California Water Service's Selma District Continues Efforts to Eliminate 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) in Drinking Water

SELMA, Calif.—California Water Service (Cal Water) has completed work on a water infrastructure improvement project, upgrading and improving water quality and water supply reliability for its Selma District customers.

The district recently completed construction to install TCP treatment on an offline well to meet the state’s water quality standard at its station on South Leonard Avenue. The installation allows Cal Water to bring Selma’s third-largest producing well back online for customer use during the peak demands of summer.

“Infrastructure improvements like this ensure that Cal Water maintains a safe, clean, and reliable water supply for both everyday and emergency needs,” said Stuart Skoglund, Cal Water’s Selma Operations Manager.

The Selma District also has TCP treatment at two other sites, which enables the water to comply with the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for TCP of 5 parts per trillion (ppt) set by the State Water Resources Control Board.

“Treating five parts per trillion is essentially like removing a few drops of water from an Olympic-sized swimming pool; it is a very complex process to remove these trace amounts,” Skoglund said. “But, our commitment is to provide a reliable supply of high-quality water to our customers and we intend to keep fulfilling that commitment.”

TCP, a manmade organic chemical used mostly as a soil fumigant until the 1980s, seeped into some groundwater supplies, including those in Cal Water’s Selma service area. No longer used in soil fumigants today, the constituent has been found to cause potential health risks when consumed in high volumes.

About California Water Service

California Water Service provides high-quality, reliable water utility services to about 25,000 people through more than 6,400 service connections in Selma and serves more than 2 million people statewide through 497,700 service connections. Cal Water’s purpose is to enhance the quality of life for customers and communities. To do so, it invests responsibly in water and wastewater infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and community well-being. The company’s 1,100+ employees live by a set of strong core values and share a commitment to protecting the planet, caring for people, and operating with the utmost integrity. The utility has been named one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies” and the “World’s Most Trustworthy Companies” by Newsweek and a Great Place to Work®. More information is available at www.calwater.com.

Released July 30, 2024