8-K

UNITED STATESSECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORTPURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THESECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): September 17, 2008

SOUTHWEST WATER COMPANY
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

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

One Wilshire Building 624 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2900 Los Angeles, CA	90017-3782
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

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

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report date)

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:

⃞ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

⃞ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

ITEM 5.02     DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR PRINCIPAL OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF PRINCIPAL OFFICERS

(d) The Company’s Board of Directors elected Geoffrey C. Ketcham a director of the board,
effective October 1, 2008. There was no arrangement or understanding pursuant to
which Mr. Ketcham was selected as a director. No transaction involving the Company
and Mr. Ketcham of a type required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of
Regulation S-K exists.

Item 8.01     Other Events

On September 17, 2008 a news release was issued announcing the appointment of Geoffrey C. Ketcham to the Company’s Board of Directors.

The information contained in the news release is incorporated herein by reference and furnished as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01     Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)       Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	On September 17, 2008 a news release was issued announcing the appointment of Geoffrey C. Ketcham to the Company’s Board of Directors.

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 hereto duly authorized.

		SOUTHWEST WATER COMPANY
		(Registrant)
		By:	/s/ Cheryl L. Clary
			Name:	Cheryl L. Clary
			Title:	Chief Financial Officer
Date:	September 17, 2008

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

SouthWest Water Company Appoints Geoffrey C. Ketcham to Board of Directors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SouthWest Water Company (NASDAQ:SWWC), a leading provider of water, wastewater and public works services, today announced that Geoffrey C. Ketcham has been elected to the company’s Board of Directors, effective October 1, 2008. The appointment increases the board to 9 members, 8 of whom are non-employee directors.

“I am very pleased to welcome Geoff to our board,” said Mark Swatek, chief executive officer and chairman. “His twenty-five years of service in the utility industry will be an invaluable asset to SouthWest Water. Geoff brings financial expertise as well as a keen understanding of one of our largest growth markets – the southeast. I look forward to the contributions and perspectives Geoff will bring to our board.”

Mr. Ketcham, 57, spent twenty-five years at Energen Corporation, a diversified energy company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, engaged in oil and gas production and rate regulated natural gas distribution. Mr. Ketcham joined the company in 1981 as Controller of Alabama Gas Corporation (Alagasco), in 1986 was named Vice President of Planning for Energen and was elected CFO the following year. He retired in 2006. During his tenure at Energen, he played a key role in the early implementation of Alagasco’s Rate Stabilization and Equalization rate-setting mechanism and in Energen’s evaluation and funding of over $2 billion of oil and gas property acquisitions and related development. In addition, he oversaw the implementation of SAP enterprise systems. He was responsible for all financial, treasury and investor relations functions. Prior to joining Alagasco, he spent nine years with the international public accounting firm of Arthur Young & Company.

Mr. Ketcham is a past chair of the Finance Committee of the American Gas Association, the industry association representing natural gas distribution companies. He chaired the Auburn University College of Business Advisory Board and has been a board member and chair of numerous social service and arts organizations in the Birmingham community. He is an alumnus of Leadership Alabama and Leadership Birmingham. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University.

SouthWest Water Company provides a broad range of operations, maintenance and management services, including water production, treatment and distribution; wastewater collection and treatment; customer service; 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 10 states depend on SouthWest Water for high-quality, reliable service. Additional information may be found on the company’s website: www.swwc.com.

CONTACT:
SouthWest Water Company
DeLise Keim, VP Corporate Communications, 213-929-1846
www.swwc.com