Water reductions: PG&E halted water releases
Auburn, Calif. – With the 2025 irrigation season now underway, the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) is implementing seasonal conservation measures in response to ongoing limited water deliveries from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
Repairs at PG&E's Lake Spaulding facility have halted flows into the Drum Canal and Bear River, cutting off the normal supply of water into Rollins Reservoir-a primary source for PCWA's canal system.
Critical Damage
To recap, PG&E reported critical damage to its Spaulding Powerhouse No. 1 in March of 2024 and cut off releases from Spaulding Reservoir during the summer of 2024 while it completed the first phase of repairs. The second phase of repairs is currently underway. PG&E reported that the repairs remain on track and are expected to be completed by early August. In the meantime, PCWA is using alternative supplies to help meet demand and is asking all customers to continue using water wisely.
"We appreciate our customers' cooperation in conserving water during these repairs," said Robert Dugan, PCWA Board Chairman. "We will continue advocating to ensure Placer County residents receive the reliable water service they deserve."
While PCWA continues to do everything it can to mitigate the impacts of the outage, Agency officials remain concerned about the lack of proper maintenance and reliability of infrastructure not under PCWA's control. "Our customers should not bear the burden of ongoing disruptions caused by another utility," said General Manager Andrew Fecko "PCWA is not responsible for PG&E's infrastructure, but we are responsible for how we respond. That means using every resource necessary to keep our customers' water service reliable."
This year, restrictions on canal water for summer irrigation will be similar to those used in 2024. To help manage supplies and maintain service throughout the summer, PCWA has implemented the following measures:
- Customers receiving one miner's inch or more of canal water will see a 20% reduction in their summer delivery, which will be reflected on their bill.
- Customers receiving one-half miner's inch of canal water service will not have a delivery reduction but are asked to voluntarily reduce water use by 20%.
- Rotating canal outages are not anticipated but may be necessary if PG&E's repairs are further delayed or if conservation targets are not met.
- Treated water customers are also encouraged to use water wisely during the repair period.
As of this week, PCWA has also received 20 voluntary requests from customers to temporarily reduce their summer canal service, totaling 102.5 miner's inches.
Alternative water supplies
PCWA continues to maintain and operate alternative water supply systems, including increased pumping from the American River and regional coordination with the Nevada Irrigation District and other local water purveyors. These actions are necessary to protect remaining storage in Rollins Reservoir and support water service across the region.
Customers experiencing hardships due to adjusted canal water deliveries are encouraged to contact PCWA Customer Services at (530) 823-4850 or email [email protected] for assistance.
PCWA encourages customers to visit pcwa.net/media/pge-water-delivery for tips on how to reduce water use and to check the page periodically for updates on the ongoing situation and any necessary actions they may need to take.
The next regular meeting of the PCWA Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2025, 2:00 PM, at the PCWA Business Center, 144 Ferguson Road, in Auburn. PCWA board meetings are open to the public. For information on PCWA board meetings, please contact the Clerk to the Board at (530) 823-4850 or (800) 464-0030.