The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority

What The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority does

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) is a municipal water and sewer authority founded in 1984 that provides drinking water, wastewater conveyance, and stormwater services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It operates a regulated rate base under Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) oversight, which has governed the authority since April 2018 under Act 65. PWSA's core infrastructure includes a buried network of water mains, sanitary and storm sewers, treatment facilities (with regional wastewater treatment handled in partnership with ALCOSAN), and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) deployed across its service territory to enable automated meter reading and consumption data collection. The authority generates revenue primarily through tiered usage charges — a $31.54 minimum water charge plus $16.38 per 1,000 gallons above the minimum — alongside wastewater and stormwater fees, with rates approved through PUC rate cases.

PWSA's most strategically significant operational program is its Community Lead Response initiative, which has replaced more than 15,500 public-side and 11,800 private-side lead service lines. Capital for this work has been sourced from a mix of PENNVEST loans (including $13.4M in 2023), customer rates, and recent large funding rounds totaling over $200M in 2026. The authority is also mid-execution of a multi-generational Water Reliability Plan targeting supply redundancy, treatment upgrades, and transmission-main improvements. Commercially, PWSA has partnered with Oncourse Home Solutions to offer a service-line protection product, extending its relationship with customers beyond core ratepayer billing. Leadership is headed by CEO Will Pickering and COO Jennifer Presutti, and the organization employs 51–100 staff, reflecting its lean, infrastructure-asset-heavy operating model typical of mid-sized American water utilities.

Name

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority

Legal name

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority

Website

https://pgh2o.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority is a municipal utility founded in 1984 that provides drinking water, wastewater conveyance, and stormwater services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across Pittsburgh, PA, under Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission oversight.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL)

Keywords

• Municipal water services
• Wastewater conveyance
• Stormwater management
• Lead line replacement
• Advanced metering infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Service Charges: Charges for water consumption based on gallons consumed. All customers charged minimum amount based on meter size. Average residential customer billed for 5/8 inch meter and 3,000 gallons per billing cycle.
2. Wastewater Conveyance: Charges based on gallons of water released into sewer system, separate from water charges. Billed on behalf of ALCOSAN for sewage treatment.
3. Stormwater Fee: Fee based on amount of impervious surface on property. Average residential customer billed for one equivalent residential unit (ERU).
4. Service Line Protection Programs: Optional warranty protection programs for water line, sewer line, and in-home plumbing through partnership with Oncourse Home Solutions. Monthly subscription fees ranging from $5.55 to $9.99.
5. Permit and Tap Fees: Fees for water and sewer permits, tap installation, and development-related services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) is a municipal water utility that delivers potable water, conveys wastewater (billed on behalf of ALCOSAN), and manages stormwater runoff for residential and commercial customers in the City of Pittsburgh. It also operates infrastructure programs including lead service line replacement, a Water Reliability Plan for system modernization, and optional warranty protection plans for water and sewer lines.

Product overview

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) operates as a municipal water and sewer utility providing core infrastructure services to residential and commercial customers. Its product portfolio centers on three bundled utility services — drinking water distribution, wastewater conveyance (billed on behalf of ALCOSAN), and stormwater management — each with associated sub-services. Key branded programs include the Community Lead Response & Lead Line Replacement initiative (15,500+ public and 11,800+ private replacements) and the multi-generational Water Reliability Plan for infrastructure modernization. Operational technology products include an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system feeding the Customer Advantage Portal for real-time usage tracking, and a mandatory Backflow Prevention Testing program administered via a SpryPoint-powered online portal. PWSA also offers an optional Service Line Protection Program through a partnership with Oncourse Home Solutions, and developer/contractor-facing permit and tap-in services. The Pittsburgh Drinks Tap campaign promotes tap water use. All services are delivered through the pgh2o.com web platform and the myaccount.pgh2o.com customer portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pittsburgh Drinks Tap: Campaign promoting tap water as high-quality, affordable, and sustainable alternative to bottled water.

