8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report Pursuant to Section 13or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): January 3, 2024

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(408) 367-8200

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined by Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ¨

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

On January 3, 2024, the Board of Directors of California Water Service Group (the “Company”) appointed James P. Lynch to serve as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Mr. Lynch will join the Company on or about January 3, 2024 and will formally assume the duties of the Company’s principal financial officer immediately following the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. David B. Healey, the Company’s Interim Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, will remain the principal financial officer until the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Mr. Lynch, age 64, joined the Company as Manager of Special Projects in January 2023. Previously, Mr. Lynch served in senior executive finance roles for SJW Group, a provider of regulated and nonregulated water services, including Chief Accounting Officer from January 2022 to March 2023 and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from October 2010 to January 2022. Before joining SJW Group in 2010, Mr. Lynch served in a variety of roles, most recently as Audit Partner, for KPMG LLP from September 1984 to September 2010. Mr. Lynch, a Certified Public Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Commerce with a major in Accounting from Santa Clara University.

In connection with Mr. Lynch’s appointment as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, he will receive an annual salary of $470,000 and will be eligible to participate in the Company’s executive compensation program on the same basis as our other Senior Vice Presidents, including the Company’s short-term and long-term incentive programs, Executive Severance Plan and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as generally described in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 19, 2023. In addition, the Company intends to enter into its standard form of indemnification agreement with Mr. Lynch.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Lynch and any other person pursuant to which Mr. Lynch was appointed as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. There are no family relationships between Mr. Lynch and any of the Company’s directors or executive officers. There is no information that is required to be disclosed with respect to Mr. Lynch pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

On January 4, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Lynch. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

We hereby furnish the following exhibits, which shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) with this report:

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Exhibit 99.1

January 4, 2024

For immediate release

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF

JAMES P. LYNCH TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND TREASURER

SAN JOSE, Calif. – California Water Service Group (NYSE : CWT) today announced that after conducting an extensive, nation-wide search, it has selected James P. Lynch to join the company as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective January 3, 2024. He succeeds interim Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer David B. Healey. Mr. Healey will serve as Principal Financial Officer on an interim basis, ensuring a smooth transition and supporting the company in its fiscal year 2023 financial reporting.

Mr. Lynch is an accomplished senior executive and seasoned finance leader with more than 22 years of experience in the water utility industry, including 12 years at SJW Group where he served as Chief Accounting Officer and, prior to that, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Before joining SJW Group, Mr. Lynch spent 14 years as an Audit Partner at KPMG, LLP, where he served as a lead audit partner on a portfolio of international and domestic publicly traded and privately held companies, including five years as independent audit partner for SJW Group and California Water Service Group.

“California Water Service Group retained a national search firm where Jim quickly rose to the top of the list,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Martin A. Kropelnicki. “Jim’s financial expertise, along with his extensive experience with regulated water utilities, makes him the perfect fit for this role. I’ve known Jim for many years, and I’ve long been impressed by his professionalism and integrity. I’m very pleased to have him join our leadership team.”

A Santa Clara University alumnus, Mr. Lynch served as a member of the Santa Clara University Accounting Advisory Board and currently serves on the board of directors of Children’s Health Council. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

About California Water Service Group

California Water Service Group is the parent company of regulated utilities California Water Service, Hawaii Water Service, New Mexico Water Service, and Washington Water Service, as well as Texas Water Service, a utility holding company. Together, these companies provide regulated and non-regulated water and wastewater service to more than 2.1 million people in California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Washington, and Texas. California Water Service Group’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CWT.” Additional information is available online at www.calwatergroup.com.

Contact

Shannon Dean

(408) 367-8243 (media)