Zone 7 Receives Highest Bond Rating from Fitch Ratings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Valerie Pryor
General Manager, Zone 7 Water Agency
925-454-5000 | [email protected]

Zone 7 Receives Highest Bond Rating from Fitch Ratings
Fitch Ratings Upgrades Zone 7’s Bond Rating to ‘AAA’ – the highest bond rating from Fitch

LIVERMORE, Calif. (September 29, 2025) – Zone 7 Water Agency (Zone 7) has received the highest possible financial rating – ‘AAA’ from Fitch Ratings, one of the country’s top rating agencies. This follows Zone 7 receiving Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings’ highest rating of ‘AAA’ in 2023. These top ratings establish Zone 7 as one of the most financially resilient and well-managed water agencies in the state. In California, Zone 7 is one of only 12 water agencies to earn Fitch’s ‘AAA’ rating.

Zone 7 General Manager Valerie Pryor commented, “This upgrade reflects the Board’s leadership and our staff’s commitment to strong financial practices and maintaining a resilient water supply portfolio.”
In its report detailing the reasons for the upgrade to ‘AAA,’ Fitch specifically noted Zone 7’s “exceptionally low leverage and strong operating risk profiles,” and stated that the Agency is well-positioned to absorb potential increases in leverage if financing becomes necessary for large capital projects in the future.

“We are extremely proud of receiving Fitch’s highest rating,” said Board President Kathy Narum. “Paired with the S&P ‘AAA’ rating, this demonstrates the Agency’s commitment to operating in a transparent, cost-effective, and efficient manner. These positive rating actions allow Zone 7 to borrow funds at lower interest rates, making it possible to finance important infrastructure projects more affordably.”