diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp
index dca0edb76..60b1ce3d9 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp
@@ -435,16 +435,22 @@ namespace Cantera {
    * \f]
    */
   doublereal PDSS_Water::thermalExpansionCoeff() const {
-    doublereal pres = pressure();
-    doublereal val = m_sub->coeffThermExp(m_temp, pres);
+    doublereal val = m_sub->coeffThermExp();
     return val; 
   }
 
   doublereal PDSS_Water::dthermalExpansionCoeffdT() const {
     doublereal pres = pressure();
+    doublereal dens_save = m_dens;
     double tt = m_temp - 0.04;
-    doublereal vald = m_sub->coeffThermExp(tt, pres);
-    doublereal val2 = m_sub->coeffThermExp(m_temp, pres);
+    doublereal dd = m_sub->density(tt, pres, m_iState, m_dens);
+    if (dd < 0.0) {
+      throw CanteraError("PDSS_Water::dthermalExpansionCoeffdT", 
+			 "unable to solve for the density at T = " + fp2str(tt) + ", P = " + fp2str(pres));
+    }
+    doublereal vald = m_sub->coeffThermExp();
+    m_sub->setState_TR(m_temp, dens_save);
+    doublereal val2 = m_sub->coeffThermExp();
     doublereal val = (val2 - vald) / 0.04;
     return val; 
   }
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterProps.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterProps.cpp
index 2eac58007..5099a467e 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterProps.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterProps.cpp
@@ -442,14 +442,21 @@ namespace Cantera {
   }
 
   double WaterProps::coeffThermalExp_IAPWS(double temp, double press) {
-
-    double cte;
-    cte = m_waterIAPWS->coeffThermExp(temp, press);
+    double dens = m_waterIAPWS->density(temp, press, WATER_LIQUID);
+    if (dens < 0.0) {
+      throw CanteraError("WaterProps::coeffThermalExp_IAPWS", 
+			 "Unable to solve for density at T = " + fp2str(temp) + " and P = " + fp2str(press));
+    }
+    double cte = m_waterIAPWS->coeffThermExp();
     return cte;
   }
 
   double WaterProps::isothermalCompressibility_IAPWS(double temp, double press) {
-    m_waterIAPWS->density(temp, press, WATER_LIQUID);
+    double dens = m_waterIAPWS->density(temp, press, WATER_LIQUID);
+    if (dens < 0.0) {
+      throw CanteraError("WaterProps::isothermalCompressibility_IAPWS", 
+			 "Unable to solve for density at T = " + fp2str(temp) + " and P = " + fp2str(press));
+    }
     double kappa = m_waterIAPWS->isothermalCompressibility();
     return kappa;
   }
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.cpp
index 03a16c036..dfe15bcc9 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.cpp
@@ -257,45 +257,6 @@ double WaterPropsIAPWS::psat_est(double temperature) {
   return ps;
 }
 
-/*
- * Returns the coefficient of thermal expansion as a function
- * of temperature and pressure.
- *           alpha = d (ln V) / dT at constant P.
- *
- * Currently this function is calculated using a differencing scheme. 
- */
-double WaterPropsIAPWS::coeffThermExp(double temperature, double pressure) {
-
-  double deltaT = 0.01;
-  double psat_at=0.0;
-  double rhoguess = -1;
-  int phase = -1;
-  if (temperature > T_c) {
-    rhoguess = pressure * M_water / (Rgas * temperature);
-  } else {
-    psat_at = psat(temperature);
-    if (pressure >= psat_at) {
-      phase = WATER_LIQUID;
-      deltaT = -0.01;
-    } else
-      phase = WATER_GAS;
-  }
-
-  double dens_base = density(temperature, pressure, phase, rhoguess);
-
-  if (dens_base == -1.0) {
-    printf("problems\n");
-    exit(-1);
-  }
-  double temp_del = temperature + deltaT;
-
-  double dens_del = density(temp_del, pressure, phase, dens_base);
-
-  double Vavg = 0.5 * (1./dens_del + 1./dens_base); 
-  double retn = 1.0 / Vavg * (1./dens_del - 1.0/dens_base)/deltaT;
-  return retn;
-}
-
 /*
  * Returns the coefficient of isothermal compressibility
  * of temperature and pressure.
@@ -315,6 +276,13 @@ double WaterPropsIAPWS:: coeffPresExp() const {
   return (retn);
 }
 
+double WaterPropsIAPWS:: coeffThermExp() const {
+  double kappa = isothermalCompressibility();
+  double beta = coeffPresExp();
+  double dens = delta * Rho_c;
+  return (kappa * dens * Rgas * beta / M_water);
+}
+
 /*
  * Calculate the Gibbs free energy in mks units of
  * J kmol-1 K-1.
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.h b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.h
index 62bd6a85b..7c7f64119 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.h
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ public:
    */
   double density() const;
 
-  //! Returns the coefficient of thermal expansion as a function of temperature and pressure.
+  //! Returns the coefficient of thermal expansion.
   /*!
    *           alpha = d (ln V) / dT at constant P.
    *
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ public:
    * @return
    *    Returns the coefficient of thermal expansion
    */
-  double coeffThermExp(double temperature, double pressure);
+  double coeffThermExp() const;
 
   //! Returns the isochoric pressure-temperature coefficient
   /*!
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterSSTP.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterSSTP.cpp
index 41ca96a5e..bac7f80e8 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterSSTP.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/WaterSSTP.cpp
@@ -508,18 +508,23 @@ namespace Cantera {
    * \f]
    */
   doublereal WaterSSTP::thermalExpansionCoeff() const {
-    doublereal pres = pressure();
-    double T = temperature();
-    doublereal val = m_sub->coeffThermExp(T, pres);
+    doublereal val = m_sub->coeffThermExp();
     return val;
   }
 
   doublereal WaterSSTP::dthermalExpansionCoeffdT() const {
     doublereal pres = pressure();
+    doublereal dens_save = density();
     double T = temperature();
     double tt = T - 0.04;
-    doublereal vald = m_sub->coeffThermExp(tt, pres);
-    doublereal val2 = m_sub->coeffThermExp(T, pres);
+    doublereal dd = m_sub->density(tt, pres, WATER_LIQUID, dens_save);
+    if (dd < 0.0) {
+      throw CanteraError("WaterSSTP::dthermalExpansionCoeffdT", 
+			 "Unable to solve for the density at T = " + fp2str(tt) + ", P = " + fp2str(pres));
+    }
+    doublereal vald = m_sub->coeffThermExp();
+    m_sub->setState_TR(T, dens_save);
+    doublereal val2 = m_sub->coeffThermExp();
     doublereal val = (val2 - vald) / 0.04;
     return val;
   }