Placer County Water Agency

Placer County Water Agency Delivering reliable water, producing hydroelectric energy, and serving as a steward over Placer County’s water resources.

Social Media Comment Policy:
https://docs.pcwa.net/social-media-comment-policy Placer County Water Agency is the primary water resource agency for Placer County, California. PCWA encompasses the entire 1,500-square-mile boundary of Placer County, ranging from the rim of the Sacramento Valley on the west to the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe on the east. PCWA is headquartered in Auburn, the county se

at of Placer County, in California's beautiful Gold Country. PCWA carries out a broad range of responsibilities, including water resource planning and management, retail and wholesale supply of irrigation water and drinking water, and production of hydroelectric energy in Placer County. Created in 1957 under its own state legislative Act entitled the “Placer County Water Agency Act,” PCWA is self-governed with policy and regulatory decisions determined by an independently elected five member Board of Directors. For more information about PCWA, please visit www.pcwa.net.

As we wrap up August and National Water Quality Month, we wanted to give a special shoutout to the PCWA team members who...
08/31/2026

As we wrap up August and National Water Quality Month, we wanted to give a special shoutout to the PCWA team members who help bring high-quality drinking water to our communities every day.

It starts high in the Sierra Nevada, where winter snowpack acts as a natural reservoir. As that snow melts, water begins a journey through Placer County’s watersheds, reservoirs, and water system before reaching our treatment plants.

That’s where our water treatment operators and water quality teams take over. They carefully treat, test and monitor the water to make sure it meets strict state and federal drinking water standards.

The result is consistently high-quality water delivered right to your tap.

To learn more about how water becomes drinking water, read our latest newsletter: https://www.pcwa.net/newsroom/publications/newsletters/2026-07-01

A lot can change in 36 years. These two photos tell a story about how our water system has grown alongside Placer Count...
08/31/2026

A lot can change in 36 years.

These two photos tell a story about how our water system has grown alongside Placer County.

The first photo is of PCWA’s Foothill Water Treatment Plant in Newcastle in 1990. The second is what it looks like today.

Over the years, we’ve increased treatment and storage capacity and upgraded equipment to meet the needs of a growing community.

Foothill is currently the largest of our nine water treatment plants. And just as we planned ahead then, we’re planning ahead now, with our tenth water treatment plant being built in Ophir to help meet the future water needs of western Placer County.

Our facilities may change and grow, but the reason behind those investments remains the same: providing safe, reliable water today and for generations to come.

08/27/2026

Our General Manager Andy Fecko recently sat down with the KAHI Morning Show to talk about some of the history of Placer County and the PCWA.

If you receive untreated water from PCWA and have always wondered why we call the measurement a Miner’s Inch, Andy sheds some light on the name in this short clip.

Enjoy and tune in to KAHI Radio at 104.5 FM this Friday to hear Andy talk about how the dams and reservoirs on the Middle Fork American River came to be.

Now is a great time to start thinking about transforming your yard into a low-water landscape filled with native plants....
08/27/2026

Now is a great time to start thinking about transforming your yard into a low-water landscape filled with native plants. If you need inspiration, check out the Water-Wise & Fire-Smart plants PCWA has been featuring on its website or plan a visit to the UC Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at the Loomis Library and Learning Center.

PCWA offers a rebate of up to $3000 to help with the cost of creating your new water-wise landscape.

Congratulations to Mike Stuessy, Lead Worker, Treated Water, recipient of a PCWA Exemplary Performance Award for Workfor...
08/26/2026

Congratulations to Mike Stuessy, Lead Worker, Treated Water, recipient of a PCWA Exemplary Performance Award for Workforce Excellence and Innovation and Productivity!

Mike’s dedication to PCWA extends well beyond his day-to-day responsibilities. From leading Field Services demonstrations at CTE Day and representing PCWA at community events, to serving as MC at Agency events and helping train and mentor employees, Mike brings knowledge and enthusiasm to everything he does.

Mike’s passion for his work, commitment to sharing his knowledge and dedication to PCWA make him a tremendous asset to the Agency.

