Department of Water Resources: Official California DWR Contact, Water Data, Flood, Groundwater and Public Resources
The California Department of Water Resources is often searched by people who need water bill help, drought data, flood contacts, groundwater information, well reports, water education material or a real DWR phone number. The key point is simple: DWR is a statewide water resources agency, not your local household water bill office. This guide helps you choose the correct official DWR page, phone number, emergency contact or public water data tool without wasting time.
State agency
DWR manages statewide water resources, flood information, State Water Project resources and public water data.
Main contact
DWR headquarters is listed at 916-653-5791, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Water data
Use Current Conditions, California Water Watch and CDEC for statewide water condition information.
Not bill pay
DWR does not normally handle local household water bills. Contact your city, local utility or water district for billing.
Main Official California Department of Water Resources Links
What the Department of Water Resources Actually Handles
DWR works at the statewide water-management level. It is not the same as a city water billing department, a local water district, or a private utility company.
| User need | Does DWR handle it? | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| California statewide water data | Yes, through DWR tools and related state data systems. | Open Current Conditions. |
| Flood incidents and river forecasts | Yes, DWR provides flood and river forecast contact routes. | Use the emergency contacts listed below. |
| Groundwater information | Yes, DWR provides groundwater resources, data and SGMA-related information. | Open Groundwater resources. |
| Well completion reports | Yes, through the official WCR resources and map application. | Open Well Completion Reports. |
| Household water bill payment | Usually no. | Contact your city water department, county utility, water district or private water provider. |
California Department of Water Resources Phone Number, Address, Hours and Public Affairs Contact
Use DWR headquarters for general state agency contact. Use Public Affairs for media, organizations and general public information requests connected to DWR programs.
DWR Headquarters
Phone: 916-653-5791
Street address: California Department of Water Resources, 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Mailing address: P.O. Box 942836, Sacramento, CA 94236-0001
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, closed on state holidays.
Public Affairs
Phone: 916-653-1074
Email: media@water.ca.gov
Use Public Affairs for media requests, public information questions, DWR program information and organization-level inquiries.
Map shows California Department of Water Resources headquarters at 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. For official contact details, use the DWR Contact page.
DWR Emergency Contacts for State Water Project, Flood Incidents and River Forecasts
Use emergency contacts only for the correct situation. For household water leaks, water bill shutoff notices, sewer backups or local utility emergencies, contact your city, county or local water provider first.
| Emergency need | Official DWR contact | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| State Water Project facility incident | 916-574-2714 | For incidents and emergencies related to State Water Project facilities. |
| Flood incident | 916-574-2619 | For reporting flood incidents to the Flood Operations Center. |
| River forecasts / water conditions / flood information | 800-952-5530 | For river forecasts, general water conditions and flood information. |
| Hazardous materials or spills | 916-845-8911 | DWR directory lists this State Warning Center contact for hazardous materials or spills. |
California Water Conditions, California Water Watch and CDEC
DWR provides or links to several tools that help the public, researchers, agencies, farmers, media and local governments understand California water conditions.
Current Conditions
Use DWR Current Conditions when you want a starting point for statewide water conditions and related public data tools.
California Water Watch
Use California Water Watch to track local and statewide water conditions down to a region or neighborhood level.
CDEC
Use California Data Exchange Center for detailed precipitation, snow, river, reservoir and surface-water data.
DWR Groundwater Resources and Well Completion Reports
Groundwater matters for homes, farms, local agencies and drought planning. DWR’s groundwater resources help users understand California groundwater systems, data, sustainable groundwater management and well record tools.
| Resource | Use it for | Official link |
|---|---|---|
| Groundwater overview | Understanding groundwater, state groundwater management and related public resources. | Open Groundwater |
| Well Completion Reports | Searching for well completion reports by location, address or coordinates. | Open Well Completion Reports |
| OSWCR submission help | Well report submission questions and OSWCR help. | OSWCR_Admin@water.ca.gov |
DWR Technical Assistance for Local and Regional Water Challenges
DWR provides technical guidance and assistance through headquarters and regional offices to help local and regional organizations address water and environmental challenges.
