General Info
WATER HISTORY

RWCF Office Hours:
7 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday
    (209) 937-8750
Service Center &
    24-Hour Emergency Number:
(209) 937-.8341

Water service was first provided to the North Stockton area by the City of Stockton in 1954. The City and the California Water Service Company (Cal Water), a privately owned utility, now operate the majority of the municipal and industrial water supply facilities servicing the metropolitan area.

Until 1977, groundwater was the sole source of domestic water for the Stockton area. A surface water supply was established in 1977, when the Stockton East Water District (SEWD) Treatment plant began operation. This plant currently treats up to 40,000 acre-feet per year of Calaveras River and Stanislaus River water.  After treatment, water is distributed between the City, Cal Water, and the two County Maintenance Districts in proportion to the total amount of water use that each agency comprises in the Stockton region. The City's current allocation accounts for approximately 50% of the SEWD Treatment Plant output.

The City operates two independent water systems within the City. One serving an area in North Stockton and the other serving South Stockton in the Metropolitan Airport and County Hospital/Jail complex area. The City also provides water service to the Diamond Walnut Plant in South Central Stockton, an area which is completely surrounded by the Cal Water service area.

The City's North System has been in continuous operation since 1954. The City began providing water service to the South Stockton area in April 1984. In 1989, the City took over the operation and maintenance of San Joaquin County's Southern Water System serving the airport and the hospital/jail complex in South Stockton. In 1989, the City also agreed to supply 100% of the water to the Lincoln Village and Colonial Heights Maintenance Districts under long term service agreement with the District.