SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark whether Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

American States Water Company            Yes þ No o
Southern California Water Company       Yes þ No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act.).

American States Water Company            Yes þ No o
Southern California Water Company       Yes o No þ

The aggregate market value of the total voting common stock held by non-affiliates of American States Water Company was approximately $354,689,000 and $439,835,000 on June 30, 2004 and March 11, 2005, respectively. The closing price per Common Share on March 11, 2005, as quoted in the Western Edition of The Wall Street Journal, was $26.23. As of March 11, 2005, the number of Common Shares of American States Water Company, outstanding was 16,768,396. As of that same date, American States Water Company owned all 122 outstanding Common Shares of Southern California Water Company. The aggregate market value of the total voting stock held by non-affiliates of Southern California Water Company was zero on June 30, 2004 and March 11, 2005.

Documents Incorporated by Reference:
Portions of the Proxy Statement of American States Water Company will be subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as to Part III, Item Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, in each case as specifically referenced herein.

AMERICAN STATES WATER COMPANY
and
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER COMPANY

FORM 10-K

INDEX

PART I

Item 1. Business

     This annual report on Form 10-K is a combined report being filed by two separate Registrants: American States Water Company (hereinafter “AWR”) and Southern California Water Company (hereinafter “SCW”). References in this report to “Registrant” are to AWR and SCW, collectively, unless otherwise specified. SCW makes no representations as to the information contained in this report relating to AWR and its subsidiaries, other than SCW.

     AWR makes its periodic reports, Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, and current reports, Form 8-K, available free of charge through its website, www.aswater.com, as soon as material is electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Such reports are also available on the SEC’s internet website at http://www.sec.gov. AWR also makes available free of charge its code of business conduct and ethics, its corporate governance guidelines and the charters of its corporate governance/nominating committee, its compensation committee and its audit committee through its website or by calling (800) 999-4033. AWR has filed the certification of officers required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2 to its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004.

     AWR submitted a CEO certification to the New York Stock Exchange on May 26, 2004 certifying that the Registrant was in compliance with the corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange.

General

     American States Water Company (“AWR”) is the parent company of Southern California Water Company (“SCW”), American States Utility Services, Inc. (“ASUS”) and its subsidiary, Fort Bliss Water Services Company (“FBWS”), and Chaparral City Water Company (“CCWC”). AWR was incorporated as a California corporation in 1998 as a holding company for SCW.

     SCW is a California public utility company engaged principally in the purchase, production and distribution of water (SIC No. 4941). SCW also distributes electricity in one customer service area (SIC No. 4911). SCW is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California (CPUC) and was incorporated as a California corporation on December 31, 1929. SCW is organized into one electric customer service area and three water service regions operating within 75 communities in 10 counties in the State of California and provides water service in 21 customer service areas. Region I consists of 7 customer service areas in northern and central California; Region II consists of 4 customer service areas located in Los Angeles County; and Region III consists of 10 customer service areas in eastern Los Angeles County, and in Orange, San Bernardino and Imperial counties. SCW also provides electric service to the City of Big Bear Lake and surrounding areas in San Bernardino County through its Bear Valley Electric Service division.

     SCW served 251,655 water customers and 22,692 electric customers at December 31, 2004, or a total of 274,347 customers, compared with 272,358 total customers at December 31, 2003. SCW’s utility operations exhibit seasonal trends. Although SCW’s water utility operations have a diversified customer base, residential and commercial customers account for the majority of SCW’s water sales and revenues. Revenues derived from commercial and residential water customers accounted for approximately 91.0% of total water revenues for the year ended December 31, 2004, as compared to 90.6% for the year ended December 31, 2003.

     CCWC is an Arizona public utility company serving 12,570 customers as of December 31, 2004, compared with 12,171 customers at December 31, 2003. Located in the town of Fountain Hills, Arizona and a portion of the City of Scottsdale, Arizona, the majority of CCWC’s customers are residential. The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) regulates CCWC.

     ASUS contracts, either directly or through wholly-owned subsidiaries, with various municipalities, the U.S. Government and private entities to provide water and wastewater services, including billing and meter reading, water marketing and the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater systems. ASUS had approximately 127,000 billing accounts under contract as of December 31, 2004. We have received notice from the City of Chino Hills that they are terminating our meter reading contract as of March 2005 for 20,100 billing accounts.

     On October 1, 2004, ASUS commenced operation of the water and wastewater systems at Fort Bliss located near El Paso, Texas, through FBWS, pursuant to the terms of a 50-year contract with the U.S. Government. This contract is subject to termination for convenience of the U.S. Government. The contract price is subject to re-determination on

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October 1, 2006 and every three years thereafter to the extent provided in the contract. Prices are also subject to equitable adjustment based upon changes in circumstances and changes in wages and fringe benefits to the extent provided in the contract. ASUS is also a participant in bidding on other contracts for the privatization of water and wastewater services at military bases.

     ASUS has been pursuing opportunities to expand its contract operations. ASUS is also pursuing an opportunity to provide retail water services to a mutual water company that is located in Sacramento and Sutter counties in northern California which currently provides water service only to agricultural customers. In August 2004, this mutual water company granted ASUS the exclusive right to market surplus surface water rights that may arise under water rights and contracts owned or controlled by it, to third parties.

     Certain financial information for each of AWR’s principal business units, water distribution, electric distribution, and contract services is set forth in Note 14 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of American States Water Company and its subsidiaries. The Company’s water and electric distribution segments are not dependent upon a single or only a few customers. The U.S. Government is the largest customer for contract services.

     The business of each of the Company’s business segments is seasonal. The impact of seasonality on the Company’s businesses is discussed in more detail in Item 7 – “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation-Risk Factor Summary”.

     Groundwater contamination and environmental regulation have increased our operating costs and expenses. Additional information on the impact of environmental issues on our business is discussed in more detail in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation-Environmental Matters” and “Risk Factor Summary”.

Competition

     The businesses of SCW and CCWC are substantially free from direct and indirect competition with other public utilities, municipalities and other public agencies. AWR’s other subsidiary, ASUS, actively competes for business with other investor-owned utilities, other third party providers of water and wastewater services, and governmental entities on the basis of price and quality of service.

Employee Relations

     SCW had 491 employees as of December 31, 2004 as compared to 500 at December 31, 2003. Nineteen positions in SCW’s Bear Valley Electric customer service area are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, which will expire on December 31, 2005, with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Sixty-one positions in SCW’s Region II ratemaking district are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, which expires in 2007, with the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA). SCW has no other unionized employees.

     CCWC had sixteen employees as of December 31, 2004, all of whom are non-union. ASUS had five employees as of December 31, 2004, all of whom are non-union. FBWS had five employees as of December 31, 2004, all of whom are non-union.

Item 2 — Properties

Franchises

     SCW holds certificates of public convenience and necessity granted by the CPUC in each of the ratemaking districts it serves. CCWC holds certificates of public convenience and necessity granted by the ACC for the areas in which it serves. Both SCW and CCWC hold franchises, easements and rights of way pursuant to the terms of agreements that must periodically be renewed. These agreements are subject to suspension or termination in certain circumstances if SCW or CCWC, as applicable, violate the terms of the agreements. In addition, FBWS holds a certificate of convenience and necessity from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (“TCEQ”).

Electric Properties

     SCW’s electric properties are all located in the Big Bear area of San Bernardino County in California. As of December 31, 2004, SCW operated 29 miles of overhead 34.5 kv transmission lines, 1 mile of underground 34.5 kv

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transmission lines, 174 miles of 4.16 kv or 2.4 kv distribution lines, 42 miles of underground cable and 14 sub-stations. Demand for energy in SCW’s Bear Valley Electric customer service area generally has been increasing. In addition, during the third quarter of 2004, SCW completed construction and placed in operation a natural gas-fueled 8.4 MW peaking generation facility as a means of meeting these increasing demands for energy.

Office Buildings

     Registrant’s general headquarters are housed in a single-story office building located in San Dimas, California. The land and the building are owned by SCW. SCW also owns and/or leases certain facilities housing regional, district and customer service offices. CCWC owns its primary office space. ASUS leases an office facility in Costa Mesa, California.

Water Properties

     As of December 31, 2004, SCW’s physical properties consisted of water transmission and distribution systems which included 2,681 miles of pipeline together with services, meters and fire hydrants and approximately 430 parcels of land, generally less than 1 acre each, on which are located wells, pumping plants, reservoirs and other water utility facilities, including five surface water treatment plants.

     As of December 31, 2004, SCW owned 279 wells. Certain wells have been removed from service due to water quality problems. For further information, see the section entitled “Environmental Matters” included in Part II, Item 7 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation. All wells are equipped with pumps with an aggregate capacity of approximately 260 million gallons per day. SCW has 58 connections to the water distribution facilities of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and other municipal water agencies. SCW’s storage reservoirs and tanks have an aggregate capacity of approximately 111 million gallons. SCW owns no dams in its customer service areas. The following table provides, in greater detail, selected water utility plant of SCW for each of its water ratemaking districts:

⁽¹⁾ SCW has additional reservoir capacity in its Claremont system, through an exclusive right to use all of one and one-half of another of two reservoirs and an 8 MG reservoir owned by Three Valleys Municipal Water District.

     As of December 31, 2004, CCWC’s physical properties consisted of water transmission and distribution systems, which included 182 miles of pipeline, together with services, meters, fire hydrants, wells, reservoirs with a combined storage capacity of 7.05 million gallons and other water utility facilities including a surface water treatment plant, which treats water from the Central Arizona Project.

     Beginning in October 2004, FBWS commenced the operations of the facilities that it owns at Fort Bliss to provide water and wastewater services.

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Mortgage and Other Liens

     As of December 31, 2004, SCW had no mortgage debt outstanding, and its properties were substantially free of any encumbrances or liens securing indebtedness. For further information, see the section entitled “Contractual, Obligations and Other Commitments” in Part II, Item 7 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation.

     As of December 31, 2004, substantially all of the utility plant of CCWC was pledged to secure its Industrial Development Authority Bonds, which among other things, restricts CCWC’s ability to incur debt and make liens, sell, lease or dispose of assets, or merge with another corporation, and pay dividends.

     As of December 31, 2004, neither AWR nor ASUS or any of its subsidiaries had any mortgage debt or liens securing indebtedness outstanding.

Condemnation of Properties

     The laws of the State of California and the State of Arizona provide for the acquisition of public utility property by governmental agencies through their power of eminent domain, also know as condemnation, where doing so is in the public interest. In addition, however, the laws of the State of California also provide: (1) that the owner of the utility property may contest whether the condemnation is actually in the public interest; and (2) that the owner is entitled to receive the fair market value of its property if the property is ultimately taken. Although the City of Claremont, California located in SCW’s Region III, has not initiated the formal condemnation process pursuant to California law, the City has expressed various concerns to the company about the rates charged by the Company and the effectiveness of the California Public Utilities Commission’s rate setting procedures. The City has also hired a consultant to perform an appraisal of the value of Registrant’s water system serving that city. Such value was determined by the consultant at $46 million. SCW is currently meeting with the City to discuss various concepts such as a public private partnership where the City and the Company could work together to resolve the City’s concerns. While the City has publicly disclosed some of its proposals in its City Council meetings, to date, there has been no agreement reached between the Company and the City that alleviates the City’s concerns. Except for the City of Claremont, Registrant has not been, within the last three years, involved in activities related to the condemnation of any of its water customer service areas or in its Bear Valley Electric customer service area. As of December 31, 2004, the recorded net book value of the Claremont water system is approximately $33 million.

Item 3 — Legal Proceedings

     Water Quality-Related Litigation

     SCW was a defendant in twenty-two lawsuits involving claims pertaining to water quality. Nineteen of the lawsuits were coordinated in the Los Angeles Superior Court and involved water served by the company in the San Gabriel Valley and Pomona Valley areas of Los Angeles County. On August 4, 2004, SCW was ordered dismissed from all the nineteen cases in Los Angeles County. The order was issued by the Trial Judge presiding over these matters, and follows a lengthy legal proceeding dating back to April, 1997. The court found SCW did not violate established water quality standards and dismissed the cases after allowing reasonable time and opportunity to the plaintiffs to prove otherwise. On September 21, 2004, several plaintiffs filed an appeal to the trial court’s order to dismiss SCW. SCW is unable to predict the outcome of this appeal. These lawsuits filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court were based on allegations that SCW and the other defendants had provided and continued to provide plaintiffs with contaminated water from its wells, several of which are located in an area of the San Gabriel Valley that had been designated a federal superfund site, that the maintenance of this contaminated well water had resulted in contamination of the soil, subsurface soil and surrounding air with solvents and other substances, and that plaintiffs had been injured and their property damaged as a result.

     Three of the lawsuits involved a customer service area located in Sacramento County that had been filed in Sacramento County Superior Court. In July 2004, one of the plaintiffs filed for dismissal and the Court subsequently dismissed the case. In October 2004, the remaining two claims were also ordered dismissed by the Court. The claims have been permanently dismissed since the plaintiffs failed to file a “Notice of Appeal” within the allotted time of 60 days. These lawsuits filed in Sacramento County Superior Court were based on the allegations that SCW and other defendants had delivered water to plaintiffs that were contaminated with a number of chemicals, including

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trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, perchlorate, Freon-113, hexavalent chromium and other unnamed chemicals and that plaintiffs had been injured and their property damaged as a result.

     SCW is subject to self-insured retention provisions in its applicable insurance policies and has either expensed the self-insured amounts or has reserved against payment of these amounts as appropriate. SCW’s various insurance carriers have, to date, provided reimbursement for costs incurred above the self-insured amounts for defense against these lawsuits, subject to a reservation of rights.

     Other Water Quality Litigation

     Perchlorate and/or Volatile Organic Compounds (“VOC”) have been detected in five wells servicing SCW’s San Gabriel System. SCW filed suit, along with two other affected water purveyors and the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority (“WQA”), in federal court against some of those responsible for the contamination. Some of the other potential defendants settled with SCW, other water purveyors and the WQA (the “Water Entities”) on VOC related issues prior to the filing of the lawsuit. In response to the filing of the Federal lawsuit, the Potentially Responsible Party (“PRP”) defendants filed motions to dismiss the suit or strike certain portions of the suit. The judge issued a ruling on April 1, 2003 granting in part and denying in part the defendant’s motions. A key ruling of the court was that the water purveyors, including the Registrant, by virtue of their ownership of wells contaminated with hazardous chemicals are themselves PRPs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). Registrant has, pursuant to permission of the court, amended its suit to claim certain affirmative defenses as an “innocent” party under CERCLA. In this same suit, the PRPs have filed cross-complaints against the Registrant, the other two affected water purveyors, the WQA and the Metropolitan Water District, the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster and others on the theory that they arranged for and did transport contaminated water into the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Basin for use by Registrant and the other two affected water providers and for other related claims. Registrant is presently unable to predict the outcome of this ruling on its ability to fully recover from the PRPs the future costs associated with the treatment of these wells.

     On August 29, 2003, the US Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued Unilateral Administrative Orders (“UAO”) against 41 parties deemed responsible for polluting the groundwater in that portion of the San Gabriel Valley from which two of SCW’s impacted wells draw water. SCW was not named as a party to the UAO. The UAO requires that these parties remediate the contamination. The judge in the Federal lawsuit has appointed a special master to oversee mandatory settlement discussions between the PRPs and the Water Entities. EPA is also conducting settlement discussions with several PRPs, including those which previously settled with the Water Entities on VOC matters, regarding the UAO. The Water Entities and EPA are working to coordinate their settlement discussions in order to arrive at a complete resolution of all issues affecting the Federal lawsuits and the UAO. Registrant is presently unable to predict the ultimate outcome of any of these settlement discussions.