Who should use it?
Local agencies, regional water groups, tribes, flood managers, groundwater agencies, environmental organizations and public partners may use technical assistance resources where appropriate.
What to prepare?
Prepare your agency name, project area, county, water challenge, map/location, timeline, technical question and any supporting data before contacting a regional office.
DWR Education Resources for Students, Teachers and Families
DWR provides water education material for Californians, including teachers, parents, students, scout leaders and non-formal educators.
For teachers
Use DWR education resources for water lessons, classroom support and K-12 learning material.
For families
Learn where water comes from, how Californians use it and how conservation helps communities.
For scouts and groups
Use official water education content for community programs, youth groups and outdoor learning.
Need to Pay a Water Bill? DWR Is Usually Not the Right Office
Many users search “Department of Water Resources bill pay” when they actually need their local water utility. DWR is a statewide water resources agency, so household billing usually belongs to a local provider.
| If you need… | Do this instead | Example search |
|---|---|---|
| Pay home water bill | Find your city, county, water district or private water provider. | “Los Angeles water bill pay” or “Sacramento utilities bill pay” |
| Start/stop home water service | Contact your local municipal utility or water district. | “start water service [city name]” |
| Report local water main break | Call city public works, county utility or local emergency number. | “report water main break [city name]” |
| Dispute local water bill | Call the billing phone number printed on your water bill. | “water bill dispute [utility name]” |
Common Department of Water Resources Search Mistakes
Because “Department of Water Resources” sounds like a billing office, people often end up on the wrong path. Use this section to pick the right official route.
| Mistake | Why it wastes time | Better action |
|---|---|---|
| Trying to pay a city bill through DWR | DWR is not your local billing provider. | Search for your city or local water district payment portal. |
| Using unofficial data screenshots | Water data changes frequently and screenshots may be outdated. | Use Current Conditions, Water Watch or CDEC directly. |
| Calling headquarters for local leaks | A city water main break needs local public works response. | Call the city or county where the leak is located. |
| Looking for well records on random sites | Third-party pages may be incomplete or outdated. | Use DWR Well Completion Reports and the official WCR map application. |
| Not saving contact details | Follow-up is harder without a record. | Save phone number, page URL, email, date, contact name and any reference number. |
Department of Water Resources FAQs
These FAQs answer common searches about California DWR contact, water data, flood numbers, groundwater, well reports, technical assistance and whether DWR handles local water bills.
QWhat is the California Department of Water Resources?
The California Department of Water Resources, often called DWR, is a state water resources agency. It manages statewide water resources, water data, State Water Project information, flood-related resources, groundwater programs and technical assistance.
QWhat is the official California DWR website?
The official California Department of Water Resources website is water.ca.gov. Use that site for official DWR contacts, water conditions, program pages and public resources.
QWhat is the Department of Water Resources phone number?
DWR headquarters lists 916-653-5791 as the main phone number.
QWhere is the California Department of Water Resources located?
DWR headquarters is listed at 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. The mailing address is P.O. Box 942836, Sacramento, CA 94236-0001.
QDoes DWR handle household water bill payment?
No. Household water bill payment is normally handled by a local city utility, county utility, local water district or private water provider. DWR is a statewide water resources agency.
QWho do I contact for DWR public affairs or media questions?
DWR lists the Public Affairs Office at 916-653-1074 and media@water.ca.gov for news media, organizations and public information requests.
QWhere can I check California water conditions?
Use DWR Current Conditions, California Water Watch and the California Data Exchange Center for water conditions, precipitation, reservoir, snowpack and hydrologic data.
QWhere can I get river forecasts and flood information?
DWR lists 800-952-5530 for river forecasts, general water conditions and flood information. Flood incidents can be reported to 916-574-2619.
QWhere do I report State Water Project emergencies?
DWR lists 916-574-2714 for incidents and emergencies related to State Water Project facilities.
QWhere can I find California groundwater information?
Use DWR’s Groundwater page for groundwater basics, statewide groundwater information and related program resources.
