What Water Replenishment District of Southern California does

Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) is a California special district water agency founded in 1959 and headquartered in Lakewood, California. It is the largest groundwater agency in California and the only special district in the state dedicated exclusively to groundwater replenishment, managing two adjudicated basins — the Central Basin and the West Coast Basin — across a 420-square-mile service area in southern Los Angeles County. WRD's operations ensure that groundwater meets approximately 50% of the water demands of 4 million residents spread across 43+ cities and unincorporated areas. The district is governed by an elected five-member Board of Directors and led by General Manager Stephan Tucker.

WRD's core physical assets include the Albert Robles Center (ARC) for Water Recycling & Environmental Learning in Pico Rivera, which treats 14 million gallons of water per day; the Leo J. Vander Lans Advanced Water Treatment Facility in Long Beach; the Robert W. Goldsworthy Desalter in Torrance; and the LAF Perchlorate Site in Vernon. Treatment processes span ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and UV light with advanced oxidation to convert brackish groundwater and recycled water into potable supply. Digital infrastructure includes a SCADA control system, a GIS Hub, the WRD Hydrographs monitoring tool drawing on hundreds of wells, and a Water Rights Calculator for adjudicated-basin rights holders. The flagship Water Independence Now (WIN) program and the follow-on WIN 4 ALL initiative anchor the district's strategy of local water self-sufficiency, with the $146-185M Torrance Groundwater Desalter Expansion (commissioning targeted for 2029) as the most significant active capital project.

WRD is a government entity rather than a commercial enterprise. Its primary revenue mechanism is the Replenishment Assessment, a per acre-foot fee levied on groundwater producers (rising from $411 in FY 2022-23 to $480 in FY 2026-27), supplemented by federal and state grants and low-interest loans (over $82 million secured cumulatively from EPA, Bureau of Reclamation, and other sources) and planned bond issuances for capital projects. The district does not sell water directly to end consumers; instead it provides basin management, replenishment services, water rights administration, PFAS remediation assistance, stormwater capture, and educational programming to municipalities, water agencies, and groundwater producers within its statutory jurisdiction.

Name

Water Replenishment District of Southern California

Legal name

Water Replenishment District

Website

https://wrd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Water Replenishment District of Southern California is a California special district that manages groundwater replenishment across 420 square miles of southern Los Angeles County, serving 4 million residents in 43+ cities and meeting 50% of regional water demand through advanced treatment facilities, desalters, and basin monitoring infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Groundwater Management Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Sewer Cleaning, Jetting & Root Control (EUANACAH)

Keywords

• Groundwater replenishment
• Water treatment services
• Groundwater basin management
• Water rights administration
• Brackish groundwater desalination

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Replenishment Assessment: WRD levies a Replenishment Assessment (RA) on groundwater producers operating within its service area. The RA is a per acre-foot fee charged to replenish groundwater supplies. For FY 2026-27 the rate is $480 per acre-foot, increasing from $454 in FY 2025-26. This is the primary mechanism through which WRD funds its basin management activities and capital improvement projects.
2. Federal and State Grants and Low-Interest Loans: WRD has secured over $82 million in grants and low-interest loans from federal and state sources including the EPA and Bureau of Reclamation to fund major capital projects such as the Torrance Groundwater Desalter Expansion.
3. Bond Issuance: WRD funds remaining capital project costs through planned bond issuances, supplementing grants and the Replenishment Assessment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

WRD manages groundwater replenishment and water rights administration across two adjudicated basins (Central Basin and West Coast Basin) covering 420 square miles in southern Los Angeles County. The district operates advanced water treatment facilities, brackish groundwater desalters, and the Water Independence Now (WIN) program to convert brackish and recycled water into drinking water. WRD also delivers community education programs, water rights tracking tools, and basin monitoring data services to municipalities, groundwater producers, and the public.