     Santa Maria Groundwater Basin Adjudication

     In 1997, the Santa Maria Valley Water Conservation District (plaintiff) filed a lawsuit against multiple defendants, including SCW, the City of Santa Maria, and several other public water purveyors. The plaintiff’s lawsuit seeks an adjudication of the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin. After some procedural rulings by the superior court, the lawsuit is now a full basin adjudication involving all entities owning 10 acres or more within the Basin boundaries — approximately 1,400 defendants. The plaintiff’s stated objective in the adjudication lawsuit is to have the superior court impose and oversee the implementation of a Basin management plan that ensures the long-term integrity and reliability of the Basin water resources. To protect its groundwater supply so that sufficient water production rights continue to be available to meet SCW’s customers’ needs in the Santa Maria customer service area, SCW has been vigorously defending its water rights in the adjudication lawsuit. As of December 31, 2004, SCW has incurred costs in defending its rights in the Basin, including legal and expert witness fees, which have been deferred in Utility Plant for rate recovery. Management believes that, when the adjudication lawsuit is finally resolved, SCW will have secured its right to pump groundwater from the Basin and to continue to rely on the Basin as a source of supply for its customers’ needs. Management also believes that the recovery of these costs through rates is probable; however, management cannot give assurance that the CPUC will ultimately allow recovery of all or any of the costs that have accumulated with this lawsuit.

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     Other Litigation

     Registrant is also subject to ordinary routine litigation incidental to its business. Other than as disclosed above, no other legal proceedings are pending, which are believed to be material. Management believes that rate recovery, proper insurance coverage and reserves are in place to insure against property, general liability and workers’ compensation claims incurred in the ordinary course of business.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

     No matter was submitted during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this report to a vote of security holders through the solicitation of proxies or otherwise.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information Relating to Common Shares -

     Common Shares of American States Water Company are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol AWR. The intra-day high and low NYSE prices on the Common Shares for each quarter during the past two years were:

Approximate Number of Holders of Common Shares

     As of March 11, 2005, there were 3,412 holders of record of the 16,768,396 Common Shares of American States Water Company. AWR owns all of the authorized and outstanding Common Shares of SCW, CCWC and ASUS. ASUS owns all of the outstanding stock of FBWS.

Frequency and Amount of Any Dividends Declared and Dividend Restrictions

     For the last three years, AWR has paid dividends on its Common Shares on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1. The following table lists the amount of dividends paid on Common Shares of American States Water Company:

     AWR and ASUS are not subject to any contractual restriction on their ability to pay dividends, except the requirement in the $75 million Credit Facility for AWR to maintain compliance with all covenants described in footnote (3) to the table in the section entitled “Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments” included in Part II, Item 7 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation. SCW’s maximum ability to pay dividends is restricted by certain Note Agreements to the sum of $21 million plus 100% of consolidated net income plus the aggregate net cash proceeds received from capital stock offerings or other instruments convertible into capital stock from various dates. Under the most restrictive of the Note Agreements, $195.1 million was available to pay dividends to AWR on December 31, 2004. For further information, see footnote (3) to the table in the section entitled “Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments” included in Part II, Item 7 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation.

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     The ability of AWR, ASUS and SCW to pay dividends is also restricted by California law. Under restrictions of the California tests, approximately $89.4 million of AWR’s retained earnings was available to pay dividends to Common Shareholders at December 31, 2004. Approximately $87.8 million was available from the retained earnings of SCW at December 31, 2004 to pay dividends to AWR. At December 31, 2004, ASUS was unable to pay dividends to AWR under the California tests.

     CCWC is subject to contractual restrictions on its ability to pay dividends. CCWC’s maximum ability to distribute dividends is limited to maintenance of no more than 55% debt in the capital structure for the quarter immediately preceding the distribution. The ability of CCWC to pay dividends is also restricted under Arizona law. Under restrictions of the Arizona tests, approximately $5.2 million was available to pay dividends to AWR at December 31, 2004. See footnote (8) to the table in the section entitled “Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments” included in Part II, Item 7 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operation.

     AWR paid $13.9 million in common dividends to shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2004, as compared to $13.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. SCW paid dividends of $15.8 and $15.4 million to AWR in 2004 and 2003, respectively. CCWC and ASUS did not pay any dividends to AWR in 2004 or 2003.

Other Information

     The shareholders of AWR have approved the material features of all equity compensation plans under which AWR directly issues equity securities. AWR did not directly issue any unregistered equity securities during 2004.

     The following table provides information about Company repurchases of its Common Shares during 2004:

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation

     Unless specifically noted, the following discussion and analysis provides information on AWR’s consolidated operations and assets. For the year ended December 31, 2004, there is generally no material difference between the consolidated operations and assets of AWR and the operations and assets of SCW. However, where necessary, the following discussion and analysis includes references specifically to AWR’s other subsidiaries – CCWC and ASUS.

Forward-Looking Information

     Certain matters discussed in this report (including the documents incorporated herein by reference) are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the “safe harbor” from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as Registrant “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects” or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe Registrant’s future plans, objectives, estimates or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such statements address future events and conditions concerning capital expenditures, earnings, litigation, rates, water quality and other regulatory matters, adequacy of water supplies, SCW’s ability to recover electric, natural gas and water supply costs from ratepayers, contract operations, liquidity and capital resources, and accounting matters. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements, by reason of factors such as changes in utility regulation, including ongoing local, state and federal activities; recovery of regulatory assets not yet included in rates; future economic conditions, including changes in customer demand and changes in water and energy supply cost; future climatic conditions, including the recent wet winter in Southern California and Phoenix areas; and legislative, legal proceedings, regulatory and other circumstances affecting anticipated revenues and costs.

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Consolidated Results of Operations — Years Ended December 31, 2004 and 2003

     Net income for the year ended December 31, 2004 increased by 55.9% to $18.5 million, equivalent to $1.19 and $1.18 per common share on basic and fully diluted bases, respectively, compared to $11.9 million or $0.78 per share for the year ended December 31, 2003. The increase in recorded results reflects increased rates in each of the three SCW water regions that were effective during the first quarter of 2004, offset by an increase in: (i) supply costs due to more purchased water in SCW’s resource mix; and (ii) increases in administrative and general expenses due to higher outside services and pension costs. In addition, there was a favorable decision issued by the CPUC on July 8, 2004 that resulted in a $5.2 million net pretax increase in operating income. SCW received $5.7 million in May of 2004 from the City of Santa Monica (“City”) pursuant to a settlement agreement in which SCW sold its water rights in the Charnock Groundwater Basin (“Basin”) to the City and assigned to the City its rights against all potentially responsible parties who stored, transported and dispensed gasoline containing methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in underground storage tanks, pipelines or other related infrastructure in the Basin. The total proceeds of $5.7 million from the sale and the assignment of rights were offset by an impairment loss of $482,000 associated with assets removed from rate base, pursuant to the decision. SCW recorded the impairment loss on assets removed from rate-base in “other operating expenses”.

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Operating Revenues

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, revenues from water operations increased by 7.2% to $200.6 million, compared to $187.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. Higher water revenues reflect an increase of 1.0% in water consumption resulting from changes in weather conditions that contributed to an increase in revenues of approximately $2.4 million. Differences in temperature and rainfall in Registrant’s service areas impact sales of water to customers, causing fluctuations in Registrant’s revenues and earnings between comparable periods. Additionally, the CPUC in its March 16, 2004 decision authorized an annualized increase of approximately $8.1 million in revenues for SCW’s Region III service area that was effective on March 22, 2004 and increased revenues by approximately $6.1 million in 2004. In addition, in August 2004, the CPUC approved rate increases for Regions I and II that became effective retroactive to January 1 and February 14, respectively. This also contributed to the increase in water revenues between the two periods of approximately $4.9 million in 2004.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, revenues from electric operations increased by 4.5% to $25.6 million compared to $24.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. The increase reflects primarily an increase of 4.25% in kilowatt-hour consumption.

     Registrant relies upon rate approval by state regulatory agencies in California and Arizona, in order to recover operating expenses and provide for a return on invested and borrowed capital used to fund utility plant. Without such adequate rate relief granted in a timely manner, revenues and earnings can be negatively impacted.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, other operating revenues increased by 75.1% to $1.8 million compared to $1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due primarily to approximately $544,000 of additional revenues associated with the operation of the water and wastewater systems at Fort Bliss, located near El Paso, Texas that commenced on October 1, 2004 pursuant to the terms of a 50-year contract with the U.S. Government. In addition, there was a $213,000 increase in ASUS’s contracted services.

Operating Expenses

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, 46% of the Company’s supply mix was purchased water as compared to 43% purchased water for the year ended December 31, 2003. Purchased water costs increased by 13.7% to $46.1 million compared to $40.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. The increase is due primarily to additional purchases of water to replace groundwater supply lost due to wells being removed from service. The wells were removed from service as a result of water quality issues and mechanical problems, particularly in SCW’s Metropolitan and Foothill districts. Together, the cost of purchased water in these districts increased by approximately $3.9 million. In addition, increases in the other districts totaled $1.1 million due to increases in water consumption and supplier rates. Finally, approximately $547,000 was incurred beginning in June 2004 in connection with the trucking of water in SCW’s Wrightwood customer service area due to a continued decline in water levels and production capacity in the existing wells. With the completion and placing into service of a new well, SCW stopped hauling water in August 2004. SCW has hired an engineering consultant to assist in finding a long-term answer to the water supply for the Wrightwood community. In the interim, the recent wet weather in Southern California has been beneficial to groundwater levels in the Wrightwood area.

     Changes in the water resource mix between water supplied from purchased sources and that supplied from Registrant’s own wells can increase/decrease actual supply-related costs relative to that approved for recovery through rates, thereby impacting earnings either negatively or positively. Registrant has the opportunity to change the supply-related costs recovered through rates by application to the appropriate regulatory body. Registrant believes that its applications for recovery of supply-related costs accurately reflect the water supply situation as it is known at the time. However, it is impossible to adequately protect earnings from adverse changes in supply costs related to unforeseen contamination or other loss of water supply.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, the cost of power purchased for pumping decreased by 12.2% to $9.0 million compared to $10.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due to additional wells being taken out of service due to water quality issues and for unscheduled maintenance which resulted in increased purchased water and less pumping, the effects of which were partially offset by higher consumption.

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     For the year ended December 31, 2004, cost of power purchased for resale to customers in SCW’s Bear Valley Electric division increased by 4.9% to $14.6 million compared to $13.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. The increase was due primarily to the reversal in 2004 of a $644,000 gain generated from a one-time sale of energy on the spot market in April 2001. The gain, which was previously recorded in April 2001 to the supply cost balancing account, was ordered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) in March 2004 to be refunded, plus interest, to Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, Inc. (“Mirant Marketing”). This refund increased the cost of power purchased for resale during the year ended December 31, 2004, with a corresponding decrease in the supply cost balancing account included in the statement of income. There was no net impact on earnings. The sale of excess energy on the spot market in 2001 resulted from a one-month overlap of energy purchase agreements. In addition, there was a $254,000 increase in natural gas cost for the new 8MW generator that went on-line in the fourth quarter of 2004. These increases were partially offset by $148,000 of decreased purchased power for resale resulting from certain refunds and credits.

     Unrealized gain and loss on purchased power contracts represents gains and losses recorded for SCW’s purchased power agreements with Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (“PWCC”), which qualify as derivative instruments under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities”. The $136,000 pretax unrealized loss on purchased power contracts for the year ended December 31, 2004 is due to a decrease in the current forward market prices since December 31, 2003. Unrealized gains and losses at Bear Valley Electric will continue to impact earnings during the life of the contract with PWCC, which terminates in 2008.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, Registrant recorded a $5.7 million gain on the sale of water rights reflecting a favorable CPUC decision on July 8, 2004. As discussed previously, the $5.7 million represents settlement proceeds received in May 2004 from the City of Santa Monica relating to the sale and the assignment of rights regarding the Charnock Groundwater Basin.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, groundwater production assessments decreased by 1.1% as compared to the year ended December 31, 2003 due to: (i) a reduction in pumped water production by approximately 1.8% and, (ii) SCW’s receipt of $740,000 for leasing excess water rights during the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $165,000 received during the year ended December 31, 2003. These excess water rights are recorded as a reduction to groundwater production assessments. These decreases were partially offset by increases in assessment rates levied against groundwater production, effective July 2003 and 2004. The decrease in pumped water costs was due primarily to wells in the Metropolitan and Foothill districts being down for maintenance and water quality reasons. This resulted in increased purchased water and less pumping.

     A decrease of $2.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2004 in the provision for supply cost balancing accounts as compared to the year ended December 31, 2003 primarily reflects the recording of a probable refund of $3.5 million to customers representing the net proceeds received from the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) with respect to the Charnock Basin contamination, pursuant to a proposed decision issued by the CPUC in December 2003, which was finalized in July 2004. In addition, there was the $644,000 refund to Mirant Marketing, previously discussed in cost of power purchased for resale. These decreases were offset by the recording of $1.8 million net over-collection in the water memorandum supply cost accounts as a regulatory liability during 2004, with a corresponding charge booked to the provision for supply cost balancing account. This followed SCW’s filing of advice letters for Regions I and II related to the memorandum supply cost accounts on April 30, 2004. As a result, in May 2004, SCW began recording the net over-collection as a regulatory liability.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, other operating expenses increased by 9.5% to $20.0 million compared to $18.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due primarily to: (i) an impairment loss totaling $482,000 recorded in June of 2004 related to the Charnock Groundwater Basin assets being removed from rate-base pursuant to the CPUC order on July 8, 2004; (ii) higher labor costs which increased by approximately $447,000; (iii) higher operating expenses of $262,000 at ASUS due to the commencement of operations of the water and wastewater system at Fort Bliss; (iv) the receipt of $225,000 in 2003 in connection with a settlement agreement with a PRP for the contamination of one of SCW’s wells for previously incurred outside services in connection with this issue (There was no similar reimbursements in 2004); and (v) increases in various other operating expenses.

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     For the year ended December 31, 2004, administrative and general expenses increased by 17.0% to $41.8 million compared to $35.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due primarily to: (i) approximately $644,000 increase in outside legal and consulting services incurred in connection with new business development, most specifically in the area of privatization of water and wastewater systems at military bases, (ii) approximately $892,000 increase in outside services related to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance requirements, (iii) approximately $1.3 million increase in pensions and benefits due to actuarial assumption changes in the discount rate and expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, and increases in various benefit costs, (iv) the reversal of $500,000 and $1.9 million in water quality related reserves into income during the first quarter and fourth quarter of 2003, respectively, and (v) approximately $803,000 increase in general rate case expenses. Registrant believes that prudent administrative expenses approved in advance by state regulators to be incurred in the operation and management of its regulated subsidiaries will be recovered through water and electric rates. Amounts included in each general rate case are estimated for future years. Overages from those estimates are not covered in rates.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, depreciation and amortization expense increased by 5.2% to $20.8 million compared to $19.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 reflecting, among other things, the effects of recording approximately $35 million in additions to utility plant during 2003, depreciation on which began in January 2004. In addition, Region II’s general rate case was approved in August 2004 by the CPUC, which increased the depreciation composite rates retroactive to February 14, 2004 to match the timing of revenue recovery. This resulted in an increase in depreciation expense of approximately $344,000 for the year ended December 31, 2004. Registrant anticipates that depreciation expense will continue to increase due to Registrant’s on-going construction program at its regulated subsidiaries. Registrant believes that depreciation expense related to property additions approved by the appropriate regulatory agency will be recovered through water and electric rates.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, maintenance expense increased by 16.4% to $11.6 million compared to $9.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due principally to an increase in required maintenance on SCW’s wells and water supply sources, an increase in main leaks and resultant emergency repairs, and acceleration of certain scheduled maintenance projects. These maintenance increases are included in each general rate case and are covered in rates.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, taxes on operating income increased by 46.1% to $13.4 million compared to $9.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due, in part, to an increase in pretax operating income of 28%. In addition, the effective income tax rate (“ETR”) applicable to the year ended December 31, 2004 reflects an increase of approximately five percentage points to 42.4% as compared to a 37.1% ETR applicable to the year ended December 31, 2003. Associated with this increase was a net positive increase in differences (principally related to compensatory and deferred-rate-case expenses) between book and taxable income that are treated as flow-through items. Positive flow-through differences increase tax expense in one year, with an offsetting decrease in tax expense occurring in another year.

