American States Water Company Announces CPUC Approval for GSWC to Serve New Area

SAN DIMAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

American States Water Company AWR announced that on June 26, 2014, the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) approved a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity application granting Golden State Water Company (“GSWC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of AWR, approval to provide water utility service to an area to be developed in Sutter County, California near Sacramento called Sutter Pointe. The CPUC's decision approved a settlement that was jointly filed by GSWC, Sutter County, the Sutter Pointe Developers, and a coalition of Sutter County residents.

With the CPUC's approval, GSWC will create a water service district to supply the Sutter Pointe development with groundwater and surface water from the Sacramento River. The project will involve the construction of an underground infrastructure and groundwater wells with a treatment plant and storage facility to serve retail, industrial and approximately 17,000 residential customers at final build out. As part of the agreement, GSWC will also request approval from the CPUC to acquire the water system that currently serves the community of Robbins in Sutter County.

“We have worked closely with Sutter County and developers in the region and look forward to building a water system that will meet the needs of this new development,” said American States Water Company President and CEO Robert J. Sprowls. “We are very excited about this project and hope it will be a model for similar projects in the future,” Sprowls continued.

Certain matters discussed in this news release with regard to the Company's expectations may be forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, include those described in the Company's Form 10-Q and Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

American States Water Company is the parent of Golden State Water Company and American States Utility Services, Inc. Through its utility subsidiary, Golden State Water Company, AWR provides water service to approximately 257,000 customers throughout 10 counties in Northern, Coastal and Southern California. The Company also distributes electricity to approximately 24,000 customers in the Big Bear recreational area of California. Through its contracted services subsidiary, American States Utility Services, Inc., the Company provides operations, maintenance and construction management services for water and wastewater systems located on military bases throughout the country under 50 year privatization contracts.

American States Water Company has paid dividends to shareholders every year since 1931, increasing the dividends received by shareholders each calendar year since 1954.