EXHIBIT 99
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Arthur Dague                   Investor/Shareholder Relations
         (203) 329-5094                 (800) 248-8845
         adague@czn.com                 ir@czn.com


               CITIZENS UTILITIES TAKES STEPS TO IMPROVE EARNINGS
               AND WILL TAKE A CHARGE TO SECOND-QUARTER EARNINGS

         Stamford,  CT, July 11, 1997 -- Citizens Utilities announced today that
the company has taken  several  actions  intended  to both  improve  earnings by
year-end 1997 and slow the pace of its telecommunications  expansion.  Robert J.
DeSantis,  vice  president and  treasurer,  stated that these actions  include a
restructuring  expected  to reduce  operating  expenses  by at least $70 million
annually, a second quarter 1997 pre-tax charge of approximately $185 million and
a reduction of at least $175 million to the company's  1997 capital  expenditure
program.  Additional  actions to further reduce operating expenses will be taken
before the end of 1997.

         "Because of lower than  anticipated  long distance and adjacent  market
revenues and the charge to earnings,  Citizens'  earnings and earnings per share
(with and without  the  charge)  for the 1997 second  quarter as compared to the
prior year quarter will decline more than they did in the first  quarter of this
year.  In order to return to a pattern  of  increasing  earnings  in  succeeding
quarters, it is necessary to substantially reduce operating expenses and capital
expenditures," said Mr. DeSantis.

         Mr.  DeSantis  explained that the operating  expense  savings relate to
reductions in workforce and benefits,  consolidation of call center  operations,
closure  of sales  offices,  reduction  of sales and  marketing  activities  and
reconfiguration  of the  company's  network cost  structure  through new carrier
contracts and network redesign.
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         Mr. DeSantis further stated that the second quarter charge to earnings,
like those made by many of Citizens' peer  companies,  generally  relates to the
restructuring and the changing  regulatory  environment.  More specifically,  he
explained  that the  charge  pertains  to the  cost of  employee  severance  and
benefits,  lease  termination  costs, the cost of curtailing sales and marketing
initiatives, the cost of information system and software changes, certain assets
deemed no longer  recoverable  and the  effect of recent  regulatory  commission
orders.

         In addition,  Mr. DeSantis stated that $140 million of the $175 million
reduction to the 1997 capital  budget  impacts the  Communications  Sector.  The
recent Federal Communications  Commission orders related to access charge reform
and the Universal  Service Fund subsidies have dictated  reconsideration  of the
company's rural telephone investment program.

         Mr.  DeSantis said that these and other planned actions will strengthen
the company's  operations and improve  profitability in succeeding 1997 quarters
and beyond.

         Citizens    Utilities    (NYSE:    CZNA,    CZNB,    CZNPr)    provides
telecommunications  and public  utility  services to  approximately  1.6 million
customers  in  22  states.   Citizens   Communications  operates  an  integrated
distribution  network  over which it  provides  local,  long  distance,  paging,
cellular, network sales and other communications products and services. Citizens
also has investments in Centennial Cellular Corp.  (NASDAQ:  CYCL) and Hungarian
Telephone  and Cable Corp.  (ASE:  HTC) and owns  Electric  Lightwave,  Inc.,  a
leading  competitive  provider  of  communications  services  for  business  and
long-distance carriers in the western United States.

         This press  release  contains  forward-looking  statements  relating to
future expenses,  capital expenditures,  revenues,  charges and earnings.  These
statements may differ from actual future results due to, but not limited to, the
actual effects of the restructuring, reduction in capital expenditures and other
actions described herein,  changes in the local and overall economy,  the nature
and pace of technological change, the number and effectiveness of competitors in
the  company's  markets,  success in  marketing  and  selling  expenditures  and
efforts,  weather  conditions,  changes  in legal and  regulatory  policy,  name
recognition,  and the mix of  products  and  services  offered in the  company's
target  markets.  Investors  may wish to  consider  these  important  factors in
evaluating any statements herein.