Mutual Water Companies

Within Contra Costa County there are many mutual water companies (MWCs). These small systems – some private and some shared wells – provide water service in lieu of a public agency or Public Utilities Commission regulated utility. These facilities are privately owned, providing water service to the County’s residents from surface and groundwater resources, and are impacted by the same concerns for supply reliability, water quality and costs as the public sector providers.

In 2012, Assembly Bill 54 was enacted and imposed new requirements on LAFCOs and MWCs that own and operate public water systems. The requirements are intended to improve access to information about the location of MWCs and the quality of water they provide. Contra Costa LAFCO has identified 28 MWCs that meet the requirements for reporting to LAFCO certain information regarding their service area, including maps, infrastructure, water quality and rate information.