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, other taxes increased by 6.3% to $8.8 million compared to $8.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 reflecting additional property taxes resulting from higher assessed values, and increases in payroll taxes based on increased labor costs.

Other Income (Loss)

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, other net income increased to $301,000 as compared to a loss of $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. This is a result of a CPUC decision on March 16, 2004 that ordered SCW to refund 70 percent of the total amount of lease revenues received form the City of Folsom since 1994, plus interest, to customers. Pursuant to the order, for the year ended December 31, 2003 SCW recorded a $6.2 million charge against non-operating income (less $2.5 million of taxes). In addition, during 2004 there was a $1 million reduction in SCW’s estimate of customer refunds associated with lease revenues from the City of Folsom.

Interest Charges

     For the year ended December 31, 2004, interest expense decreased by 1.2% to $17.9 million compared to $18.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due primarily to repayment of $12.5 million of long-term debt in October of 2003 and recovery of carrying costs of approximately $168,000 on the costs incurred in the water quality Order Instituting Investigation matter authorized by the CPUC in March 2004, partially offset by increases in short-term borrowings.

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Consolidated Results of Operations — Years Ended December 31, 2003 and 2002

     Net income for the year ended December 31, 2003 decreased 41.5% to $11.9 million, equivalent to $0.78 per common share on a basic and fully diluted basis, compared to $20.3 million or $1.34 per share for the year ended December 31, 2002. The decreases in recorded results reflect primarily the continued lack of timely approval of revenue increases by the CPUC, cooler weather conditions experienced during 2003 in the Company’s service areas as compared to the same time in 2002 resulting in a decrease in water demand, the recording of a $6.2 million refund of water right lease revenues pursuant to a CPUC order issued on March 16, 2004, the recording of a probable refund of $3.5 million to customers during the fourth quarter of 2003, increased operating expenses, reversal of $6.5 million in 2002 for potential non-recovery of electric power costs incurred to serve customers at SCW’s Bear Valley Electric customer service area, and various other reasons as discussed below.

Operating Revenues

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, revenues from water operations increased slightly by 0.1% to $187.2 million compared to $187.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2002. Higher water revenues reflect two rate increases for SCW’s Region II that were effective on January 21, 2003 and February 4, 2003, respectively. These rate increases are expected to generate additional water revenues of approximately $6.2 million annually. The rate increases were offset by a decrease of 3.0% in water consumption resulting from more precipitation and cooler temperatures in most of SCW’s service areas. Differences in temperature and rainfall in Registrant’s service areas impact sales of water to customers causing fluctuations in Registrant’s revenues and earnings between comparative periods.

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     For the year ended December 31, 2003, revenues from electric operations increased by 15.0% to $24.5 million compared to $21.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2002. The increase reflects rate increases in July 2002 authorized by the CPUC to cover purchased power costs under various power supply agreements which resulted in increased revenues of approximately $3 million, and a slight increase in kilowatt-hour consumption.

     Other operating revenues consist of water related services and operations on a contract basis ranging from services, such as billing and meter reading, to full operation of water utility related systems, all performed by ASUS. For the year ended December 31, 2003, other operating revenues increased by 19.9% to $1.0 million compared to $846,000 for the year ended December 31, 2002 due to the addition of a new billing contract with the City of Chino Hills which increased revenues by approximately $100,000.

Operating Expenses

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, purchased water costs decreased by 5.4% to $40.5 million compared to $42.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2002. The decrease is due primarily to: (i) higher costs in 2002 resulting from approximately $1.4 million incurred in connection with the purchasing and trucking of water in SCW’s Wrightwood customer service area due to a sudden and unexplained drop in groundwater level in the area during the early part of the third quarter of 2002 until January 2003; (ii) a $735,000 reimbursement from Aerojet on water purchased from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding entered into in October 2003; (iii) approximately $680,000 of refunds from Metropolitan Water District member agencies relating to the 2003 water year; and (iv) approximately $1.3 million due to overall lower consumption in 2003 compared to 2002. The decrease is offset by: (i) an increase of $400,000 in the costs of water rights pumped in SCW’s Region II and (ii) an increase of $1.2 million of additional purchased water in 2003 necessary to replace pumped water supply lost due to wells being temporarily removed from service as a result of water quality issues and mechanical problems, particularly in SCW’s Foothill district. Registrant takes a number of wells out of service from time-to-time due to various causes, including contamination by third parties. For the year ended December 31, 2003, 43% of our supply mix was purchased water as compared to 41% purchased water for the year ended December 31, 2002.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, cost of power purchased for pumping decreased by 3.3% to $10.2 million compared to $10.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 due to lower consumption and additional wells down for maintenance and water quality issues. The effect of wells being offline was partially offset by increased power rates and resulted in an increase in purchased water as discussed above.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, cost of power purchased for resale to customers in SCW’s Bear Valley Electric division decreased by 12.3% to $13.9 million compared to $15.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2002. This decrease is due to the upfront payments received from Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PWCC) which result in lower power costs at a price of $74.65 per megawatt hour (MWh) effective November 2002 under SCW’s power supply agreements with PWCC as compared to $95 per MWh for energy purchased from Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, LLP (Mirant Marketing) under then existing contracts in the same period of 2002. Effective November 2002, SCW entered into a series of purchase power contracts with PWCC. Under the agreements, SCW will exchange 15 MWs of electric energy with PWCC that results in an upfront payment of $20.35 per MWh for 15 MWs over the period beginning November 1, 2002 through December 31, 2006. This upfront payment is being recorded as a reduction of purchased power costs that are included in the supply cost balancing account.

     Unrealized gain and loss on purchased power contracts represents gains and losses recorded for SCW’s purchased power agreements, with PWCC, which qualify as derivative instruments under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities”. The $638,000 pretax unrealized gain on purchased power contracts for the year ended December 31, 2003 is due to an increase in the current forward market prices since December 31, 2002. There is no cash flow impact from the unrealized gains and losses on the purchased power contracts. Unrealized gains and losses at Bear Valley Electric will continue to impact earnings during the life of the contract with PWCC.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, groundwater production assessments decreased slightly by 1.0% to $7.3 million compared to $7.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 due to a decrease in pumped water, partially offset by increases in assessment rates levied against groundwater production effective July 2003.

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     A positive entry for the provision for supply cost balancing accounts reflects recovery of previously under-collected supply costs. Conversely, a negative entry for the provision for supply cost balancing accounts reflects an under-collection of previously incurred supply costs. An increase of $10.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2003 in the provision for supply cost balancing accounts as compared to the year ended December 31, 2002 primarily reflects (i) new rates authorized in July 2002 to recover electric power costs which resulted in approximately $3 million of revenues to recover electric power costs, (ii) the approval on June 19, 2003 of the pre-November 29, 2001 water supply balancing accounts totaling $1.6 million, which SCW will be amortizing over 24 months, and (iii) the recording of a probable refund of $3.5 million to customers representing the net proceeds received from the PRPs with respect to the Charnock Basin contamination, pursuant to the proposed decision issued by the CPUC in December 2003, which was finalized in July 2004.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, other operating expenses increased by 7.5% to $18.3 million compared to $17.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 due primarily to (i) higher labor, chemicals and water treatment costs which increased by almost $545,000, (ii) approximately $163,000 of refunds for a sewer service overpayment in June 2002 for which there was no counterpart in 2003; and (iii) reimbursements totaling $225,000 received during the year ended December 31, 2002 from settling parties for expenses incurred in the San Gabriel basin to meet water quality standards compared to recovery of 2002 expenses of $68,000 in 2003.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, administrative and general expenses increased by 19.0% to $35.7 million compared to $30.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 due primarily to (i) approximately $2.5 million increase in outside legal and consulting services incurred in connection with new business development, most specifically in the area of privatization of water and wastewater systems at military bases, and in defense of the Edison lawsuit for Bear Valley Electric, (ii) approximately $775,000 increase in pensions and benefits due to actuarial assumption changes in the discount rate and expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, and increases in various benefit costs, and (iii) the reversal of the remaining reserve of $6.5 million in 2002 for potential non-recovery of electric power costs incurred to serve customers at SCW’s Bear Valley Electric customer service area. The reserve was established in 2001 to offset future impacts to earnings for the difference between authorized rates and SCW’s actual electric power costs. There is no similar reversal in 2003. The increases are partially offset by the reversal of certain reserves based on a CPUC decision issued on March 16, 2004. On this date, the CPUC approved a special condition surcharge in rates to amortize the water quality Order Instituting Investigation (OII) memorandum account balance which SCW had previously reserved, and SCW is authorized to establish a memorandum account to accumulate costs to comply with certain contamination remediation requirements. Based on the decision, SCW reversed its $890,000 OII reserve and $1.0 million in water quality related reserves into income during the fourth quarter of 2003. Registrant believes that prudent administrative expenses incurred in the operation and management of its regulated subsidiaries will be recovered through water and electric rates.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, depreciation expense increased by 8.1% to $19.8 million compared to $18.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 reflecting, among other things, the effects of recording approximately $51 million in utility plant during 2002, depreciation on which began in January 2003. Registrant anticipates that depreciation expense will continue to increase due to Registrant’s on-going construction program at its regulated subsidiaries. Registrant believes that depreciation expense related to property additions approved by the appropriate regulatory bodies will be recovered through water and electric rates.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, maintenance expense increased slightly by 0.9% to $9.9 million compared to $9.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 due principally to increased maintenance on SCW’s water supply sources and maintenance of water mains.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, taxes on operating income decreased by 29.2% to $9.2 million compared to $12.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 due, in part, to a decrease in pretax operating income of 24.9%. In addition, the effective income tax rate (“ETR”) applicable to the year ended December 31, 2003 reflects a decrease of approximately two percentage points to 37.1% as compared to an ETR of 39.4% applicable to the year ended December 31, 2002. Associated with this decrease were differences between book and taxable income that are treated as flow-through items. Negative flow-through differences decrease tax expense in one year, with an offsetting increase in tax expense occurring in another year.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, other taxes increased by 7.4% to $8.3 million compared to $7.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 reflecting additional property taxes resulting from higher assessed values, and increases in payroll taxes based on increased labor costs.

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Other Income (Loss)

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, other income decreased to a $3.6 million loss compared to $390,000 income for the year ended December 31, 2002. The net decrease reflects a CPUC decision on March 16, 2004 that ordered SCW to refund 70 percent of the total amount of lease revenues received form the City of Folsom since 1994, plus interest, to customers. Pursuant to the order, for the year ended December 31, 2003 SCW recorded a $6.2 million charge against non-operating income (less $2.5 million of taxes). Registrant filed an appeal of the CPUC’s decision with the California Supreme Court. The Supreme Court denied Registrant’s appeal in February 2005. Other income (loss) also decreased due to the sale of a parcel of non-operating property in Region II of SCW in the first quarter of 2002 for which there was a gain of approximately $506,000.

Interest Charges

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, interest expense increased by 2.1% to $18.1 million compared to $17.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 due primarily to higher short-term borrowings incurred to finance capital expenditures. Registrant anticipates that interest costs will increase in future periods due to the need for additional external capital to fund its construction program and to the likelihood that interest rates will increase at some future point. Registrant believes that costs associated with capital used to fund construction at its regulated subsidiaries will continue to be recovered in water and electric rates charged to customers.

Critical Accounting Policies

     Critical accounting policies are those that are important to the portrayal of AWR’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and require the most difficult, subjective or complex judgments of AWR’s management. The need to make estimates about the effect of items that are uncertain is what makes these judgments difficult, subjective and/or complex. Management makes subjective judgments about the accounting and regulatory treatment of many items. The following are accounting policies that are critical to the financial statements of AWR. For more information regarding the significant accounting policies of Registrant, see Note 1 of “Notes to Financial Statements” included in Part II, Item 8 in Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

         Accounting for Rate Regulation

	•	Regulation and the effects of regulatory accounting have the most significant impact on the financial statements. When either SCW or CCWC file for adjustments to rates, the capital assets, operating costs and other matters are subject to review, and disallowances could occur. Regulatory disallowances have on occasion significantly impacted AWR’s results of operations. For example, as a result of a December 2003 proposed CPUC decision, Registrant recorded a $3.5 million pretax charge to earnings in the fourth quarter of 2003. The proposed decision required SCW to refund to customers approximately $3.5 million in net proceeds received from potentially responsible parties since 1998 for the contamination of one of the Company’s groundwater supplies. Management believed the refund was probable and as a result, SCW established a regulatory liability as of December 31, 2003. The final decision, which adopted the proposed decision, was issued in July 2004. In addition, Registrant recorded a $6.2 million pretax charge to non-operating income in the 2003 accounting year to reflect a decision issued by the CPUC on March 16, 2004. The decision ordered SCW to refund 70 percent of the total amount of lease revenues received by the City of Folsom since 1994, plus interest, to customers. These and other CPUC decisions have had a significant impact on Registrant’s financial statements.
	•	The utility subsidiaries, SCW and CCWC, have incurred various costs and received various credits reflected as regulatory assets and liabilities. Accounting for such costs and credits as regulatory assets and liabilities is in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 71 “Accounting for the Effects of Certain Types of Regulation” (SFAS 71). This statement sets forth the application of generally accepted accounting principles for those companies whose rates are established by or are subject to approval by an independent third-party regulator. Under SFAS 71, utility companies defer costs and credits on the balance sheet as regulatory assets and liabilities when it is probable that those costs and credits will be recognized in the rate making process in a period different from the period in which they would have been reflected in income by an unregulated company. These deferred regulatory assets and liabilities are then reflected in the income statement in the period in which the same amounts are reflected in the rates charged for service. If rate recovery is no longer probable, Registrant is required to write off

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		the related regulatory asset. At December 31, 2004, the consolidated balance sheet included regulatory assets, less regulatory liabilities, of $49.5 million. Management continually evaluates the anticipated recovery of regulatory assets, liabilities, and revenues subject to refund and will provide for allowances and/or reserves as deemed necessary.
	•	Registrant’s income tax calculations require estimates due principally to the regulated nature of the operations of SCW and CCWC, the multiple states in which Registrant operates, and potential future tax rate changes. Registrant uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Changes in regulatory treatment, or significant changes in tax-related estimates, assumptions or law, could have a material impact on the financial position and results of operations of Registrant.
	•	Depreciation is computed at composite rates based on depreciable plant at the beginning of each year and considered sufficient to amortize costs over the estimated remaining lives of assets. Depreciation studies are performed periodically and prospective changes in rates are estimated to make up for past differences. These studies are reviewed and approved by either the CPUC or the ACC. Changes in estimates of depreciable lives or changes in depreciation rates mandated by regulations could impact results of operations of Registrant in periods subsequent to the change. Depreciation is computed on the straight-line, remaining-life basis.
	•	As prescribed by the CPUC under its Uniform System of Accounts for Water Utilities, SCW is allowed to capitalize a portion of general costs such as engineering, supervision, general office salaries and expenses, legal expenses, insurance, injuries and damages, pensions and benefits, and taxes, as overhead construction costs included in SCW’s Utility Plant. All overhead construction costs are charged to jobs on the basis of the amounts of such overhead expenses reasonably applicable thereto, so that each job bears its equitable proportion of such costs and its direct costs.