PCWA Board Approves Formation of RiverArc Joint Powers Authority The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Director...
08/25/2026

PCWA Board Approves Formation of RiverArc Joint Powers Authority

The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Directors last week approved a Joint Powers Agreement with the cities of Sacramento and
Roseville, establishing the RiverArc Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and formalizing a regional water
supply partnership that has been years in the making.

RiverArc is a long-term regional water supply project that would use an existing intake structure on the Sacramento River to draw water for treatment at a new regional water treatment plant and delivery through new and existing pipelines.

By creating another pathway for water to reach the region, the project would diversify water supplies, improve reliability, and reduce reliance on the smaller American River, which currently serves as a major water source for the Sacramento region.

RiverArc improves water supply and supports the lower American River by keeping more water in Folsom Reservoir for summer and fall flows that benefit fish and habitat.

Learn more about this project at https://ow.ly/nvBr50ZFrpi

Congratulations to Greg Shedd, Information Systems Analyst I, recipient of a PCWA Exemplary Performance Award for Except...
08/25/2026

Congratulations to Greg Shedd, Information Systems Analyst I, recipient of a PCWA Exemplary Performance Award for Exceptional Teamwork and Innovation and Productivity!

Greg is known for his willingness to step in, collaborate with others and see a challenge through to resolution. Whether coordinating critical network changes with Power Operations, strengthening monitoring and communications systems, or taking on additional responsibilities during staffing shortages, Greg consistently works to find solutions that support his colleagues and the Agency.

Greg’s work has made a big impact across the Agency.

Seeing as it is National Hydropower Day, we wanted to explain hydropower benefits PCWA water customers that you may not ...
08/25/2026

Seeing as it is National Hydropower Day, we wanted to explain hydropower benefits PCWA water customers that you may not realize.

PCWA’s Middle Fork Project was built in the 1960s to provide a reliable local water supply for Placer County communities, farms, and businesses. It also produces clean, renewable hydropower.

The project includes French Meadows and Hell Hole reservoirs, five powerhouses, and 24 miles of tunnels. Together, its reservoirs can store up to 340,000 acre-feet of water!

Here’s where hydropower comes in: it helps the project pay for itself which means PCWA water customers don’t have to pay through their water rates to operate and maintain this major water supply project.

Revenue from energy production covers the cost of operating, maintaining, and improving the dams, reservoirs, tunnels, and power facilities we rely on that makes the Middle Fork Project (and its water supply benefits) possible.

This means water customers don’t pay those costs.

Water rates (your monthly bills) are used separately to pay for local water system needs, such as pipes, treatment plants, and distribution systems.

Today, nearly 60 years later, the Middle Fork Project remains publicly owned and locally operated, providing reliable water and renewable energy for Placer County.

If you have been through the town of Newcastle lately, you may have noticed crews hard at work...and we have good news: ...
08/21/2026

If you have been through the town of Newcastle lately, you may have noticed crews hard at work...and we have good news: we are almost done!

PCWA is upgrading water pipes in the area that date back to the 1920s and 1930s! South Placer Municipal Utilities District has also replaced sewer lines in the area and coordinated closely with us to reduce impacts to customers. This week, crews are completing several important tie-ins to connect the new pipes to the existing system.

Thank you to Newcastle residents, businesses, and everyone traveling through the area for your patience while we complete this important work and prepare the community’s water infrastructure for the decades ahead.

Here’s an easy way to use water more efficiently and have a healthier yard: swap out your old pop-up spray sprinklers fo...
08/19/2026

Here’s an easy way to use water more efficiently and have a healthier yard: swap out your old pop-up spray sprinklers for high-efficiency (HE) rotator sprinklers. HE sprinklers apply water at a slower rate that is more easily absorbed by the soil. More water will reach your plant’s roots, and less will be lost to evaporation.

PCWA offers a rebate of up to $500 for sprinkler system upgrades. pcwa.net/rebates

Address

144 Ferguson Road
Auburn, CA
95603

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(530) 823-4850

Website

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