as food banks, economic assistance organizations, and services for at-risk youth, among many others," Kropelnicki said.

According to Kropelnicki, making contributions outside of the company's service area is also the right thing to do. For example, Cal Water participated with its employees in relief efforts for Typhoon Haiyan through a $10,000 contribution to the American Red Cross to assist victims in the Philippines.

As Cal Water enters 2014, the company plans on continuing its outreach efforts and also developing additional programs to benefit customers in the areas we serve.

California Water Service Group is the parent company of California Water Service Company, Washington Water Service Company, New Mexico Water Service Company, Hawaii Water Service Company, Inc., CWS Utility Services, and HWS Utility Services. Together these companies provide regulated and non-regulated water service to approximately 2 million people in more than 100 California, Washington, New Mexico, and Hawaii communities. Group's common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CWT." Additional information is available at our web site at www.calwatergroup.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("Act"). The forward-looking statements are intended to qualify under provisions of the federal securities laws for "safe harbor" treatment established by the Act. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information, expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections, and management's judgment about the Company, the water utility industry and general economic conditions. Such words as expects, intends, plans, believes, estimates, assumes, anticipates, projects, predicts, forecasts or variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. They are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from what is contained in a forward-looking statement. Factors that may cause a result different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to: governmental and regulatory commissions' decisions; changes in regulatory commissions' policies and procedures; the timeliness of regulatory commissions' actions concerning rate relief; new legislation; electric power interruptions; increases in suppliers' prices and the availability of supplies including water and power; fluctuations in interest rates; changes in environmental compliance and water quality requirements; acquisitions and our ability to successfully integrate acquired companies; the ability to successfully implement business plans; changes in customer water use patterns; the impact of weather on water sales and operating results; access to sufficient capital on satisfactory terms; civil disturbances or terrorist threats or acts, or apprehension about the possible future occurrences of acts of this type; the involvement of the United States in war or other hostilities; restrictive covenants in or changes to the credit ratings on our current or future debt that could increase our financing costs or affect our ability to borrow, make payments on debt or pay dividends; and, other risks and unforeseen events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the cautionary statements included in this paragraph, as well as the annual 10-K, Quarterly 10-Q, and other reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Company assumes no obligation to provide public updates of forward-looking statements.

Released January 8, 2014