Welcome to the Big Basin Water Customer Information and
Big Basin Public Water Initiative Site

What is the role of the State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water?

The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water enforces federal and state drinking water rules. These rules cover drinking water quality and quantity, drinking water operations and management, and drinking water infrastructure.

Big Basin Water Company is a drinking water system and must follow these rules. Failure to follow drinking water rules can result in the Division of Drinking Water issuing fines and other penaltie

 

I have heard discussion regarding a receiver for Big Basin Water Company. What is a receiver?.

A receiver is a person appointed by a judge to take charge of and manage a company on a temporary basis. During receivership, the owners of the company continue to own the company, and the judge appoints a receiver to run all or a part of the company’s business under the judge’s supervision until Big Basin Water Company is brought back into compliance with water quality rules.

How does a receiver get appointed?

There are laws that permit, under specific circumstances, a party to file a lawsuit asking the judge to appoint a receiver for a company. The State Water Board can file a lawsuit asking a judge to appoint a receiver to operate Big Basin Water Company’s drinking water system. If the lawsuit is successful, the receiver can only take charge of the drinking water system side of Big Basin Water Company’s business. The outcome would not apply to the wastewater side of Big Basin Water Company’s business.

What is the timeline and process for obtaining a receiver of the drinking water system?

The State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water has recommended moving forward with the legal process for the appointment of a receiver to manage Big Basin Water Company’s drinking water system, which it has discussed with the water company. The Division of Drinking Water is working on the steps it needs to complete before filing a lawsuit. Once the lawsuit is filed, the process of asking the judge to appoint a receiver will still take time. The judge will consider arguments for and against the appointment of a receiver. If the judge agrees that a receiver is needed, one will be appointed on terms decided by the judge. Only then will the receiver take charge of Big Basin Water Company’s drinking water system. This process would take many months.

What is the role of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)?

The CPUC regulates investor-owned water, electric, natural gas, and other utility companies. Big Basin Water Company is an investor-owned, for-profit water utility company and is therefore regulated by the CPUC.
The Water Division of the CPUC:

• Establishes water rates

• Enforces compliance with CPUC orders and the California Public Utilities

  Code through enforcement actions including monetary penalties The Consumer Affairs Branch of the CPUC:

• Assists consumers with billing and service-related matters

• Resolves informal complaints filed against CPUC regulated utilities