     Accounting for Supply Costs

     As permitted by the CPUC, SCW maintains electric supply cost balancing accounts and, prior to November 29, 2001, maintained water supply cost balancing accounts to account for under-collections and over-collections of revenues designed to recover such costs. Costs are recorded as expenses and charged to balancing accounts when such costs are incurred. The balancing accounts are reversed when such costs are recovered through rate adjustments or through refunds of previously incurred costs. SCW accrues interest on its supply cost balancing accounts at the prevailing rate for 90-day commercial paper. CCWC does not maintain a supply cost balancing account.

     Water Supply Cost Memorandum Account – On November 29, 2001, the CPUC ordered water utilities with existing water supply balancing accounts to cease booking amounts to such accounts. In its place, water utilities are now required to establish a memorandum supply cost account. The over- or under-collection of water supply costs is recorded in this memorandum account in a manner similar to the balancing account. In a decision issued on June 19, 2003 related to the memorandum supply cost account, the CPUC concluded that: (i) if a utility is within its 3-year rate case cycle and does not earn in excess of its authorized rate of return, the utility is entitled to recover its costs in the memorandum supply cost account, subject to a reasonableness review by the CPUC; (ii) if a utility is either within or outside of its rate case cycle and earns in excess of its authorized rate-of-return, the utility’s recovery of expenses from the memorandum supply cost account will be reduced by the amount exceeding the authorized rate-of-return, and (iii) a utility is required to seek review of under and over collections by filing an advice letter annually.

     On April 30, 2004, SCW filed advice letters for Regions I and II for the period from November 29, 2001 to December 31, 2003 with respect to an approximate $1.4 million net over-collection, which has been recorded as a regulatory liability. An additional $451,000 of net over-collection related to the year ended December 31, 2004 has also been recorded as a regulatory liability at December 31, 2004. SCW recently filed an advice letter with the CPUC for review of the activity in the Region III memorandum supply cost account for the period from November 29, 2001 to December 31, 2003. Region III had a cumulative under-collection balance of $6.6 million and $5.2 million at December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2003, respectively, which are subject to earnings tests. A regulatory asset with respect to this under-collection will not be recorded until receipt of a CPUC decision authorizing the recovery of the under-collection.

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     Electric Balancing Account – Electric power costs incurred by SCW’s Bear Valley Electric division continue to be charged to its electric supply cost balancing account. The under-collection in the electric balancing account is $22.9 million at December 31, 2004 which was mostly incurred during the energy crisis in late 2000 and early 2001. The CPUC has authorized SCW to collect a surcharge from its customers of 2.2¢ per kilowatt hour through August 2011, to enable SCW to recover the under-collection. SCW sold 137,857,398, 132,849,639 and 131,826,314 kilowatt hours of electricity to its Bear Valley Electric division customers for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively. SCW anticipates electricity sales to be sufficient for it to recover the amount of the under-collection by August 2011. SCW is allowed to include only up to a weighted annual energy purchase cost of $77 per MWh each year through August 2011 in its electric supply cost balancing account. To the extent that the actual weighted average annual cost for power purchased exceeds the $77 per MWh amount, SCW will not be able to include these amounts in its balancing account and such amounts will be expensed. During the years ended December 2004, 2003 and 2002, SCW expensed approximately $195,000, $240,000 and 718,000, respectively, for costs over $77 per MWh.

     Accounting for Derivative Instruments

     In June 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” as amended by SFAS Nos. 138 and 149. A derivative financial instrument or other contract derives its value from another investment or designated benchmark. SFAS No. 133 requires companies to record derivatives on the balance sheet as assets and liabilities, and to measure those instruments at their fair value. SCW is a party to various block-forward purchase power contracts. Certain of these contracts qualify as an exception provided under the SFAS No. 133 for activities that are considered normal purchases and normal sales. These contracts are reflected in the statements of income at the time of contract settlement. Contracts that do not qualify for the normal purchases and normal sales exception have been recognized at fair market value on the balance sheet as an asset or liability and an unrealized gain or loss against earnings. On a quarterly basis, the related asset or liability will be adjusted to reflect the fair market value at the end of the quarter. As these contracts are settled, the realized gains or losses will be recorded in power purchased for resale, and the unrealized loss will be reversed. This resulted in a pretax unrealized loss of $136,000, pretax unrealized gain of $638,000 and a pretax unrealized loss of $2.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

     Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations

     SFAS No. 143, “Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations,” requires businesses to record the fair value of a liability for a legal obligation to retire an asset in the period in which the liability is incurred. A legal obligation is a liability that a party is required to settle as a result of an existing or enacted law, statute, ordinance or contract. When the liability is initially recorded, the entity capitalizes the cost by increasing the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. Over time, the liability is accreted to its present value each period, and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. Upon settlement of the liability, an entity either settles the obligation for its recorded amount or incurs a gain or loss upon settlement. Registrant adopted SFAS No. 143 on January 1, 2003, as required. Registrant’s legal obligations for retirement reflect principally the retirement of wells, which by law need to be destroyed and filled at the time of removal. As such, the regulated subsidiaries of Registrant incur asset retirement obligations. Retirement cost has historically been recovered through rates at the time of retirement. As a result, the cumulative effect upon adoption was reflected as a regulatory asset or liability. Accordingly, Registrant will also reflect the gain or loss at settlement as a regulatory asset or liability on the balance sheet. With regards to other long-lived assets, such assets either have indefinite lives or there is no legal obligation to retire the asset.

     Upon adoption on January 1, 2003, Registrant recorded an asset retirement obligation of $13.2 million at its net present value of $2.7 million, increased depreciable assets by $0.4 million for asset retirement costs, increased regulatory assets by $2.5 million and increased accumulated depreciation by $0.2 million. Amounts recorded under SFAS No. 143 are subject to various assumptions and determinations, such as determining whether a legal obligation exists to remove assets, and estimating the fair value of the costs of removal, when final removal will occur and the credit-adjusted risk-free interest rates to be utilized on discounting future liabilities. Changes that may arise over time with regard to these assumptions will change amounts recorded in the future. Estimating the fair value of the costs of removal were determined based on third party costs.

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     Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

     Registrant records plan assets, obligations and expenses related to its pension and other postretirement benefit plans based on actuarial valuations. Key assumptions in these valuations include discount rates, expected returns on plan assets, compensation increases and health care cost trend rates. Registrant believes that the assumptions utilized in recording obligations under the plans are reasonable based on prior experience and market conditions. Net periodic pension cost increased from $3.0 million for the plan year ended December 31, 2003 to $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2004 due to actuarial assumption changes in the discount rate. Postretirement benefit cost under Registrant’s medical insurance plan also increased by approximately $72,000 or 7%. The increases are estimated and included in each general rate case and are recovered through rates. Net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs for 2004 were computed using a discount rate and expected long-term rate of return on plan assets of 6.25% and 7.0%, respectively, as compared to 6.75% and 7.0% in 2003. Both pension and postretirement liabilities, and future pension and postretirement expense increase as the discount rate is reduced. In addition, pension and postretirement expense increase as the expected rate of return on plan assets decreases.

     At December 31, 2004, Registrant’s pension plan included a $70.8 million projected benefit obligation (PBO), $56.8 million in accumulated benefit obligation (ABO) and $51.2 million in plan assets. A 1% decrease in the discount rate would increase the PBO by approximately $7.1 million, with a corresponding change in the ABO. A 1% decrease in the expected rate of return on plan assets would increase pension expense by approximately $500,000.

     At December 31, 2004, Registrant’s medical insurance plan for employees hired prior to 1993 included $10.9 million in PBO and $3.9 million in plan assets. Total expense for the plan was approximately $1.1 million for 2004. Increasing the health care cost trend rate by one-percentage point would increase the accumulated obligation as of December 31, 2004 by $1 million and annual aggregate service and interest costs by $79,000. Decreasing the health care cost trend rate by one-percentage point would decrease the accumulated obligation as of December 31, 2004 by $875,000 and annual aggregate service and interest costs by $67,000.

     Unbilled Revenues

     SCW and CCWC record water and electric utility operating revenues when the service is provided to customers. Operating revenues include unbilled revenues that are earned (service has been provided) but not billed by the end of each accounting period. By using the billed revenues based on the last meter reading and billed customer numbers, an average amount billed per customer is used to estimate the unbilled revenues for estimated average remaining days to the end of the reporting period. Unbilled revenues are recorded for both monthly and bi-monthly customers.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

     AWR

     AWR funds its operating expenses and pays dividends on its outstanding Common Shares primarily through dividends from its subsidiaries, principally SCW. On September 22, 2004, AWR issued 1,400,000 shares in a registered public offering and received proceeds of $33.4 million, net of underwriter fees and other issuance costs of $2.0 million. In October 2004, AWR issued an additional 50,000 shares, and received proceeds of $1,212,500, net of underwriter fees of $50,500 in connection with a partial exercise of the over-allotment option by the underwriters. The total net proceeds from these sales were infused into SCW as equity and utilized to pay down SCW’s inter-company short-term loan amount, which was borrowed from the $75 million credit facility at the parent level to temporarily fund its capital needs. AWR used the repayment funds from SCW to pay down the credit facility.

     Net cash provided by operating activities was $50.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $46.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. The increase of $3.5 million was primarily attributable to the receipt of $8.7 million from Aerojet in connection with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which accounted for the change in other accounts receivable and $5.7 million of settlement proceeds from the City of Santa Monica received in May 2004. (For more information about the Aerojet MOU, see the section entitled “Environmental Matters” included in Part I, Item 2 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations). These increases were offset by a $10.0 million increase in taxes paid in 2004 as compared to 2003. Cash flows pertaining to income taxes payable in 2003 differed significantly from those in 2004 and 2002 principally because (1) the amount of overpayments applied in 2003 from the preceding year’s return filings

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exceeded those applied in 2004 and 2002 by $1.9 million and $3.5 million, respectively, and (2) the amount of refunds received in 2003 exceeded those received in 2004 and 2002 by $2.1 million and $2.8 million, respectively. In addition, the additional negative cash flow associated with the 2004 estimated tax payments was attributable to applying the annualized-income approach to remit payments and a significant fourth-quarter bonus depreciation benefit.

     Net cash used in investing activities was $84.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $57.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2003 due to higher capital expenditures consistent with budgeted increases.

     Net cash provided by financing activities was $25.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $4.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. The change was due primarily to the proceeds received from the issuance of Common Shares in September and October 2004 that was then used to pay down $34.0 million of short-term borrowings. This was offset in 2004 by additional short-term borrowings of $23 million.

     In June 2002, AWR established a $75 million revolving credit facility, which matures in June 2005. Up to $15 million of this facility may be used for letters of credit. As of December 31, 2004, an aggregate of $45 million in cash borrowing included in current liabilities and approximately $11.2 million of letters of credit were outstanding under this facility. AWR plans to renew and possibly increase the revolving credit facility prior to its expiration.

     Registrant anticipates that interest costs will increase in future periods due to the need for additional external capital to fund its construction program, potential general market interest rate increases and the April, 2004 downgrade of AWR’s credit rating by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service (S&P) from A+ to A- with a negative outlook. S&P debt ratings range from AAA (highest rating possible) to D (obligation is in default). Securities ratings are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold a security and are subject to change or withdrawal at any time by the rating agency. Registrant believes that costs associated with capital used to fund construction at its regulated subsidiaries will continue to be recovered in water and electric rates charged to customers.

     SCW

     In September 2004, the Board of Directors approved the issuance of 10 additional SCW Common Shares to AWR for $28.0 million. SCW used the proceeds to pay down its borrowings from AWR. In November 2004, the Board approved the issuance of an additional 2 shares to AWR for $7.1 million.

     Net cash provided by operating activities was $54.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $47.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. The increase of $7.2 million in cash provided by operations was primarily attributable to the receipt of $8.7 million from Aerojet in connection with the MOU and $5.7 million of settlement proceeds from the City of Santa Monica. This was offset by an $10.5 million increase in taxes paid in 2004 compared to 2003 for the reasons described above in the discussion of AWR’s liquidity.

     Net cash used in investing activities increased to $79.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $53.6 million for the same period of 2003 due to increased capital expenditures consistent with budgeted increases.

     Net cash provided for financing activities was $19.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $2.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2003, reflecting primarily $35.1 million received by SCW from the issuance in September and November 2004 of Common Shares to AWR, which was used to repay inter-company short-term borrowings. This was offset in 2004 by additional short-term borrowings of $22 million.

     SCW funds the majority of its operating expenses, payments on its debt, and dividends on its outstanding Common Shares through internal sources. Internal sources of cash flow are provided primarily by retention of a portion of earnings from operating activities. Internal cash generation is influenced by factors such as weather patterns, environmental regulation, litigation, changes in supply costs and regulatory decisions affecting SCW’s ability to recover these supply costs, and timing of rate relief. For further information, see the sections entitled “Risk Factors” included in Part I, Item 2 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

     SCW also relies on external sources, including equity investments and short-term borrowings from AWR, long-term debt, contributions-in-aid-of-construction, advances for construction and install-and-convey advances, to

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fund the majority of its construction expenditures. SCW has a Registration Statement on file with the SEC for issuance from time to time, of up to $100 million of debt securities. As of December 31, 2004, $50 million remained for issuance under this Registration Statement. Depending on market conditions, SCW plans to issue debt under this Registration Statement during the first six months of 2005 to pay down borrowings from AWR. AWR intends to use any funds received from SCW to pay down its borrowings under the revolving credit facility.

     In February 2005, Moody’s Investor Services (“Moody’s”) changed the rating outlook for $175 million of senior unsecured debt at SCW from A2 negative to A2 stable. Moody’s debt ratings range from Aaa (best quality) to C (lowest quality). SCW currently has a debt rating of A- with negative outlook by S&P. Securities ratings are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold a security and are subject to change or withdrawal at any time by the rating agency.

     CCWC

     CCWC funds the majority of its operating expenses, payments on its debt and dividends, if any, through internal operating sources. CCWC also relies on external sources, including long-term debt, contributions-in-aid-of-construction, advances for construction and install-and-convey advances, to fund the majority of its construction expenditures.

     CCWC, has long-term Industrial Development Authority Bonds (IDA Bonds) and a repayment contract due in 2006. Substantially all of the utility plant of CCWC is pledged as collateral for its IDA Bonds. The Bond Agreement, among other things, (i) requires CCWC to maintain certain financial ratios, (ii) restricts CCWC’s ability to incur additional debt, make liens, sell, lease or dispose of assets, merge with another corporation, and pay dividends, and (iii) requires CCWC to establish a debt service reserve fund held in trust for future payments. One of those covenants is the maintenance of a debt service coverage ratio of at least 2.0x, as defined and calculated in the loan and trust agreement, based on the twelve-month year end results. CCWC violated this debt service coverage ratio for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2004 and has requested and received a waiver.

     ASUS

     ASUS funds its operating expenses primarily through management fees and investments by or loans from AWR.

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Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments

     In addition to contractual maturities, Registrant has certain debt instruments that contain annual sinking fund or other principal payments. Registrant believes that it will be able to refinance debt instruments at their maturity through public issuance, or private placement, of debt or equity. Annual principal and interest payments are generally made from cash flow from operations.

