Cawelo Water District has been relying on produced water from oil operations for more than two decades — a reliable additional source of water that helps offset severe restrictions imposed due to the drought and environmental measures.

Kern County has a rich history in oil production, responsible for generating nearly three-quarters of California’s oil production under some of the nation’s most stringent environmental standards. Every barrel of oil produced also naturally generates approximately 15 barrels of water, called produced water.

Cawelo’s produced water is treated by oil producers, filtered and then delivered to Cawelo, where it is blended with other supplies for agricultural use. Our District has a long history of complying with the water quality standards and testing/monitoring protocols established by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board).