Products and services

• Residential & Commercial Water Service Potable water distribution and metering for residential and commercial customers, including account management, billing, rate administration, and customer assistance programs.
• Wastewater Conveyance Service Collection and conveyance of sewage and wastewater from customer properties to the ALCOSAN regional treatment facility, billed on behalf of ALCOSAN.
• Stormwater Management Service Management of impervious surface runoff through an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) fee on properties, including capital improvement projects such as the $6.8 million Stewart Avenue Stormwater Improvements Project in Carrick and Overbrook.
• Community Lead Response and Lead Service Line Replacement Program Multi-year program to identify and replace lead water service lines across the distribution system, reporting more than 15,500 public and 11,800 private lead service line replacements.
• Water Reliability Plan Multi-generational capital program to modernize the water distribution system, including main replacements, pump station upgrades, and treatment improvements, to deliver more secure and reliable water service.
• Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Testing Program Required annual backflow prevention device testing for all commercial properties, with test results submitted digitally to PWSA through the SpryPoint-powered Backflow Test Submission Portal by ASSE Certified Testers.
• Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Metering Service Remote meter reading infrastructure collecting multiple reads per day to enable leak detection, billing accuracy, and customer usage alerts via the Customer Advantage Portal.
• Service Line Protection Programs (via Oncourse Home Solutions) Optional monthly warranty protection plans for water lines, sewer lines, and in-home plumbing offered in partnership with Oncourse Home Solutions, covering repair costs up to $25,000 per occurrence.
• Sewer Rehabilitation Program (CIPP Lining) Annual cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP) sewer lining program that rehabilitates aging sewer infrastructure in Pittsburgh neighborhoods to reduce backups and inflow and infiltration.
• Developer and Contractor Services (Permits and Taps) Permitting, tap installation procedures, consultant outreach, and supplier diversity program for developers and contractors connecting to the water and sewer system.
• Customer Advantage Portal (myaccount.pgh2o.com) Online self-service portal where customers can manage accounts, pay bills, track real-time water usage, and set alerts for usage spikes to help detect leaks.
• Pittsburgh Drinks Tap Campaign Public awareness campaign promoting tap water as a high-quality, affordable, and sustainable alternative to bottled water, as part of PWSA's customer education efforts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Replaced over 27,300 combined public and private lead service lines through Community Lead Response program
• +1 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Oncourse Home SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPittsburgh Water partners with Oncourse Home Solutions to offer optional service line protection programs for homeowners. Oncourse provides water line, sewer line, and in-home plumbing protection plans. The partnership was established through a public bidding process. Oncourse has 30+ years of experience serving 1.8+ million customers nationwide and has hired local Pittsburgh-based customer service agents. Proceeds from the program support PWSA's Hardship Grant Program for vulnerable customers.
• ALCOSANcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALCOSAN (Allegheny County Sanitary Authority) provides sewage treatment services. Pittsburgh Water bills customers on behalf of ALCOSAN for sewage treatment, with ALCOSAN's rates set annually and reflected separately in customer bills.
• City of PittsburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on infrastructure projects including the $6.8 million Stewart Avenue Stormwater Improvements Project to address flooding concerns in Carrick and Overbrook neighborhoods.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Xylem Inc. Global water technology company supplying AMI, smart metering, and treatment equipment to utilities including PWSA. Comparable as a technology supplier enabling modern utility operations.
• Mueller Water Products: Manufacturer of water infrastructure products (meters, valves, hydrants) sold to municipal water utilities. Comparable as an infrastructure vendor supporting PWSA's pipe replacement and metering programs.

Broad incumbents

• Essential Utilities (Aqua America): Investor-owned water and natural gas utility serving PA and other states. Comparable in regulated water operations, customer segments, and PA regulatory environment.
• American Water Works Company: Largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility, serving ~14M people. Comparable in regulated water utility operations and rate-base growth strategy, though investor-owned rather than municipal.
• Veolia North America: Global environmental services operator with municipal water/wastewater O&M contracts across the U.S. Comparable in water and wastewater service delivery at scale, though contract-operates others' systems.
• Severn Trent Services: International water and wastewater services provider with U.S. municipal operations. Comparable in regulated water utility operations and treatment technology offerings.

Direct peers

• DC Water: Municipal water and sewer authority serving Washington, D.C., with combined water, wastewater, and stormwater services. Highly comparable in mission, customer base, and lead service line replacement programs.
• ALCOSAN: Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, PWSA's sewage treatment partner that bills through PWSA. Closely coupled to PWSA operations and customer base.
• Cleveland Water: Municipal water utility serving Cleveland and surrounding suburbs, comparable to PWSA in scale, Great Lakes/Rust Belt service territory, and aging infrastructure requiring modernization.
• Philadelphia Water Department: Large municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater utility serving the City of Philadelphia. Direct peer to PWSA in scale, service mix (water + wastewater + stormwater), and PA regulatory environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

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 The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority