<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM BALANCE SHEETS AND INCOME STATEMENTS FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FILED HEREWITH. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0001056903 <NAME> SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER CO. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 405,748 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 1,602 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 43,653 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 27,768 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 478,771 <COMMON> 22,394 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 74,397 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 56,173 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 153,504 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 480 <PREFERRED> 1,600 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 130,803 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 19,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 130,092 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 75 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 40 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 926 <LEASES-CURRENT> 140 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 0 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 478,771 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 111,958 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 8,484 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 84,074 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 92,558 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 19,400 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (78) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 19,322 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 8,338 <NET-INCOME> 10,984 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 68 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 10,916 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 8,465 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 26,180 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.22 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.22