     The following table reflects Registrant’s contractual obligations and commitments to make future payments pursuant to contracts as of December 31, 2004. All obligations and commitments are obligations and commitments of SCW unless otherwise noted.

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     Under the terms of its power purchase contracts with Mirant Marketing and PWCC, SCW is required to post security, at the request of the seller, if SCW is in default under the terms of the contract and the future value of the contract is greater than the future value of contracts of a similar term on the date of default. SCW will be in default under the terms of these contracts if its debt is rated less than BBB- by S&P or Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”) or less than Baa3 by Moody’s Investor Services, Inc (“Moody’s”). SCW currently has a senior unsecured debt rating of A- with negative outlook by S & P and A2 with a recent upgrade from negative to “stable outlook” by Moody’s. Fitch does not rate SCW.

     S&P debt ratings range from AAA (highest rating possible) to D (obligation is in default). Moody’s debt ratings range from Aaa (best quality) to C (lowest quality). Securities ratings are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold a security and are subject to change or withdrawal at any time by the rating agency.

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     Bear Valley Electric Service of SCW

     As of December 31, 2004, SCW had accrued $22.9 million in under-collected power costs, mostly incurred during the energy crisis in late 2000 and 2001 in connection with providing service to its Bear Valley Electric customers. SCW is authorized to include up to a weighted annual energy purchase cost of $77 per MWh each year through August, 2011 in its electric supply cost balancing account. To the extent that actual weighted average annual costs for power purchased exceeds the $77 per MWh amount, SCW will not be able to include these amounts in its balancing account and such amounts will be expensed, unless the CPUC approves adjustments.

     Power Supply Arrangements at SCW’s Bear Valley Electric Service Area

     Most of the electric energy sold by SCW to customers in its Bear Valley Electric customer service area is purchased from others. Beginning April 1, 2001, SCW entered into a five-year and nine-month, block forward purchase contract with Mirant Marketing for 15 MWs of electric energy at a price of $95 per MWh through December 31, 2006. Mirant Marketing filed a complaint with the FERC seeking to be refunded all or a portion of the gain, $644,000, from Registrant’s sale of excess energy on the spot market in 2001 resulting from a one-month overlap of energy purchase agreements. In March 2004, the FERC issued an order requiring SCW to refund the $644,000, plus interest, to Mirant Marketing. This refund increased the cost of power purchased for resale during the year ended December 31, 2004, with an increase in the under-collection of the supply cost balancing account. There was no net impact on earnings. On November 1, 2004, the FERC issued another order, granting a request for clarification filed by the Western Systems Power Pool (“WSPP”) and supported by SCW in the complaint proceeding filed by Mirant Marketing in connection with the April 2001 sale. The order agrees with WSPP and SCW that the WSPP agreement allowed SCW to collect the WSPP agreement’s cost-based adder in addition to the SCW’s incremental cost of selling to Mirant Marketing. In the FERC’s original order, SCW was denied its request to charge the cost based adder. In the November 1, 2004 order, the FERC reversed this denial and stated that it denied SCW’s application of the adder to the Mirant Marketing sale premised solely on the view that the adder applied only in the case of owned resources. The result of this new order is to allow SCW to charge a $21.11 per MWh adder on top of the $95.00 per MWh. The amount of this adder results in a reduction in the amount refunded to Mirant Marketing in March 2004 by approximately $253,000 inclusive of interest. SCW will apply any payments received by Mirant Marketing as a reduction to SCW’s unrecovered purchased power costs in its electric supply cost balancing account, with a corresponding decrease in the cost of power purchased for resale, thus resulting in no net impact on earnings.

     On July 14, 2003, Mirant Marketing announced that, to facilitate its financial restructuring, it filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Registrant has not experienced any interruption in the delivery of electric energy under the Mirant Marketing contract. At this time, Registrant expects no interruption in the delivery of electric energy under the contract.

     In June 2001, SCW executed an agreement with PWCC for an additional 8 MWs of electric energy to meet peak winter demands. The contract provided for pricing of $75 per MWh from November 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002, $48 per MWh from November 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003 and $36 per MWh from November 1, 2003 to March 31, 2004.

     In September 2002, SCW entered into a series of purchased power contracts with PWCC. Under the agreements, SCW will sell 15 MWs to PWCC of electric energy at a price of $95 per MWh beginning November 1, 2002 through December 31, 2006, and the 8 MWs of electric energy covered under the energy purchase agreement with PWCC discussed previously. In return, PWCC agreed to supply SCW with 15 MWs of electric energy at a price of $74.65 per MWh beginning November 1, 2002 through December 31, 2008, and an additional 8 MWs at $74.65 per MWh beginning on November 1, 2002 through March 31, 2003 and each succeeding November 1 through March 31 period through March 31, 2008, and for the period November 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008. Settlement of these contracts occurs on a net or cash basis through 2006 and by physical delivery through 2008.

     The average minimum monthly load at SCW’s Bear Valley Electric customer service area has been approximately 12 MWs. The average winter load has been 18 MWs with a winter peak of 39 MWs when the snowmaking machines at the ski resorts are operating. In addition to the power purchase contracts, SCW buys additional energy from the spot market to meet peak demand and sells surplus power to the spot market as well. The average cost of power purchased, including the transactions in the spot market, was approximately $78.27 per MWh for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $78.60 per MWh for the same period of 2003. SCW’s average energy costs are impacted by pricing fluctuations on the spot market.

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     Transmission Constraints

     Demand for energy in SCW’s Bear Valley Electric customer service area generally has been increasing. However, the ability of SCW to deliver purchased power to these customers is limited by the ability of the transmission facilities owned by Edison to transmit this power. On December 27, 2000, SCW filed a lawsuit against Edison for breach of contract as a result of delays in upgrading these transmission facilities as well as for violations of good faith and fair dealing, negligent misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.

     In March 2004, SCW and Edison agreed to settle this suit. Under the terms of the settlement, SCW agreed to pay a $5 million project abandonment fee to Edison. Edison filed an application to the FERC for approval to treat the entire $5 million settlement payment as abandoned project cost to be included in Edison’s wholesale rate charged to SCW. In addition, Edison is to sell the Goldhill substation and associated transmission line to SCW at its book value. SCW made an initial lump sum payment of $1.4 million to Edison during the first quarter of 2004 and agreed to pay Edison the remaining $3.6 million over a 15 year term through 180 equal monthly payments of $38,137. In August 2004, the FERC approved Edison’s application and SCW recorded the $1.4 million payment in the supply cost balancing account. This amount was previously recorded as a regulatory asset pending FERC approval of Edison’s application. In addition, monthly payments totaling $228,822 made to Edison during the year ended December 31, 2004 are also included in the electric supply cost balancing account.

     New Generation Facility

     As a means of meeting the increasing demands for energy and limiting SCW’s exposure to changes in spot market prices, SCW has constructed a natural gas-fueled 8.4 MW generation facility. The generator went on line during the third quarter of 2004. SCW filed for increased rates in the third quarter of 2004, using a special filing called a “Major Additions Adjustment Clause” or “MAAC” filing that should result in 100% of the revenue requirement related to this facility being included in rates. We anticipate the new rates will be in effect in the second quarter of 2005. See the section entitled “Regulatory Matters” included in Part I, Item 2 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for more details.

Construction Program

     SCW maintains an ongoing water distribution main replacement program throughout its customer service areas based on the priority of leaks detected, fire protection enhancement and an underlying replacement schedule. In addition, SCW upgrades its electric and water supply facilities in accordance with industry standards, local requirements and CPUC requirements. As of December 31, 2004, SCW has unconditional purchase obligations for capital projects of approximately $28.8 million. In addition, SCW’s Board of Directors also approved the 2005 net capital budget of approximately $57.8 million primarily for upgrades to its water supply and distribution facilities. During the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, Registrant spent $84,216,000, $57,211,000 and $40,655,000, respectively, for these purposes.

     CCWC’s Board of Directors also approved the 2005 net capital budget of approximately $1.4 million.

     AWR and ASUS have no material capital commitments. However, ASUS actively seeks opportunities to own, lease or operate water and wastewater systems for governmental entities, which may involve significant capital commitments. FBWS has capital commitments that are being funded by the U.S. Government.

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Regulatory Matters

     Rate Regulation

     SCW is subject to regulation by the CPUC, which has broad powers with respect to service and facilities, rates, classifications of accounts, valuation of properties, the purchase, disposition and mortgaging of properties necessary or useful in rendering public utility service, the issuance of securities, the granting of certificates of public convenience and necessity as to the extension of services and facilities and various other matters. CCWC is subject to regulation by the ACC.

     Rates that SCW and CCWC are authorized to charge are determined by the CPUC and the ACC, respectively, in general rate cases and are derived using rate base, cost of service and cost of capital, as projected for a future test year in California and using an historical test year, as adjusted, in Arizona. Rates charged to customers vary according to customer class and rate jurisdiction and are generally set at levels allowing for recovery of prudently incurred costs, including a return on rate base. Rate base generally consists of the original cost of utility plant in service, plus certain other assets, such as working capital and inventory, less accumulated depreciation on utility plant in service, deferred income tax liabilities and certain other deductions.

     Neither the operations nor rates of AWR and ASUS are directly regulated by the CPUC. The CPUC does, however, regulate certain transactions between SCW and its affiliates. The ACC also regulates certain transactions between CCWC and its affiliates. FBWS, a wholly owned subsidiary of ASUS, formed to own, operate and maintain the water and wastewater systems at Fort Bliss is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (“TCEQ”). However, the amounts charged by FBWS for water and wastewater services at U.S. Army Fort Bliss will be based upon the terms of the 50-year contract between FBWS and the United States of America, rather than rates set by the TCEQ. Under the terms of this agreement, FBWS has agreed to own, operate and maintain the water and wastewater systems at Fort Bliss for a net fixed price of $181,206 for operation and maintenance, and $147,146 for renewals and replacements per month for a period of two years. Prices will be re-determined at the end of the two year period and every three years thereafter. In addition, prices may be equitably adjusted for changes in law and other circumstances.

     For rate-making purposes, the 22 customer service areas of SCW are grouped into 9 water districts and 1 electric district. Water rates vary among the 9 water ratemaking districts due to differences in operating conditions and costs. SCW monitors operations on a regional basis in each of these districts so that applications for rate changes may be filed, when warranted. Under the CPUC’s practices, rates may be increased by three methods: (i) general rate case increases (GRC’s), (ii) offsets for certain expense increases including but not limited to supply cost offset and balancing account amortization, and (iii) advice letter filings related to certain plant additions and other operating cost increases. GRC’s are typically for three-year periods, which include step increases for the second and third years. Rates are based on a forecast of expenses and capital costs. GRC’s have a typical regulatory lag of one year. Offset rate increases and advice letter filings typically have a two to four month regulatory lag.

     Changes in Rates

     The following table lists information on estimated annual rate changes for SCW as approved by the CPUC during 2004, 2003 and 2002.

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     On November 2, 2004, SCW filed advice letters with the CPUC for step increases for Region II in an amount of approximately $2.8 million and attrition increases of approximately $2.4 million for Region III that were approved and became effective January 1, 2005.

     On August 20, 2004, the CPUC approved rate increases for SCW’s Regions I and II. The rate increases in three customer service areas of SCW’s Region I generated annual revenues in 2004 of $382,100 and is retroactive to January 1, 2004. The rate increases in SCW’s Region II customer service provided for increased annual revenues of $5.2 million in 2004 including the interim rates received early in 2004, and are anticipated to provide additional increases of $5.4 million and $5.2 million in 2005 and 2006, respectively. The rate increases for 2005 and 2006 are subject to an earnings test. Because of this earnings test, the 2005 rate increase has been reduced to $2.4 million. Furthermore, due to delays in the CPUC’s review and processing of the Region I and Region II General Rate Case applications, SCW was permitted to charge interim rates that were effective on January 1, 2004 for Region I and February 14, 2004 for Region II, subject to refund. The August 2004 CPUC decisions authorized SCW to file advice letters to recover over a period of not less than one year, the difference between the interim rates authorized in early 2004, and the new rates authorized in the decision. As a result of this decision, approximately $2.2 million has been recorded as a regulatory asset with a corresponding increase to revenues during the third quarter of 2004. The collection of retroactive revenues as recorded will be recovered through surcharges, together with the 2004 revenue requirement authorized by the CPUC in the GRC decisions.

     On March 16, 2004, the CPUC issued a decision on the application filed to increase water rates in the customer service areas that comprise Region III. The decision approved: (i) new water rates for Region III that are expected to generate an initial annual increase in revenues of approximately $8.1 million, (ii) a special condition surcharge in rates to amortize the water quality Order Instituting Investigation (OII) memorandum account balance, and (iii) a memorandum account to accumulate costs to comply with certain contamination remediation requirements.

     On January 16, 2003, the CPUC approved rate increases estimated to generate approximately $2.7 million annually, effective January 22, 2003, in SCW’s Metropolitan district to recover costs associated with an increase in Region II rate base due to SCW’s 2002 infrastructure replacement program and, increases in operating expenses. On January 31, 2003, the CPUC also approved SCW’s Advice Letter filed for the 2003 infrastructure replacement program with rate increases expected to generate approximately $3.5 million annually effective February 4, 2003.

     In 1994, SCW entered a contract to lease, to the City of Folsom, 5,000 acre-feet per year of water rights to the American River. In the decision issued on March 16, 2004 the CPUC determined that SCW failed to seek the CPUC’s approval to effectuate the lease. As a result, SCW was required to pay a net fine of $180,000 to the CPUC, and to refund 70 percent of the total amount of lease revenues since 1994, plus interest, to customers. Pursuant to the order, SCW recorded $6.2 million as a regulatory liability with a corresponding charge against income (less tax) during the fourth quarter of 2003. During the three months ended June 30, 2004, there was a change in SCW’s estimate of customer refunds, recorded as a regulatory liability, associated with lease revenues from the City of Folsom based on the final refund amount of $5.2 million approved by the CPUC. Pursuant to the order, the apportionment of any lease revenues that SCW may collect in the future will be determined by a later decision. Therefore, beginning in the first quarter of 2004, all amounts billed to the City of Folsom are included in a regulatory liability account until all uncertainties about this matter are resolved with the CPUC. For the year ended December 31, 2004, SCW recorded an additional $1.1 million in the regulatory liability account. SCW appealed the decision. The CPUC denied the Company’s request for an appeal. The Registrant subsequently filed with the Supreme Court of California to hear the matter, which has been denied.

     Under the terms of a settlement agreement between SCW and the City of Santa Monica, SCW sold its water rights in the Charnock Groundwater Basin (“Basin”) to the City and assigned to the City its rights against all potentially responsible parties who stored, transported and dispensed gasoline containing methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in underground storage tanks, pipelines or other related infrastructure in the basin. In a decision approved by the CPUC on July 8, 2004, SCW was directed to (i) track the net settlement proceeds in an interest-bearing memorandum account to fund capital for infrastructure improvements in eight years, (ii) maintain records of all memorandum account activity, (iii) obtain the CPUC’s approval to include those capital costs in rate base as the improvements become necessary and useful, (iv) remove relevant assets from rate base, and (v) refund to ratepayers the net proceeds received from PRPs, for which $3.5 million was recorded as a liability in December 2003. In May 2004, SCW received the full settlement payment of $5.7 million from the City.

