Indianola Students Returning to School with Safe, Reliable Drinking Water Due to Partnership with California Water Service, Selma Unified School District, Self-Help Enterprises

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The nearly 400 students and faculty at Indianola Elementary School will be returning to school for the new academic year not only ready to learn, but also able to drink the water, thanks to a partnership among Selma Unified School District, Self-Help Enterprises, and nearby water utility California Water Service (Cal Water).

The groundwater in some parts of the Central Valley, including the well serving Indianola Elementary, have unsafe levels of 1,2,3-trichloropropane—a contaminant commonly known as TCP—for drinking water. Cal Water, whose Selma service area is located about a mile from the school, had already treated its affected water sources for TCP using granular-activated carbon treatment years before. With Cal Water’s Selma District delivering safe, clean water to its customers, Selma Unified secured a $3.2 million grant through the State Water Resources Control Board’s Department of Financial Assistance and oversaw construction to connect Cal Water’s system to the school. Self-Help Enterprises provided technical assistance on the project.

“Being able to partner with Selma Unified School District and Self-Help Enterprises to bring reliable access to safe, clean water to Indianola Elementary students, teachers, and staff is particularly meaningful,” said Marty Kropelnicki, Cal Water Chairman and CEO. “Children should be able to focus on learning, and educators should be able to focus on teaching. Neither should be worrying about whether their water is safe.”

“This project reflects Selma Unified's ongoing commitment to providing safe, high-quality learning environments for every student. We're grateful for the partnership with California Water Service and Self-Help Enterprises, whose collaboration helped make this important investment possible,” said Selma Unified Superintendent Ed Gomes. “Most importantly, our students and staff can begin the school year knowing they have access to safe, reliable drinking water, allowing them to focus on what matters most—teaching, learning, and growing." 

About California Water Service

California Water Service provides high-quality, reliable water utility services to more than 2 million people statewide through 500,000 service connections. Cal Water’s purpose is to enhance the quality of life for customers and communities. To do so, it invests responsibly in water and wastewater infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and community well-being. The company’s 1,200 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 utility, commemorating a century of service this year, has been named one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies” and one of the “World’s Most Trustworthy Companies” by Newsweek, a USA Top Workplace, and a Great Place to Work®.  More information is available at www.calwater.com.

Contact: Yvonne Kingman, (310) 257-1434