CCWD Adopts $1.7 Billion Capital Plan as Canal Overhaul Looms

The Contra Costa Water District board locked in a decade of infrastructure spending at its March 4 meeting, adopting a capital improvement program anchored by a $2.6 billion canal replacement effort that will push water rates significantly higher for years to come. The board also moved swiftly to fill a retiring director's seat by appointment, ensuring Division 2 has a voice as the district enters its most ambitious — and expensive — construction era since the original Los Vaqueros Reservoir.

• $1.7 billion capital plan adopted, driven by a multi-phase canal replacement program estimated at $2.6 billion total; untreated water rates could rise 9.5% annually during peak construction years
• Board chooses appointment over election to replace retiring Director John Burgh, with candidate interviews set for a special April 22 meeting
• Mid-year revenues track $5 million under budget as cooler weather and slowing industrial customers cut water demand; $750,000 in budget transfers authorized
• Three state water bills endorsed, protecting rate-setting authority, CEQA water supply reviews, and wildfire liability shields for water agencies
• New federal ESA lawsuit challenges Delta water export operations, adding uncertainty to CCWD's supply outlook

Why it matters: The canal replacement program will be the largest infrastructure investment in Contra Costa Water District history — more than double the cost of the original Los Vaqueros Reservoir project — and will shape customer rates for decades.