SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As California Water Service Group (Group) (NYSE: CWT) rings in its 100-year anniversary, the company also looks back on last year’s philanthropic giving program. With over $1.88 million donated to local organizations in 2025, contributions made benefited charitable organizations and first responders that share Group’s purpose to enhance the quality of life for those in the communities they serve, along with local students seeking higher education.

Beneficiaries ranged from organizations supporting at-risk youth and disadvantaged communities to first responders to veterans, healthcare, and more. Among the recipients were the Food Bank for Monterey County (Salinas, Calif.), Enloe Heath Foundation (Chico, Calif.), Garden Pathways (Bakersfield, Calif.), Visalia Emergency Aid Council (Visalia, Calif.), Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative (Waikoloa, Hawaii), Valencia Shelter Services (Los Lunas, N.M.), and Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation (Gig Harbor, Wash.). Also among the contributions were a total of $186,000 to nine fire departments through the company’s 2025 Firefighter Grant Program, $80,000 through Group’s annual scholarship program to 13 students pursuing post-secondary education in college or at a vocational-technical school, and over $100,000 to four Los Angeles-area organizations to aid Palisades and Eaton Fire relief efforts.

“At California Water Service Group, we are more than a water provider, we are part of the communities we serve, and that means going further to improve the lives of those in our service areas,” said Marty Kropelnicki, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Beyond being service-oriented to our customers when it comes to safe, reliable water, Group’s employees have a real heart to support their neighbors in need.”

Donations last year included dollars contributed through Group’s employee charitable matching program, in which the company matches up to $250 per employee’s personal donations to causes important to them each calendar year.

In addition to financial contributions, Group’s held its 3^rd annual Season of Service over the holidays, with approximately half of the company’s employees across California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Washington donating their time and efforts to community volunteer projects.

All contributions are part of Group’s philanthropic giving program and do not affect customers’ rates.

About California Water Service Group

California Water Service Group (NYSE: CWT) is the largest regulated water utility in the western United States. It provides high-quality, reliable water and/or wastewater services to more than 2.1 million people in California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Washington, and Texas through its regulated subsidiaries, California Water Service, Hawaii Water Service, New Mexico Water Service, and Washington Water Service, and its utility holding company, Texas Water Service. This year, the company commemorates a century of service.

Group’s purpose is to enhance the quality of life for customers, communities, employees, and stockholders. To do so, it invests responsibly in water and wastewater infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and community well-being. The company’s nearly 1,300 employees live by a set of strong core values and share a commitment to protecting the planet, caring for people, and operating with the utmost integrity. The company has been named one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies” and the “World’s Most Trustworthy Companies” by Newsweek, a USA Top Workplace, and a Great Place to Work®. More information is available at www.calwatergroup.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Yvonne Kingman, (310) 257-1434