Monterey Peninsula Water Management District

05/05/2026

Water District Announces New Water Demand Manager

The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) is pleased to announce the hiring of Mollie Wooden as its new Water Demand Manager.

A resident of the Monterey Peninsula for more than 15 years, Wooden brings a deep understanding of the region’s unique water challenges and the importance of responsible resource management.

Wooden’s role will be to manage conservation, permitting, demand forecasting, and allocation of water to the local jurisdictions. She will be the face of the District interacting with local planning directors, developers, and business organizations. “With the retirement of Stephanie Locke after 38 years of dedicated service to the District, we recognized we had a significant role to fill,” said General Manager Dave Stoldt. “Mollie’s local knowledge and strong critical thinking skills make her an excellent addition to our team. We are confident she will bring a fresh perspective to the Water Demand Division while building upon the important work Stephanie established.”

Wooden most recently served as Compliance Manager for Pebble Beach Company and has extensive experience in water quality and resource management. She has worked in a local water quality laboratory and has significant expertise tracking potable water usage across multiple facilities, analyzing consumption trends, and identifying inefficiencies such as leaks and distribution issues. With more than a decade of direct experience in water operations, Wooden is known for her analytical approach and commitment to effective water stewardship.

District leadership believes Wooden’s experience and dedication will further support its mission to sustainably manage and enhance water resources on the Monterey Peninsula. Wooden will begin her new role in early May.

02/21/2026

Despite letters of support from a long list of Peninsula city councils, mayors, politicians, businesses, organizations, and community leaders to modify the Cease and Desist Order (CDO) on the Carmel River, Cal-Am has asked the State Water Board to deny or delay MPWMD’s application to amend the CDO moratorium on new water connections.

WONDERING WHAT GOT US HERE?

As a result of Cal-Am’s overdraft of the Carmel River Aquifer, the State Water Board filed a CDO in 2009. It imposed a strict timeline for Cal-Am to reduce river pumping and placed a moratorium on Cal-Am’s ability to set new meters. The CDO effectively stopped the Peninsula’s pursuit of affordable housing and job growth.

Ironically, Cal-Am has been in compliance with the State Water Board’s limits on the CDO for the past 4 years. In October of 2025, MPWMD filed to modify the CDO, so Cal-Am could resume issuing water meters to Peninsula residents as legislatively entitled. With the recent completion of Pure Water Monterey Expansion, there is now more than enough water available to meet Peninsula water needs for decades to come.

http://www.mpwmd.net

11/11/2025

Our 2025 “Water Year” ended in September. As a result of MPWMD’s and Cal Am’s water conservation programs, rebate incentives, improved technologies, and tiered rates, the Monterey Peninsula used the same amount of water in 2025 that we used in 1958! Even as population has grown over 40% and the area hosts over 9 million visitors a year.

http://www.mpwmd.net

11/05/2025

The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) voted unanimously on October 20, 2025 to ask the State Water Board to modify its Cease and Desist Order (CDO) on the Carmel River and allow new service connections. The request came on the heels of the addition of a new water supply, the Pure Water Monterey Expansion, announced earlier in October, which now provides 60% of the Monterey Peninsula’s drinking water.

District General Manager Dave Stoldt explained to the District Board that California American Water (Cal-Am) has not violated its lawful water rights on the Carmel River in the past four years. The CDO was originally issued in 2009 for Cal-Am’s excessive pumping from the river. Based on a California Public Utilities Decision last August, Cal-Am is not likely to violate its rights in the foreseeable future. Stoldt said, “This is a window of opportunity for the community to ease water restrictions in favor of housing and jobs.”

The District Board submitted its application to State Regulators to modify the CDO on October 25, 2025. District staff had met with the State Water Board several times during the year and the Board was expecting the submittal. The District’s proposal would achieve the following: (1) Rescind the prohibition on new meters; (2) Maintain existing quarterly and annual reporting to the State Water Board; certain prior reporting requirements would be clarified or deleted because they have either been met on an ongoing basis or are no longer required; and (3) Create a water supply and demand monitoring regime that would provide triggers to the State Water Board that would allow them to determine if a reinstatement of the restrictions might be necessary in the future.

District Chair George Riley said, “This proposal builds on the remarkable work that has been done on the Monterey Peninsula to achieve a sustainable water supply. Modifying the CDO will allow the community to use this water to build new housing and create jobs. This would be a big win for the Peninsula.”

