State poised to order another investigation of water company.

Alisal Water Corporation (Alco) will likely become the subject—once again—of a probe into its water quality. This time the Salinas company will meet the scrutiny of a state arbiter, instead of a federal judge.

The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is expected to initiate the investigation on April 12. Ultimately, the examination will conclude whether Alco is meeting customer demands.

Salinas, Monterey County and California Water Service Company want to stop Alco from serving about 7,500 homes in Salinas’ planned growth area. The jurisdictions criticize Alco for providing foul-smelling and corrosive water with weak pressure. Alco currently serves about 30,000 people in East Salinas. But despite the outcry from public officials, it appears Alco has successfully staked its claim on an additional 2,200 acres that will eventually be annexed.

Alco is meeting all California water quality standards, according to the state.

Fred Curry, chief of the PUC’s water branch, told a county and city subcommittee that the company can extend to the contiguous land, even without PUC approval. “There was really no way for the commission to do what they were asking us to do in the protests,” Curry told the Alco subcommittee on April 2.

The PUC is expected to approve Alco’s service map to include the eastern portion of the city’s future growth area. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it will serve those homeowners. Curry said a developer typically chooses the water provider, and it’s not too late for the City or another utility to step in.