8-K

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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                         Date of report: April 30, 2004
                        (Date of earliest event reported)

                             SOUTHWEST WATER COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


   Delaware                         0-8176                        95-1840947
  (State of                 (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer
Incorporation)                                               Identification No.)

                              One Wilshire Building
                       624 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2900
                       Los Angeles, California 90017-3782
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

                                 (213) 929-1800
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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ITEM 5.     OTHER EVENTS AND REQUIRED FD DISCLOSURE.

     On May 3, 2004, Southwest Water Company announced that it had entered into
an agreement with Tecon Water Holdings, L.P. to acquire Tecon's water and
wastewater systems. The completion of the acquisition is subject to certain
conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approval. A copy of Southwest
Water's press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and hereby incorporated
by reference into Item 5.

ITEM 7.     Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

   (c)      Exhibits

   99.1     Press release issued by Southwest Water Company on May 3, 2004.



                                    SIGNATURE


     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.

Dated:  May 3, 2004
                                               SOUTHWEST WATER COMPANY



                                               By:     /s/ Richard J. Shields
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Richard J. Shields
                                                      Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.1

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

Southwest Water Company to Acquire Water Utilities in Texas and Oklahoma

   LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2004--Southwest Water Company
(Nasdaq:SWWC) today announced signing a purchase agreement to acquire
87 water utilities and 12 wastewater utilities from Tecon Water
Holdings, L.P. The approximately $63 million purchase price will be
paid by the assumption of existing debt and the remainder in cash.
Pending regulatory approval, the transaction is expected to close in
the third quarter of 2004.
   The Tecon utilities currently serve approximately 21,000 water and
4,000 wastewater connections in Texas and 250 water and wastewater
connections in Oklahoma. Southwest Water anticipates employing most of
the approximately 100 employees currently working for the utilities.
   Anton C. Garnier, Southwest Water chairman and chief executive
officer, said: "This acquisition will expand our water and wastewater
business in Texas, where our Utility Group currently owns
approximately 5,000 water and wastewater connections, and our Services
Group provides operation and maintenance services to more than 600,000
people. The new utilities will expand our services footprint into the
Dallas/Fort Worth and east Texas regions. We look forward to welcoming
new employees to the Southwest Water team. Our new customers will
receive the benefit of our experience in managing utility systems, and
we look forward to providing them with the same level of award-winning
service on which we have built our reputation."
   Garnier continued: "Last year Southwest Water invested over $30
million in capital improvements -- primarily in our water and
wastewater systems. We plan to make immediate investments in the Tecon
utilities, thereby increasing the reliability and quality of service.
Importantly, we believe this acquisition offers added value for our
stockholders, since we expect the transaction to be accretive."
   Tecon Water Holdings Chief Executive Officer Charles W. Wolcott
said: "We are pleased to have our utility systems and customers served
by Southwest Water, a well-respected company exclusively focused on
water and wastewater operations. We are confident that our customers,
employees and communities will be well served by Southwest Water,
which has received numerous service awards in its 50-year history of
excellence in water utility operations."
   Southwest Water will discuss this acquisition in its quarterly
earnings teleconference, details of which will be announced shortly.
   Southwest Water Company provides a broad range of services: water
production, treatment and distribution; wastewater collection and
treatment; public works services; utility billing and collection; and
utility infrastructure construction management. The company owns
regulated public utilities and also serves cities, utility districts
and private companies under contract. More than two million people in
35 states from coast to coast depend on Southwest Water for
high-quality, reliable service. Additional information may be found on
the company's Web site: www.swwc.com.

   This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions
that, if they prove incorrect or never materialize, could cause the
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. More detailed information about risk
factors that may affect the Company is contained in the company's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Company's 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The company assumes no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

    CONTACT: Southwest Water Company
             Richard J. Shields, 213-929-1800
             www.swwc.com
               or
             PondelWilkinson Inc.
             Cecilia Wilkinson or Robert Jaffe,
             323-866-6089 or 323-866-6007
             www.pondel.com