     The total proceeds of $5.7 million from the sale and the assignment of rights were offset by an impairment loss of $482,000 associated with assets removed from rate base, pursuant to the decision, resulting in a $5.2 million net pretax increase in operating income. The City also indemnified SCW from related claims. SCW recorded the

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impairment loss on assets removed from rate-base in “other operating expenses”. For more information, see the section entitled “Environmental Matters” included in Part I, Item 2 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

     As of December 31, 2004, SCW had accrued approximately $22.9 million in under-collected purchased power costs included in its Bear Valley Electric (“BVE”) balancing account. A 2.2¢ per kilowatt hour surcharge, authorized by the CPUC in 2001, is in place for recovery of its under-collection in the electric balancing account and is authorized to remain in place until August, 2011.

     On July 17, 2002, the CPUC also approved $77 per MWh of purchased power costs through rates. BVE is allowed to include its actual purchased power costs up to an average annual weighted cost of $77 per MWh each year, through August 2011, in its balancing account. To the extent BVE’s actual average annual weighted cost for purchased power is less than $77 per MWh, the differential would offset amounts included in the electric supply balancing account. Conversely, to the extent that actual average annual weighted costs for power purchased exceed the $77 per MWh amount, BVEI is not able to include these amounts in its balancing account and such amounts are expensed. For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, SCW has expensed $195,000, $240,000 and $718,000, respectively, for costs over $77 per MWh. See the section entitled “Bear Valley Electric Service of SCW” included in Part I, Item 2 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

     Pending Rate Changes

     On July 10, 2003, the CPUC approved the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for construction of an 8.4 MW natural gas-fueled generation facility on a portion of its property in the City of Big Bear Lake. The capital cost of the generating facility was approximately $13 million. The CPUC’s order authorized construction and enables SCW to file a rate application to generate estimated annual revenue increase of about $2.4 million. SCW filed for increased rates in the third quarter of 2004, using a special filing called a “Major Additions Adjustment Clause” or “MAAC” filing that should result in 100% of the revenue requirement related to this facility being included in rates. We anticipate the new rates will be in effect in the second quarter of 2005.

     SCW and the Office of Ratepayers Advocates have mutually agreed to a rate adjustment plan for Region I for 2005 to 2007. If finalized, the new rates are expected to generate an additional $2.7 million in annual revenues for 2005.

     In 2000, the CPUC authorized the establishment of a memorandum account into which SCW was allowed to record costs it incurred in prosecuting the contamination suits filed against the State and Aerojet. The CPUC also authorized SCW periodically to seek recovery of such recorded costs from ratepayers. In that regard, SCW sought interim cost recovery and was authorized to increase rates, effective April 28, 2001, in an amount sufficient over a six-year period to offset approximately $1.8 million in such legal and expert costs recorded in the memorandum account that had been incurred on or before August 31, 2000. As of December 31, 2004, approximately $15.3 million in legal and consulting related costs, including the unamortized portion of the $1.8 million, has been recorded as deferred charges and included in “Regulatory Assets” on the SCW balance sheets.

     In a proceeding currently pending at the CPUC, SCW has requested a twenty-year amortization of the remaining balance of the costs recorded in the memorandum account, net of any reimbursement amounts received from defendants, insurers and others. Given the expected timing for the issuance of a final decision in this proceeding (third quarter 2005), SCW filed a motion seeking another interim amortization. In this motion, SCW proposed to amortize $6 million of the $15.7 million of the memorandum account balance over a 10 year period, and to increase rates accordingly, subject to refund. In January 2005, a joint ruling of the assigned Commissioner and Administrative Law Judge denied SCW’s request for an interim amortization. The motion was denied primarily because the CPUC did not consider interim relief to be needed when the hearing on the merits is only weeks away (March 14-15, 2005) and an expected proposed decision, and CPUC action on it, may be issued as soon as the second or third quarter of 2005. Management remains of the opinion that the recovery of these costs through rates is probable; however, management cannot give assurance that the CPUC will ultimately allow recovery of all or any of the costs that have accumulated in this memorandum account. Management will continue to monitor the rate making process for this matter and assess the probability of recovery of these costs on a quarterly basis. Furthermore, it is management’s intention to offset any settlement proceeds from Aerojet first against the guaranteed $8 million note from Aerojet and then against the balance in the memorandum account at the time of receipt of the settlement payments.

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     Other Regulatory Matters

     In a decision issued on June 19, 2003 on supply cost memorandum accounts, the CPUC concluded that (i) if a utility is within its rate case cycle and does not earn over its authorized rate of return, the utility is permitted to recover its costs in the memorandum supply cost account subject to reasonableness review by the CPUC; (ii) if a utility is either within or outside of its rate case cycle and earns over the authorized return, the utility’s recovery of expenses from the memorandum supply cost account will be reduced by the amount exceeding the authorized rate of return; and (iii) a utility is required to seek review of under and over collections by filing an advice letter annually. On April 30, 2004, SCW filed advice letters for Regions I and II for the period from November 29, 2001 to December 31, 2003 with respect to an approximately $1.4 million net over-collection. This over-collection has been recorded as a regulatory liability at December 31, 2004. An additional $450,000 of net over-collection has also been recorded as a regulatory liability at December 31, 2004. This regulatory liability was generated during the year ended December 31, 2004. Pursuant to a resolution received recently from the CPUC, SCW has filed an advice letter for review of the activity in the Region III memorandum supply cost account for the period from November 29, 2001 to December 31, 2003. Region III had a cumulative under-collected balance of $6.6 million and $5.2 million at December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively, which are subject to earnings tests. A regulatory asset with respect to this under-collection will not be recorded until receipt of the pending CPUC decision authorizing the under-collection.

     On September 2, 2004, the CPUC issued an order instituting rulemaking (OIR) on Gain on Sale. The stated intention of the OIR is to establish clear guidelines for the disposition of capital gains from the sale of utility property. The draft of the OIR indicates that the CPUC is considering a sharing formula, with shareholders receiving between 5 and 50 percent of the gain. There is no schedule for evidentiary hearings and/or workshops at this time. Management is unable to predict the outcome of this OIR.

     CCWC filed its rate case with the ACC in August 2004. CCWC is expecting the new rates will be approved and effective in early 2006. The filed rate request, if approved by the ACC, would increase CCWC’s revenue requirement by approximately 29%.

Environmental Matters

     1996 Amendments to Federal Safe Drinking Water Act

     The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may only regulate contaminants that may have adverse health effects, are known or likely to occur at levels of public health concern, and the regulation of which will provide a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction. The EPA has published a list of contaminants for possible regulation and must update that list every five years. In addition, every five years, the EPA must select at least five contaminants on that list and determine whether to regulate them. The EPA has authority to bypass the selection process and adopt interim regulations for contaminants in order to address urgent health threats. The Department of Health Services (“DOHS”), acting on behalf of the EPA, administers the EPA’s program in California. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) administers EPA’s program in Arizona. The TCEQ administers the EPA’s program in Texas.

     The EPA may base primary drinking water regulations on risk assessment and cost/benefit considerations and on minimizing overall risk. The EPA must base regulations on best available, peer-reviewed science and data from best available methods. For proposed regulations that involve the setting of maximum contaminant levels (MCL’s), the EPA must use, and seek public comment on, an analysis of quantifiable and non-quantifiable risk-reduction benefits and costs for each such MCL.

     SCW, CCWC and FBWS currently test their wells and water systems according to requirements listed in the Safe Drinking Water Act (“SDWA”). Water from wells found to contain levels of contaminants above the established MCL’s is treated to reduce contaminants to acceptable levels before it is delivered to customers. If treatment is not possible, the wells are shut down. Since the SDWA became effective, SCW and CCWC have experienced increased operating costs for testing to determine the levels, if any, of the constituents in their sources of supply and additional expense to treat contaminants in order to meet the MCL standards. Treatment costs may cause SCW and/or CCWC to experience additional capital costs as well as increased operating costs. The CPUC and ACC ratemaking processes provide SCW and CCWC with the opportunity to recover prudently incurred capital and operating costs in future filings associated with water quality. Management believes that such incurred and expected future costs should be authorized for recovery by the CPUC and ACC, as applicable. FBWS may recover additional capital costs associated with a change

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in law or changes in circumstances from the U. S. Government as an equitable adjustment to the fee for providing services on Fort Bliss.

     Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rules

     The EPA has adopted the Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (ESWTR), which requires increased surface-water treatment to decrease the risk of microbial contamination. These rules apply to each of SCW’s five surface water treatment plants and CCWC’s surface water treatment plant. Registrant anticipates that all plants will achieve compliance within the three-year to five-year time frames identified by EPA. Registrant is required to be in compliance by June 1, 2006. SCW has initiated phased construction of a new treatment plant in the Calipatria-Niland customer service area (see further discussion below under Regulation of Disinfectant/Disinfection By-Products) to bring that facility into compliance. Once this project is completed, all the surface water plants in SCW and CCWC will be in compliance with these rules.

     Regulation of Disinfectant/Disinfection By-Products

     SCW and CCWC are also subject to regulations concerning disinfectant/disinfection by-products (DBP’s). Stage I of the regulations was effective in November 1998 with full compliance required for systems serving 10,000 or more persons by 2002 and for systems serving fewer than 10,000 persons by 2004. Stage I requires reduction of trihalomethane contaminants from 100 micrograms per liter to 80 micrograms per liter on a system wide running annual average. SCW has already implemented modifications to the treatment process in its Bay Point and Cordova systems to achieve compliance Upgrades to the Calipatria plant were completed by the third quarter of 2004. Further modifications to the Calipatria plant will be in place by the end of June 2005 to ensure continued compliance.

     The EPA is not permitted to use the cost/benefit analysis provided for in the 1996 SDWA amendments for establishing the Stage II rules applicable to DBP’s but may utilize the regulatory negotiating process provided for in the 1996 SDWA amendments to develop the Stage II rule.

The Stage 2 Disinfectant/Disinfection By-Products Rule (DBPR) and the Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR)

     The Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR) was published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2003, and the Stage 2 Disinfectant/Disinfection By-Products Rule (DBPR) was published shortly thereafter on August 18. These proposed Rules are very complex and EPA has asked for comments on hundreds of technical issues. The comment period expired in January 2004. Registrant is currently waiting for the EPA to finalize these proposed rules to determine the impact. It is currently estimated that these rules will be formally proposed by the EPA during the summer of 2005.

     Ground Water Rule

     On May 10, 2000, the EPA published the proposed Ground Water Rule (GWR), which establishes multiple barriers to protect against bacteria and viruses in drinking water systems that use ground water. The proposed rule applies to all U.S. public water systems that use ground water as a source. The proposed GWR includes system sanitary surveys conducted by the state to identify significant deficiencies; hydrogeologic sensitivity assessments for undisinfected systems; source water microbial monitoring by systems that do not disinfect and draw from hydrogeologically sensitive aquifers or have detected fecal indicators within a distribution system; corrective action; and compliance monitoring for systems which disinfect to ensure that they reliably achieve 4-log (99.99%) inactivation or removal of viruses. No final regulations have yet been adopted. While no assurance can be given as to the nature and cost of any additional compliance measures, if any, SCW and CCWC do not believe that such regulations will impose significant compliance costs, since they already currently engage in disinfection of the majority of their groundwater systems.

     Regulation of Radon and Arsenic

     On October 31, 2001, EPA established an arsenic MCL at 10 parts per billion (ppb). Compliance with an MCL of 10 ppb will require implementation of wellhead treatment remedies for eight affected wells in SCW’s system and two wells in CCWC’s system. The effective date for utilities to comply with the standard is January 2006. Company wells used to supply SCW’s and CCWC’s systems are expected to be in compliance with this standard once it comes into effect. The California DOHS Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) published the final Public

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Health Goal (PHG) of 4.0 parts per trillion in April 2004. This is the first step for California to adopt its own MCL for arsenic. The DOHS MCL process is expected to take up to a year (even as an emergency regulation). If the DOHS establishes a limit that is more stringent than the limit established by the EPA, SCW will be required to comply with this more stringent requirement.

     The EPA has proposed new radon regulations following a National Academy of Sciences risk assessment and study of risk-reduction benefits associated with various mitigation measures. The National Academy of Sciences study is in agreement with much of EPA’s original findings but has slightly reduced the ingestion risk initially assumed by EPA. EPA established an MCL of 300 Pico Curies per liter based on the findings and has also established an alternative MCL of 4000 Pico Curies per liter, based upon potential mitigation measures for overall radon reduction. Registrant is currently waiting for the EPA to establish a MCL to determine the impact.

Voluntary Efforts to Provide Treated Surface Water below Minimum Surface Water Treatment Requirements

     SCW is a voluntary member of the EPA’s Partnership for Safe Water, a national program designed to further protect the public from diseases caused by cryptosporidium and other microscopic organisms. As a volunteer in the program, SCW commits to treat surface water to levels much lower than the minimum operating requirements governing surface water treatment, optimize surface water treatment plant operations and seeks to have its surface water treatment facilities perform as efficiently as possible.

Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule

     EPA has revised the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). The data generated by the UCMR will be used to evaluate and prioritize contaminants on the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List, a list of contaminants EPA is considering for possible new drinking water standards. This data will help to ensure that future decisions on drinking water standards are based on sound science.

     A tiered approach will be utilized with the three monitoring lists to provide the maximum capability to monitor up to the statutory limit of no more than 30 contaminants in any 5-year monitoring cycle. Therefore, as List 3 contaminants are found to occur in public water systems, they may move up to List 2, and likewise, List 2 contaminants may move up to List 1, when the UCMR is revised again later this year. The law requires that EPA publish a new contaminant-monitoring list every 5 years. When the EPA adds contaminants to their list, they will also include a compliance date. Registrant will evaluate the impact and necessary actions as additions are made to the contaminant lists.

     Perchlorate Notification Level Activities

     In January 2002, DOHS reduced the Perchlorate notification level (formerly termed the action level) from 18 ppb to a level of 4 ppb, based upon new information from the EPA.

     SCW has removed eight wells from service in its Rancho Cordova system and six additional wells in various other systems since they contained perchlorate in amounts in excess of the action level of 4 ppb. On December 6, 2002, the OEHHA published a revised draft perchlorate Public Health Goal (PHG) of 2 to 6 ppb. This is the first step in the establishment of an MCL in California. A revised PHG of 6 ppb was adopted by OEHHA in the first quarter of 2004 after which DOHS revised the state notification level for perchlorate from 4 ppb to 6 ppb. In January 2005, the National Academy of Sciences issued a report evaluating EPA’s reference dose for health risk information. This report concluded that a higher reference was appropriate. It is not certain what effect, if any, this report will have on California’s MCL. The California MCL for perchlorate is expected to be finalized in 2005. SCW is continuing to periodically monitor all of its water supplies to determine that levels of perchlorate are below the action level currently in effect.

     Matters Relating to SCW’s Arden-Cordova Water System

     In SCW’s Rancho Cordova system, four wells have been removed from service and destroyed due to contamination from perchlorate. The supply has been replaced for three of these wells. An additional three wells are currently out of service due to perchlorate levels above the EPA trigger level of 4 ppb as defined in the EPA’s Administrative Orders, and two wells are out of service due to detectable levels of nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) above the action level. SCW continues to monitor all of its active groundwater wells in the Rancho Cordova system for perchlorate and NDMA.

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     Aerojet has, in the past, used ammonium perchlorate in oxidizing rocket fuels. NDMA is an additional by-product from the production of rocket fuels and it is believed that contamination in SCW’s Rancho Cordova service area is also related to the activities of Aerojet. In 2000, SCW filed suit against Aerojet for contamination of SCW’s ground water supply in its Rancho Cordova system.