QWhere can I search California well completion reports?
Use DWR’s Well Completion Reports page and the official WCR map application to search by address or coordinates. For OSWCR submission help, DWR lists OSWCR_Admin@water.ca.gov.
QDoes DWR offer technical assistance?
Yes. DWR headquarters and regional offices provide technical guidance and assistance to local and regional organizations working on water and environmental challenges.
QDoes DWR provide education material?
Yes. DWR provides water education resources for students, teachers, parents, scout leaders and non-formal educators.
QIs Water-Department.org the official DWR website?
No. Water-Department.org is an independent guide. Official water data, emergency contact, public information, technical assistance and agency decisions must be handled through the California Department of Water Resources and water.ca.gov.
Official Sources for Department of Water Resources Information
Use these official California DWR resources for final confirmation before calling, reporting an emergency, checking statewide water data, searching well reports, requesting assistance or using education resources.
| Official source | Use it for | Open |
|---|---|---|
| California Department of Water Resources | Official DWR mission, programs, news, public resources and statewide water information. | Open DWR home |
| DWR Contact | Headquarters address, phone number, mailing address, hours and Public Affairs contact. | Open contact page |
| DWR Directory | Emergency contacts, headquarters directory, regional offices, business services and program contacts. | Open directory |
| Current Conditions | Starting point for statewide and local water condition information. | Open current conditions |
| California Water Watch | Tracking current local and statewide water conditions by region or neighborhood. | Open Water Watch |
| California Data Exchange Center | Detailed precipitation, snow, river, reservoir and surface-water data. | Open CDEC |
| Groundwater | Groundwater basics, statewide groundwater information and groundwater management resources. | Open groundwater |
| Well Completion Reports | Searching well completion reports and using the WCR map application. | Open well reports |
| Technical Assistance | Technical guidance and assistance for local and regional water/environmental challenges. | Open technical assistance |
| Education | Water education resources for teachers, parents, students, scouts and public learning. | Open education resources |
Pay Smarter, Check High Bills, Start Service, Avoid Shutoff and Find Official Water Department Links
Use this free tool before paying a water bill, setting up autopay, starting or stopping service, checking a high bill, requesting leak help, or looking for the official water department portal. It gives practical next steps without collecting your account number or personal details.
What water bill or service problem do you need to solve?
Choose your situation. The tool will suggest the safest next step, what to prepare, and which official page to check first.
Start from the official water department, city, county or utility website before entering account details. Avoid random payment ads and look-alike bill pay sites.
Before paying a very unusual bill, check meter reads, toilet leaks, irrigation use, estimated bills, late fees, and whether your utility offers a leak adjustment.
Water Bill Payment Route Helper
Choose how you want to pay. The tool will tell you what to prepare and the safest payment path.
High Water Bill Checker
Compare your normal bill with the new bill and get a practical investigation path before calling customer service.
Leak Check and Adjustment Checklist
Use this before requesting a leak adjustment, disputing a bill, or calling the water department about high usage.
Start, Stop or Transfer Water Service Helper
Use this before moving, opening a new account, closing an old account, or transferring service to another address.
Past Due, Shutoff and Reconnection Helper
Use this if your account is late, disconnected, at risk of shutoff, or you need a payment plan or assistance program.
Simple Water Usage Cost Estimator
Estimate a rough bill from base charge, usage units, rate per unit, sewer charge, stormwater fee and service fees. Official tiered rates may be different.
Official Water Department Resource Finder
Enter city/utility and state to create safe searches for the official water bill portal, phone number, outage page, assistance, start service, leak adjustment, and Water-Department.org guide.
Water Department vs Payment Processor
- Water department: account help, service start/stop, leaks, repairs, shutoff, assistance.
- Payment processor: card/eCheck payment screen, payment fee, confirmation number, posting time.
Best sitewide placement
Add this tool after the main payment section or before FAQs. It helps users solve the next problem after reading the article.
Important safety note
This tool gives educational guidance only. Always confirm payment portals, phone numbers, account balance, assistance rules and reconnection steps with the official water department or utility.