PCWA Board Adopts Water Supply Plan Updates and Advances Ophir Water Treatment Plant
Jun 24, 2026 08:53AM ● By Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) News Release
AUBURN, CA (MPG) - The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Directors took action at its June 18 meeting to advance long-term water supply planning and future infrastructure investments.
Following a public hearing, the Board adopted PCWA's 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), a state-required planning document updated every five years. The plan serves as the foundation for long-term water supply planning and evaluates water supplies, projected growth and system demands, water use efficiency efforts, and system reliability under a range of conditions, including normal conditions and dry-year scenarios.
Placer County has experienced sustained growth over many decades, and while the pace of population growth has moderated in recent years, the region continues to attract new residents and businesses, making long-term water supply planning essential.
"Planning for the future while reliably serving today's customers has always been part of PCWA's mission," said PCWA Board Chair Joshua Alpine. "People have been choosing to move to and stay in Placer County for generations, and our responsibility is to make sure we have adequate water supplies in place to support those communities. We have the water resources to serve existing customers and support future growth, and these actions help ensure we're prepared for both."
PCWA's planning documents conclude that the Agency maintains diverse and reliable water supplies to meet current demands and projected future needs. The Agency's water system is supported by supplies from the Middle Fork American River Project, contracted supplies from the Drum-Spaulding system, groundwater resources, and the Central Valley Project.
The Board also adopted an updated Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP), which outlines how PCWA would respond during severe drought conditions that could affect water supplies. The WSCP notes that these combined supplies provide sufficient water to meet customer demands, including during multiple dry years.
Long-term water reliability depends not only on having water supplies available but also on maintaining and expanding the infrastructure needed to treat and deliver water to customers. As part of that effort, the Board directed staff to proceed with a financing plan for the Agency’s future Ophir Water Treatment Plant. This major regional infrastructure project will expand treatment capacity and improve long-term water supply reliability for western Placer County.
To learn more about PCWA's long-term water planning efforts, view the adopted Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan at www.pcwa.net/planning/uwmp.
In other board action, the Board elected Director Joshua Alpine to serve as Chair through the remainder of 2026 and elected Director Chris Wilson to serve as Vice Chair. The transition returns the Board to its regular leadership rotation after Director Robert Dugan continued serving as Chair to provide Board continuity during a period of leadership transitions and significant agency matters.