     On October 12, 2004, Registrant reached a final settlement with Aerojet of litigation relating to this contamination. Under the terms of the settlement, Aerojet paid SCW $8.7 million in the first quarter of 2004. Aerojet will pay an additional $8 million, plus interest, over a period of five years commencing in December 2009. These payments reduce SCW’s costs of utility plant and purchased water by $16 million and $735,000, respectively. Aerojet had previously reimbursed SCW $4.3 million in capital costs and $171,000 for additional water supply. In addition, Aerojet has agreed to reimburse SCW $17.5 million, plus interest accruing from January 1, 2004, for its past legal and expert costs. The source of these later reimbursements are solely from connection fees anticipated to be received by Aerojet in a new development area owned by Aerojet adjacent to the SCW’s Rancho Cordova system.

     Aerojet will also transfer its remediated groundwater to the Sacramento County Water Agency, which will provide treated water for distribution to SCW and other water purveyors affected by the contamination. This arrangement, together with other mitigation measures, should afford SCW a reliable and safe water supply for its Rancho Cordova customers. Registrant and Aerojet have also signed three separate agreements requiring Aerojet to pay for certain transmission pipelines and upgrades to the Coloma Treatment Plant as a contingency plan, should additional wells be impacted. The value of the three agreements approximates $6.8 million in capital improvements and the projects are expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2005.

     Matters Relating to SCW’s Culver City Water System

     The compound, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), an oxygenate used in reformulated fuels, has been detected in the Charnock Groundwater Basin, located in the vicinity of the City of Santa Monica and within SCW’s Culver City customer service area. At the request of the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the City of Santa Monica and the California Environmental Protection Agency, SCW removed two of its wells in the Culver City water system from service in October 1996 to help in efforts to avoid further spread of the MTBE contamination plume. Neither of these wells has been found to be contaminated with MTBE. SCW is purchasing water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) at an increased cost to replace the water supply formerly pumped from the two wells removed from service.

     On September 22, 1999, the U.S. EPA and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board ordered Shell Oil Company, Shell Oil Products Company, Equilon Enterprises LLC and others to provide replacement drinking water to both SCW and the City of Santa Monica due to MTBE contamination in the Charnock Groundwater Basin. The EPA has ordered Shell Oil and others to reimburse SCW for water replacement costs. In March 2002, SCW reached a settlement agreement with the City of Santa Monica pursuant to which SCW sold its basin water rights to the City and assigned to the City its rights against all potentially responsible parties who stored, transported and dispensed gasoline containing methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in underground storage tanks, pipelines or other related infrastructure in the basin. The City also indemnified SCW from related claims.

     On May 8, 2003, the CPUC issued a decision approving the settlement agreement. Pursuant to the decision, SCW has subsequently filed a report that sets forth specific details as to SCW’s plans to reinvest the net proceeds of $5.2 million from the settlement agreement with the City of Santa Monica. In a CPUC decision approved on July 8, 2004, SCW is directed to (i) track the net settlement proceeds in an interest-bearing memorandum account to fund capital for infrastructure improvements over an eight year period or less, (ii) maintain records of all memorandum account activity, (iii) obtain the CPUC’s approval to include those capital costs in rate base as the improvements become necessary and useful, (iv) remove relevant assets from rate base, and (v) refund to ratepayers the net proceeds received from PRPs, for which $3.5 million was recorded as a liability in December 2003.

     In May 2004, SCW received the full settlement payment of $5.7 million from the City. The total proceeds of $5.7 million from the sale and the assignment of rights were offset by an impairment loss of $482,000 associated with assets removed from rate base, pursuant to the decision, resulting in a $5.2 million net pretax increase in operating income. SCW recorded the impairment loss on assets removed from rate-base in “other operating expenses”.

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     Matters Relating to SCW’s Yorba Linda Water System

     The compound MTBE has been detected in a well serving SCW’s Yorba Linda water system. To date, the well has not shown MTBE above the DOHS secondary standard of 5.0 ppb. SCW has constructed an interconnection with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to provide for the needed supply for this system in the event the well experiences levels of detection in excess of the DOHS standard.

     SCW met with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Orange County Water District (OCWD) the City of Anaheim, the DOHS and three potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to define the extent of the MTBE contamination plume and assess the contribution from the PRPs. The PRPs voluntarily initiated a work plan for regional investigation. While there have not been significant disruptions to the water supply in Yorba Linda to this point in time, no assurances can be given that MTBE contamination will not increase in the future. In December 2003, a settlement was reached between SCW and the PRPs. Under the settlement agreement, the PRPs paid SCW $581,250 in January 2004 for reimbursement of costs related to the issue, and will pay up to $260,000 per year for five years (through 2008) for incremental supply costs should the MTBE level in the well exceed the DOHS secondary standard.

     Matters Relating to SCW’s San Gabriel Water Systems

     Perchlorate and/or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) have been detected in five wells servicing SCW’s San Gabriel System. SCW filed suit, along with two other affected water purveyors and the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority (WQA), in federal court against some of those responsible for the contamination. Some of the other potential defendants settled with SCW, other water purveyors and the WQA (the “Water Entities”) on VOC related issues prior to the filing of the lawsuit resulting in reimbursement to SCW of the $1 million in capital cost of VOC treatment facilities and contribution of approximately $380,000 towards future operating and maintenance costs of the facilities.

     In response to the filing of the Federal lawsuit, the PRP defendants filed motions to dismiss the suit or strike certain portions of the suit. Following a hearing on these motions on March 31, 2003, the judge issued a ruling on April 1, 2003 granting in part and denying in part the defendant’s motions. A key ruling of the court was that the water purveyors, including the Registrant, by virtue of their ownership of wells contaminated with hazardous chemicals are themselves PRPs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Registrant has, pursuant to permission of the court, amended its suit to claim certain affirmative defenses as an “innocent” party under CERCLA. In this same suit, the PRPs have filed cross-complaints against the Registrant, the other two affected water purveyors, the WQA and the Metropolitan Water District, the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster and others on the theory that they arranged for and did transport contaminated water into the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Basin for use by Registrant and the other two affected water providers and for other related claims. Registrant is presently unable to predict the outcome of this ruling on its ability to fully recover from the PRPs future costs associated with the treatment of these wells.

     On August 29, 2003, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued Unilateral Administrative Orders (UAO) against 41 parties deemed responsible for polluting the groundwater in that portion of the San Gabriel Valley from which two of SCW’s impacted wells draw water. SCW was not named as a party to the UAO. The UAO requires that these parties remediate the contamination. The judge in the Federal lawsuit has appointed a special master to oversee mandatory settlement discussions between the PRPs and the Water Entities. EPA is also conducting settlement discussions with several PRPs, including those that previously settled with the Water Entities on VOC matters, regarding the UAO. The Water Entities and EPA are working to coordinate their settlement discussions in order to arrive at a complete resolution of all issues affecting the Federal lawsuits and the UAO. Registrant is presently unable to predict the ultimate outcome of any of these settlement discussions.

     Three other wells serving customers in SCW’s San Gabriel customer service area are also impacted by VOC contamination. A settlement with several PRPs together with federal funds administered by WQA resulted in reimbursement of 100% of the $1.1 million in capital costs, $205,000 of past operations and maintenance costs and 100% of future operations and maintenance costs for a period of up to 30 years for VOC treatment facilities at these wells.

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     Bark Beetle Infestation in SCW’s Bear Valley Electric Service Area

     In a Proclamation issued on March 7, 2003 former Governor Gray Davis declared a State of Emergency with respect to a severe fire risk caused by dead and dying trees plagued by drought and a major bark beetle infestation in the counties of Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. On April 3, 2003, the CPUC issued an order requiring Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric Company and Bear Valley Electric to take all reasonable and necessary actions to mitigate the increased fire hazard by removing dead, dying or diseased trees from falling or contacting distribution and transmission lines within their rights of way and to ensure compliance with existing vegetation clearance statutes and regulations. The utilities, including Bear Valley Electric, are authorized to make annual advice letter filings requesting recovery of the costs of removal and mitigation. SCW has determined the scope and magnitude of the bark beetle infestation in its Bear Valley Electric service territory to date and has formulated a course of action to mitigate the fire potential in its rights-of-way. Estimated costs of dead tree removal are $620,000 based on experiences with other utility vegetation management programs and current information gathered and assessed for the Big Bear Lake area. These costs represent only the cost of addressing the problem to date. If the drought continues, the infestation will likely spread and mitigation costs may increase. The recent rains and abundant snowfall have provided much needed relief to all of Southern California. SCW expects that current and future costs incurred in remediation of bark beetle infestation will be recoverable in rates through the annual advice letter filings, as the April 2003 order issued by the CPUC contained cost recovery provisions. As of December 31, 2004, approximately $290,000 has been incurred and is recorded as a regulatory asset on the balance sheets.

Security Issues

     Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, water utilities, including Registrant, have been advised to increase security at key facilities in order to avoid contamination of water supplies and other disruptions of service. In compliance with “The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Act of 2002” (HR 3448), Registrant has continued to implement measures to increase security, which includes a vulnerability assessment of its large systems. In addition to large system assessments, all systems operated by Registrant were assessed to identify potential areas requiring enhancements. These assessments resulted in a prioritized listing of recommended facility upgrades to enhance the safety of water system operations to be made over a period of six years. Costs associated with capital improvements of approximately $15 million were identified as a result of the assessment process. SCW has begun to make these improvements. In March 2004, the CPUC approved security plan amounts to be spent in 2003 and 2004 consistent with the six-year plan. The CPUC will evaluate the remaining costs in future general rate cases.

Water Supply

     SCW’s Water Supply

     During 2004, SCW supplied a total of 87,207,000 CCF of water, or approximately 179 million gallons per day on average. Of this amount, approximately 51.2% came from pumped sources and 45.4% was purchased from others, principally the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (“MWD”). The remaining was surface water principally supplied by the Bureau of Reclamation (the “Bureau”) under a no-cost contract and by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (“SMUD”), the cost of which is reimbursed by Aerojet-General Corp. pursuant to the October 2004 settlement agreement. For more information, please see the section entitled “Environmental Matters” included in Part II, Item 7 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation. During 2003, SCW supplied 85,204,000 CCF of water, 53.2% of which came from pumped sources, 43.2% was purchased principally from MWD, and the Bureau and SMUD supplied the remainder.

     The MWD is a water district organized under the laws of the State of California for the purpose of delivering imported water to areas within its jurisdiction. Registrant has 58 connections to the water distribution facilities of MWD and other municipal water agencies. MWD imports water from two principal sources: the Colorado River and the State Water Project. Available water supplies from the Colorado River and the State Water Project have historically been sufficient to meet most of MWD’s requirements.

     On October 17, 2003 Federal government, State government, and four Southern California water agency officials, including the MWD, met to sign the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) that allocates to each state a share of the Colorado River. Under the QSA, MWD will have access (as in the past) to Colorado River water and up to 1.6 million acre feet of additional water that the Imperial Irrigation District proposes to conserve and sell to the state. With the signing of this agreement California once again has access to excess Colorado River water for the next 13

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years. MWD has also publicly stated that it is stepping up a number of efforts including desalination, conservation, recycling, transfer and storage, to increase water supplies.

     SCW’s water supply and revenues are significantly affected, both in the short-run and the long-run, by changes in meteorological conditions. The water supply outlook for California in 2005 is positive. Significant storms in late December 2004 and early January 2005 resulted in well above average snow pack in California mountains. This sets the stage for increased stream flows into area reservoirs during the spring and summer 2005.

     For the water-year from October 2004 to date, precipitation has been well above average. Based on information publicly available from the California Department of Water Resources, most of California has received over 150% of average levels with some parts of Southern California receiving over 300%. Snow pack level in California is at 165% of average. Reservoir levels have likewise improved with increased precipitation. Statewide California reservoirs, while not near full levels, are generally at 100% of average for early in the year.

     Although overall groundwater conditions are presently at adequate levels, certain of SCW’s groundwater supplies have been affected to varying degrees by various forms of contamination which, in some cases, has caused SCW to increase its reliance on purchased water in its supply mix. For further information, see Part I, Item 3 in Legal Proceedings.

     As a result of below normal precipitation and faster than normal melting of the winter snowpack, during the 2003-2004 winter, coupled with an increase in customer demands in SCW’s Wrightwood customer service area, SCW’s groundwater water supply again began to be severely impacted in late June 2004. In response to this emergency situation, SCW undertook a number of steps to continue to provide sufficient water service, including trucking water into the area from nearby sources beginning June 29, 2004 and ending August 28, 2004, informing customers of more stringent conservation measures, and expediting the drilling and equipping of a new well, which came on line in late August. SCW experienced an increase of approximately $547,000 in operating costs associated with the trucking of water for the year ended December 31, 2004. SCW intends to seek recovery of these costs at the CPUC. In the meantime, the recent rainfall and snowfall have returned wells in Wrightwood to more normal levels.

     To meet its water supply needs, SCW has contracts with various governmental entities and other parties to purchase water or water rights for an aggregate amount of $69.7 million. Included in this amount as of December 31, 2004 is $62.3 million that remains outstanding under purchase agreements with governmental entities which expire on an agreement by agreement basis commencing in 2008 through 2012. Each of these contracts contain minimum take or pay provisions with the terms and conditions for pricing under each contract varying. SCW plans to continue to purchase and use at least the minimum water requirement under the respective contracts in the future. The amount of the remaining obligations was estimated based on current rates per acre-foot. These rates may be changed annually. Also included in the $69.7 million is a remaining commitment of $3.1 million under an agreement with the City of Claremont to lease water rights that were ascribed to the City as part of the Six Basins adjudication. The initial term of the agreement expires in 2028. SCW has an option to renew this agreement for 10 more years.

     CCWC’s Water Supply

     Similar to California, the water supply outlook for Arizona is optimistic. Precipitation has been over 300% of normal in some parts of Northern Arizona. In Arizona, the snow pack level at the Salt River Basin is at 118% and the Verde River Basin at 165% of average. The Colorado River Basin has so far had almost 20 inches (325% of average level at this time) of rain in an area which usually gets 17.35 inches during the entire year.

     Based on information publicly available from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, statewide Arizona reservoirs are at 84% of normal for this time of the year. The Colorado River Basin lakes, such as Lake Powell, Mead, Mohave and Havasu, are at 25.8 million acre-feet or approximately 60% of average. During 2003, these lakes were at only 48% of average. The spring and summer runoff for the Salt River Basin and Verde River Basin in Arizona are expected to be over 160% of average. For this water year so far, 1.35 million acre-feet of water has flowed into Lake Powell which is 104% of average. The April-July inflow to Lake Powell is expected to be 9.0 million acre-feet or 115% of average.

     CCWC has been given an M&I (Municipal and Industrial) designation for purposes of determining priority for allocations of water from the Central Arizona Project (“CAP”) . The first curtailment of CAP deliveries in the event of shortage would occur to non-Indian agricultural users. Such users accounted for a third of CAP deliveries in 2004,

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creating a buffer for M&I users such as CCWC. Though it is difficult to predict drought conditions with certainty, the priority for users of CAP, such as CCWC, provides an improved outlook for CCWC supplies.

     CCWC obtains its water supply from two operating wells and from Colorado River water delivered by the CAP. The majority of CCWC’s water supply is obtained from its CAP allocation and well water is used for peaking capacity in excess of treatment plant capability, during treatment plant shutdown, and to keep the well system in optimal operating condition.

     CCWC has an Assured Water Supply designation, by decision and order of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), providing in part that, subject to its requirements, CCWC has a sufficient supply of ground water and CAP water which is physically, continuously and legally available to satisfy current and committed demands of its customers, plus at least two years of predicted demands, for 100 years.