Product overview

Water Replenishment District of Southern California is a special district managing groundwater resources across a 420-square-mile service area in southern Los Angeles County. The organization operates a portfolio of water infrastructure including groundwater desalination facilities (Torrance Groundwater Desalter, Robert W. Goldsworthy Desalter), advanced water treatment facilities (Albert Robles Center treating 14 million gallons per day, Leo J. Vander Lans AWTF), and programs like Water Independence Now (WIN) and WIN 4 ALL for sustainable water supply. WRD also provides public-facing digital tools including the Water Rights Calculator, Hydrographs tool, GIS Hub, Pumper Portal, and ARC 360 Virtual Tour, alongside community education programs such as Groundwater Festival, facility tours, and Eco Gardener workshops. Groundwater managed by WRD meets 50% of water demands for 4 million residents in its service area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Water Independence Now (WIN): WRD's flagship program creating a locally sustainable water supply for groundwater recharge; cornerstone initiative that enabled the region to be independent from imported water for basin recharge
• WIN 4 ALL
• Albert Robles Center (ARC)
• ARC 360

Products and services

• Groundwater Replenishment Services (Replenishment Assessment) WRD levies a per acre-foot Replenishment Assessment on groundwater producers operating within its service area to fund basin management activities and capital improvement projects. The primary mechanism for funding groundwater replenishment operations.
• Water Rights Administration Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% of water demand for 4 million residents met by WRD-managed groundwater
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Jacobs-McCarthy Joint VenturecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 December 2024A joint venture between Jacobs Solutions and McCarthy Building Companies was awarded the $185 million contract by WRD in December 2024 for construction of the Torrance Groundwater Desalter expansion. Jacobs is responsible for design and McCarthy for construction. Substantial completion is expected October 2028 with full commissioning by 2029. This is WRD's largest capital project in its history.
• City of TorrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRD and the City of Torrance are co-developers of the $166.5 million Torrance Groundwater Desalter Expansion Project, which involves expanding the existing groundwater desalter facility to treat brackish groundwater from a 14-square-mile plume caused by decades of seawater intrusion along the Southern California coast. Both parties held a ceremonial groundbreaking in June 2025/2026.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Orange County Water District: Special district in California that manages groundwater basin replenishment and operates advanced water treatment facilities, including the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) - the world's largest indirect potable reuse facility. Direct comparable in mandate, business model, and advanced treatment technology to WRD.
• Santa Clara Valley Water District: California special district responsible for groundwater management, water supply, and flood protection in Santa Clara County. Manages adjudicated groundwater basins with replenishment assessment structures analogous to WRD's Central and West Coast Basin operations.
• Inland Empire Utilities Agency: California special district that provides imported water, wastewater treatment, groundwater recharge, and water recycling services in the San Bernardino region. Operates Chino Basin groundwater recharge facilities and advanced treatment similar to WRD's WIN program.
• West Basin Municipal Water District: California special district operating within the West Coast Basin adjudicated groundwater area adjacent to WRD's service territory. Operates the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility and partners on water infrastructure investment in the same regional water ecosystem.
• San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District: California special district providing groundwater management and supplemental water supply in the San Gabriel Valley, adjacent to WRD's service area. Operates groundwater treatment and replenishment programs with comparable technology and regulatory structure to WRD.
• Alameda County Water District: California special district that operates groundwater production and treatment facilities in the Niles Cone groundwater basin. Comparable in providing blended groundwater and imported surface water supply with active basin management, similar in mandate and operational model to WRD.
• Central Basin Municipal Water District: California special district operating within WRD's Central Basin service area as a wholesale water provider to municipal utilities. Direct geographic overlap and shared customer base with WRD, participating in the same adjudicated basin water rights administration.

Broad incumbents

• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Regional wholesale water distributor serving southern California, including areas overlapping WRD's service area. While broader in scope (imported water, treatment, and distribution), it is a key counterpart and counterparty to WRD's replenishment activities and competes for the same municipal ratepayer base.
• San Diego County Water Authority: Wholesale water supplier serving San Diego County with imported and locally developed water supplies, including the Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. Broader geographic mandate but comparable in mission to reduce imported water dependence through local supply development.

Regional players

• Las Virgenes Municipal Water District: California special district providing water and wastewater services in the western San Fernando Valley and Las Virgenes Canyon area, just north of WRD's service area. Operates advanced water treatment (Pure Water Las Virgenes) comparable to WRD's ARC and desalter facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wrdsocal
• Facebookfacebook.com/WRDsocal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water-replenishment-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/wrdsocal
• Xx.com/WRDsocal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Water Replenishment District of Southern California