READ DISTRICT APPLICATION

https://www.mpwmd.net/wp-content/uploads/MPWMD-Application-for-Modification-10-21-25.pdf

http://www.mpwmd.net

10/23/2025

60% of the Monterey Peninsula’s drinking water will now be provided by Pure Water Monterey. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to make a sustainable recycled water supply a reality on the Peninsula.

By supplying over half of the Peninsula’s total annual needs, it will help fulfill the drinking water requirements for new housing, jobs, growth, and drought mitigation for decades to come.

Pure Water Monterey (PWM) is an advanced water recycling project originally initiated in 2014. The recent expansion of PWM was jointly developed by Monterey One Water, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, and the Marina Coast Water District. Completed in October of 2025, PWM now supplies the Monterey Peninsula with its drinking water from a clean, safe, and sustainable source.

Pure Water Monterey ends our dependence on the Carmel River and the Seaside Basin as the sole sources of drinking water for the Monterey Peninsula. The project reduces water use to help meet regulatory orders and enhance water supply reliability through diversification. It also reduces stress on the river’s migratory Steelhead population.

Learn More > http://www.mpwmd.net

08/13/2025

07/25/2025

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Void where prohibited. The sweepstakes is open only to California-American Water Company water customers in the Monterey County District of California who complete and submit a Summer Splash Water Challenge Giveaway entry form (“gameboard”) with correct answers by mail by July 31, 2025, to MPWMD Summer Splash, P.O. Box 85, Monterey CA, 93942 or online at www.montereywaterinfo.org/waterchallenge

by July 31, 2025 and who are at least 18 years of age as of the date of entry. Start: 12:01 a.m. PDT on 7/1/2025; deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT on 7/31/2025. Two (2) Winners will receive a High Efficiency Clothes Washer (ARV $900), one (1) Winner will receive a High Efficiency Dishwasher (ARV $700), four (4) Winners will receive an Apple iPad (ARV $470), one (1) Winner will receive a $200 gift certificate/card to a local plant nursery (ARV $200), two (2) Winners will receive a Family Pack of Passes to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (ARV $230), ten (10) Winners will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card (ARV $100), one (1) Winner will receive a Monterey Zoo Family Ticket (ARV $160), four (4) Winners will receive a Cinemark Movie Gift Card (ARV $50).

OFFICIAL RULES: https://www.montereywaterinfo.org/water-challenge-rules SPONSORS: The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, 5 Harris Ct, Building G, Monterey, CA 93940 and California-American Water Company, 511 Forest Lodge Road, Pacific Grove, CA 93950

Summer Splash 2025 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Void where prohibited. The sweepstakes is open only to California-American Water Company water customers in the Monterey County District of California who complete and submit a Summer Splash Water Challenge Giveaway entry form (“gameboard.....

06/06/2025

Between Pure Water Monterey and our Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) program, we have stored 70% of an entire years water demand for future use.

Over the past 3 years, our ASR program has stored almost
a half billion gallons of surplus Carmel River rainwater per year.

04/28/2025

2024 ANNUAL REPORT FEATURES PLAN TO LIFT THE CDO.

Other highlights include PWM to Deliver 60% of the Peninsula’s Water, Surplus Rain Results in Record Aquifer Injection, District Manages Grants for New Peninsula Projects, Certificate of Financial Excellence Awarded, District Expands Care of the Steelhead and Carmel River.

DOWNLOAD:https://www.mpwmd.net/wp-content/uploads/M_Annual%20Report_2024_Singles.pdf

03/24/2025

MONTEREY, CA – The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) announces the arrival of Mike McCullough as their new Assistant General Manager. McCullough, who has resided in the area for over 25 years, understands how important the management of local water resources is for the local communities. The District’s General Manager, Dave Stoldt, said “The District conducted a national search for a dedicated water professional, and the top candidate was literally next door at Monterey One Water (M1W.) Mike has proven his knowledge of the complex local water issues and he will bring a new perspective and energy for our customers, staff, and Board.”

McCullough worked at M1W for the past 13 years. His focus while at M1W was to bring the Pure Water Monterey Project online. The concept of replenishing groundwater with advanced purified recycled water went from planning to production in only seven years. McCullough helped secure low interest loans from the State Water Resources Control Board and the EPA. He scoured various grant funding opportunities for northern California’s first indirect potable reuse project, ultimately resulting in $80 million in state and federal grants.

McCullough will start his new position in early April.