     On April 7, 2004 ADWR issued a decision confirming that CCWC has demonstrated the physical, legal and continuous availability of CAP water and groundwater, in an aggregate volume of 9,828 acre-feet per year for a minimum of 100 years which is greater than CCWC’s projected demand for the calendar year 2014 of approximately 8,000 acre-feet. The 9,828 acre-feet is comprised of our existing CAP allocation of 6,978 acre-feet per year, 350 acre-feet per year groundwater allowance, incidental recharge credits of 500 acre-feet per year, and our Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD) contract of 2,000 acre-feet per year. Our existing groundwater account balance of 35,829 acre-feet provides approximately 350 acre-feet per year for a hundred years.

     The Arizona Water Settlement Act was signed into law in December of 2004. This legislation provides for an additional CAP allocation to CCWC in the amount of 1,931 acre-feet per year. In order to receive this additional allocation, CCWC must enter into revised contract with the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (the “District”). CCWC expects agreement to be reached on this amendment during 2005. Once a revised contract with the District is executed, CCWC intends to apply to ADWR to modify and increase its Designation of Assured Supply from 9,828 acre-feet per year to 11,759 acre-feet per year. CCWC has entered into a commitment with the District to purchase the 1,931 acre feet of water per year of additional CAP water rights for an estimated amount of $1.1 million as of December 31, 2004. The price will be subject to further adjustment and is expected to increase until final written agreement is executed. In addition, CCWC has a long-term water supply contract with the District through September 2033, and is entitled to take 6,978 acre feet of water per year from CAP. The maintenance rate for such water delivered is set by the District and is subject to annual increases. The estimated remaining commitment under this contract is $5.7 million as of December 31, 2004 with $195,000 paid each year.

     Notwithstanding an assured water supply designation, CCWC’s water supply may be subject to interruption or reduction, in particular owing to interruption or reduction of CAP water. In the event of interruption or reduction of CAP water, CCWC can currently rely on its well water supplies for short-term periods. However, in any event, the quantity of water CCWC supplies to some or all of its customers may be interrupted or curtailed, pursuant to the provisions of its tariffs. CCWC also has the physical capability to deliver water far in excess of that which is currently accounted for in CCWC’s assured water supply account.

Risk Factor Summary

     You should carefully read the risks described below and other information in this Form 10-K in order to understand certain of the risks of our business.

     Our liquidity and earnings could be adversely affected by changes in water supply costs

     On November 29, 2001, the CPUC ordered us to suspend the use of the current water balancing account, and instead start a memorandum account for each offsettable expense of purchased water, purchased power and pump tax for our water service areas. Changes in water supply costs compared to the authorized amount, as well as any future authorized offset increases may directly affect our earnings.

     In a decision issued on June 19, 2003 for memorandum supply accounts, the CPUC concluded that our recovery of deferred water supply costs for providing water service will be reduced if we are earning more than our authorized rate of return. Pursuant to this decision, we are required to file advice letters annually with respect to over- and under- collections in the memorandum supply accounts in each of our rate-making jurisdictions. We also record the amount of net over-collections in each region, but do not record under-collections that are uncertain for recovery, unless the CPUC approves recovery of these under-collections. Our recovery of deferred water supply costs for providing water service is reduced if we are earning more than our authorized rate of return in a rate-making jurisdiction or the CPUC determines that our water supply costs are not reasonable.

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     Significant claims have been asserted against us in water quality litigation

     We were sued, along with others, in twenty-two water quality related lawsuits alleging personal injury and property damage as a result of the delivery of water that was allegedly contaminated. Nineteen of the lawsuits involved plaintiffs who received water from two groundwater basins in Los Angeles County were dismissed in August 2004. Several plaintiffs filed an appeal on September 21, 2004. SCW is unable to predict the outcome of the appeal. The other three lawsuits involved plaintiffs in Sacramento County have been permanently dismissed.

     Persons that are potentially responsible for causing the contamination of groundwater supplies have also been increasingly asserting claims against water distributors on a variety of theories and have thus far successfully brought the water distributors (including us) within the class of potentially responsible parties in Federal court actions pending in Los Angeles county. This increases the costs of seeking recovery from the potentially responsible parties and the risks associated with seeking recovery of these costs. Management believes that rate recovery, proper insurance coverage and reserves are in place to appropriately manage against these types of claims. Such claims, if ultimately resolved unfavorably to us, could, in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Our operating costs have increased and are expected to continue to increase as a result of groundwater contamination

     Our operations have been impacted by groundwater contamination in certain of our service territories. We have taken a number of steps to address this contamination, including the removal of wells from service, decreasing the amount of groundwater pumped from wells in our service area in order to slow the movement of plumes of contaminated water, construction of water treatment facilities and securing alternative sources of supply from other areas not affected by the contamination.

     In some cases, potentially responsible parties have reimbursed us for our costs. In other cases, we have taken legal action against parties that we believe to be potentially responsible for the contamination. To date, the CPUC has also permitted SCW to establish memorandum accounts for recovery of these types of costs. However, we can give no assurance regarding the outcome of litigation arising out of this contamination or our ability to recover these costs in the future.

Environmental regulation has increased, and is expected to continue to increase our operating costs

     Our regulated subsidiaries are subject to increasingly stringent environmental regulations that will result in increasing capital and operating costs. These regulations include:

	•	The 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act that require increased testing, reporting and treatment of water to reduce specified contaminants to maximum contaminant levels
	•	Approved regulations requiring increased surface-water treatment to decrease the risk of microbial contamination; these regulations affect SCW’s five surface water treatment plants and two CCWC plants
	•	Additional regulation of disinfect ants/disinfect ant byproducts
	•	Additional regulations requiring disinfection of certain groundwater systems
	•	Regulation of arsenic and radon
	•	Changes in the notification level relating to, and the proposed adoption of maximum contamination levels for, perchlorate and other by products of the production of rocket fuel

     SCW and CCWC may be able to recover costs incurred to comply with these regulations through the ratemaking process. We may also be able to recover certain of these costs under certain of our contractual arrangements. In certain circumstances, we may be able to recover costs from parties responsible or potentially responsible for contamination, either voluntarily or through specific court action. However, our ability to recover these types of costs depends upon a number of factors beyond our control, including approval of rate increases, and we can give no assurance regarding the adequacy of any such recovery.

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     The adequacy of our water supplies depends upon a variety of factors beyond our control

     The adequacy of our water supplies varies from year to year depending upon a variety of factors, including:

	•	Rainfall
	•	Availability of Colorado River water and imported water from northern California
	•	The amount of water stored in reservoirs and groundwater basins
	•	The amount of water used by our customers and others
	•	Water quality
	•	Legal limitations on use

     Population growth and increases in the amount of water used have increased limitations on use to prevent over-drafting of groundwater basins. The importation of water from the Colorado River, one of SCW’s important sources of supply, is expected to decrease in future years due to the requirements of the Central Arizona Project (“CAP”) and other limitations on the amount of water that the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is entitled to take from the Colorado River. MWD is expected to increase its efforts to secure additional supplies from conservation, desalination and water exchanges with the agricultural water users. CCWC obtains its water supply from operating wells and from the Colorado River through the CAP. CCWC’s water supply may be subject to interruption or reduction if there is an interruption or reduction in CAP water. In addition, CCWC’s ability to provide water service to new real estate developments is dependent upon CCWC’s ability to meet the requirements of the Arizona Department of Water Resources regarding its assured water supply account.

     Water shortages may affect us in a variety of ways:

	•	They adversely affect supply mix by causing us to rely on more expensive purchased water.
	•	They adversely affect operating costs.
	•	They may result in an increase in capital expenditures for building pipelines to connect to alternative sources of supply, new wells to replace those that are no longer in service or are otherwise inadequate to meet the needs of our customers and reservoirs and other facilities to conserve or reclaim water.

     We may be able to recover increased operating and construction costs for our regulated systems through the ratemaking process. We may also be able to recover certain of these costs from third parties that may be responsible, or potentially responsible, for groundwater contamination. We may also be able to recover certain of these costs from third parties that may be responsible, or potentially responsible, for groundwater contamination.

     Our earnings are greatly affected by weather during different seasons

     The demand for water and electricity varies by season. Therefore, the results of operations for one period may not indicate results to be expected in another period. For instance, most water consumption occurs during the third quarter of each year when weather tends to be hot and dry. The demand for electricity in our Bear Valley Electric service area is greatly affected by winter snows. An increase in winter snows reduces the use of snow making machines at ski resorts in the Big Bear area and, as a result reduces electric revenues. Likewise, unseasonably warm weather during a skiing season may result in temperatures too high for snowmaking conditions which also reduces electric revenues.

     Variability of weather from normal temperatures or changes in snow or rainfall can materially impact results of operations. As a result, weather has been and will continue to be one of the dominant factors in our financial performance.

Our business is heavily regulated and, as a result, decisions by regulatory agencies and changes in laws and regulations can significantly affect our business

     Our revenues depend substantially on the rates that we are permitted to charge our customers and our ability to recover our costs in these rates on a timely basis, including the ability to recover the costs of purchased water, groundwater assessments, electric power and natural gas costs, costs incurred in connection with increased environmental regulation, requirements to increase security at our water facilities and requirements to mitigate fire hazard risks in our Bear Valley Electric service area arising out of the drought and a major bark beetle infestation in rates. We have filed for increased water rates to recover operating costs from customers in certain of our water regions and to recover in rates the costs for constructing an 8.4 MW natural gas-fueled generator facility to meet increasing

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demand in our Bear Valley customer service area. In addition, we have filed with the ACC for increased water rates in CCWC’s customer service areas in Arizona. Any delays by either the CPUC or the ACC in granting rate relief to cover increased operating and capital costs may adversely affect our financial performance.

     Regulatory decisions can also impact prospective revenues and earnings, affect the timing of the recognition of revenues and expenses and may overturn past decisions.

Our liquidity, and in certain circumstances, earnings, could be adversely affected by increases in electricity and natural gas prices in California

     Our liquidity, and in certain circumstances, earnings, could be adversely affected by increases in electricity and natural gas prices in California. Most of our electric energy sold to customers in our Bear Valley Electric customer service area is purchased from others under contracts that expire at the end of 2008 at an average price of $74.65 per MWh. In addition to the power purchase contracts, we also buy additional energy from the spot market to meet peak demand and sell surplus power to the spot market. We also operate a natural gas-fueld 8.4 MW generator. We are currently authorized by the CPUC to recover up to a weighted annual energy purchase of $77 per MWh each year through August 2011 from ratepayers. SCW is required to write-off costs in excess of this cap. As a result, SCW is currently at risk for increases in spot market prices of electricity that it purchases and for decreases in spot market prices for electricity that it sells. In addition, SCW is permitted to collect an additional surcharge from its customers of 2.2¢ per kilowatt hour through August 2011 to recover the under-collection in the electric balancing account, with a current balance of $22.9 million, incurred by SCW during the energy crisis in late 2000 through 2001. In 2011, amounts not recovered through this surcharge may be subject to regulatory risk. Unexpected outages at the generator that we operate, or a failure to perform by any of the counterparties to our electric and natural gas purchase contracts could further increase our exposure to fluctuating natural gas and electric prices.

     Our business requires significant capital expenditures

     The utility business is capital intensive. On an annual basis, we spend significant sums of money for additions to or replacement of property, plant and equipment. During the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, Registrant spent $84,216,000, $57,211,000 and $40,655,000, respectively, for these purposes. Our net budgeted capital expenditures for calendar year 2005 for these purposes are approximately $59.8 million.

     We obtain funds for these capital projects from operations, contributions by developers and others and advances from developers (which must be repaid). We also periodically borrow money or issue equity for these purposes. In addition, we have a syndicated bank facility that we can use for these purposes. We cannot assure you that these sources will continue to be adequate or that the cost of funds will remain at levels permitting us to earn a reasonable rate of return.

The expansion of our contract operations will expose us to different risks than those associated with our utility operations

	We are incurring additional costs in connection with the expansion of our contract operations associated with the preparation of bids, the negotiation of the terms of new contracts and start-up activities associated with new contracts. Our ability to recover these costs and to earn a profit on our contract operations will depend upon the extent to which we are successful in obtaining new contracts and our ability to recover those costs and other costs from revenues from new contracts.
	In addition, we must maintain the proper management and find state-certified and qualified employees to support the operation of water and wastewater facilities. Failure to do so could put us at risk of, among other things, operations errors at these facilities and for improper billing and collection procedures as well as loss of contracts, assessment of penalties for operational failures and loss of revenues.

New Accounting Pronouncements

     We are subject to newly issued as well as changes in existing requirements issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Differences in financial reporting between periods could occur unless and until the CPUC and the ACC approve such changes for conformity through regulatory proceedings. See Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

     Registrant is exposed to certain market risks, including fluctuations in interest rates, and commodity price risk primarily relating to changes in the market price of electricity. Market risk is the potential loss arising from adverse changes in prevailing market rates and prices.

Interest Rate Risk

     A significant portion of our capital structure is comprised of fixed-rate debt and some long-term variable debt. Market risk related to our fixed-rate debt is deemed to be the potential increase in fair value resulting from a decrease in interest rates. At December 31, 2004, the fair value of Registrant’s long-term debt was $283.3 million. A hypothetical ten percent decrease in market interest rates would have resulted in a $19.3 million increase in the fair value of Registrant’s long-term debt.

     Market risk related to our variable-rate debt is estimated as the potential decrease in pretax earnings resulting from an increase in interest rates. The interest rates applicable to variable-rate debt are based on weekly market rates. At December 31, 2004, the rate was approximately 1.2%. Based on $6.5 million of variable-rate debt outstanding as of December 31, 2004, a hypothetical one percent rise in interest rates would not result in a material impact to earnings.

          At December 31, 2004, Registrant did not believe that its short-term debt was subject to interest rate risk, due to the fair market value being approximately equal to the carrying value.

     Commodity/Derivative Risk

          Registrant is exposed to commodity price risk primarily relating to changes in the market price of electricity. To manage its exposure to energy price risk, Registrant has certain block-forward purchase power contracts that qualify as derivative instruments under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.” A derivative financial instrument or other contract derives its value from another investment or designated benchmark. SCW is a party to various block-forward purchase power contracts. Power purchase contracts with Mirant Marketing and PWCC executed in 2001 qualify for the exception provided under SFAS No. 133 for activities that are considered normal purchases and normal sales. These contracts are reflected in the statements of income at the time of contract settlement. Contracts with PWCC executed in September 2002, however, are not treated as normal purchases and normal sales and, as a result, have been recognized at fair market value on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2004. This resulted in a pretax unrealized loss (gain) of $136,000, ($638,000) and $2.5 million, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002. On a monthly basis, the related asset or liability is adjusted to reflect the fair market value at the end of each month. As this contract is settled, the realized gains or losses will be recorded and the unrealized gains or losses will be reversed.

     Under the terms of its power purchase contracts with Mirant Marketing and PWCC, SCW is required to post security, at the request of the seller, if SCW is in default under the terms of the applicable contract. In addition, SCW’s liquidity, and in certain circumstances, earnings could be adversely affected by increases in electricity prices in California. In addition, decreases in electricity prices will also result in increased unrealized losses to the Registrant under SFAS No. 133 for the contracts with PWCC. On July 14, 2003, Mirant Marketing announced that, to facilitate its financial restructuring, it filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Registrant has not experienced any interruption in the delivery of electric energy under the Mirant Marketing contract. At this time, Registrant expects no interruption in the delivery of electric energy under the contract.

     Except as discussed above, Registrant has no other derivative financial instruments, financial instruments with significant off-balance sheet risks or financial instruments with concentrations of credit risk.

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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

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AMERICAN STATES WATER COMPANY

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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AMERICAN STATES WATER COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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AMERICAN STATES WATER COMPANY

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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AMERICAN STATES WATER COMPANY