SA Water
SA Water is a South Australian government-owned monopoly utility providing water supply, sewerage, recycled water, and trade waste management services to residential, commercial, industrial, developer, and government customers statewide, with a growing digital product portfolio spanning smart metering, customer portals, and VR-based training.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1856
- HeadquartersAdelaide, Australia
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What SA Water does
SA Water (South Australian Water Corporation) is a government-owned corporation providing water supply, sewerage, recycled water, trade waste management, and water quality testing services across the entire state of South Australia, including the Adelaide metropolitan area and regional communities. Founded in 1856 and headquartered at 250 Victoria Square in Adelaide, SA Water operates as a statutory monopoly under the regulatory oversight of ESCOSA, serving every connected property in the state as the default provider. Its customer base spans residential property owners and tenants, commercial and industrial businesses, property developers, licensed plumbers, and conveysancing professionals, with the Australian Water Quality Centre (AWQC) extending accredited laboratory services to councils and utilities nationally.
The company's product and technology portfolio spans physical infrastructure — reservoirs, treatment plants, pipelines, and pumping stations — and a growing digital layer including the mySAWater customer portal, business smart meters with 15-minute interval telemetry and leak alerts, the Kallipr radar-based smart septic tank monitoring system, the GAMA grease arrestor maintenance app, the EPIC conveyancer portal, the Connections Estimator Map, and the Immersion Studios virtual reality and digital twin platform for training and operations. Operational technology includes SCADA systems and smart metering infrastructure, and SA Water is executing a six-year Core Systems Capability Transformation (CSCT) program to modernize finance, asset management, and CRM platforms.
Revenue is generated primarily through usage-based quarterly billing to residential and commercial customers (with sewerage charges linked to property value), supplemented by subscription-based smart meter installation and annual fees (installation $1,500–$7,000 plus $147/meter/year), one-time connection and augmentation fees from developers, transaction-based trade waste permits and liquid hauled waste disposal fees, and recurring recycled water supply agreements with market gardeners and parkland users. The business model is sales-led but functionally subscription-and-usage in nature, with customer acquisition occurring by default upon property connection rather than through competitive sales activity.
SA Water firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SA Water
- Legal name
- South Australian Water Corporation
- Website
- https://sawater.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1856
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- SA Water is a South Australian government-owned monopoly utility providing water supply, sewerage, recycled water, and trade waste management services to residential, commercial, industrial, developer, and government customers statewide, with a growing digital product portfolio spanning smart metering, customer portals, and VR-based training.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SA Water industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water and Sewerage Utility Services
- NAICS
- Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Treatment & Wet-Weather Capacity (EUANADAF), Real-Time Monitoring & Smart Stormwater (Sensors, SCADA/IoT, RTC) (EUANAEAK), Online Monitoring, Sensors & Instrumentation (SCADA-integrated analyzers, probes, samplers) (EUANAJAC), SCADA, Instrumentation & Controls Integration for Water/Wastewater Projects (IMAFAGAK)
Keywords
Where SA Water is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Adelaide
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
SA Water business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Residential Water Supply Charges: Charges for water supply to residential properties, based on water consumption and property value for sewerage charges.
- Commercial and Non-Residential Water Services: Water and sewerage charges for commercial properties, including trade waste management services.
- Smart Meter Services: Smart meter installation fees ranging from $1,500 to $7,000 plus annual fees of $147 per meter for business customers.
- Trade Waste Management: Fees for trade waste permits, compliance guidance, and liquid hauled waste disposal services for businesses.
- Connection and Development Fees: Fees for new connections, alterations, subdivisions, and augmentation charges for developers building in South Australia.
- Recycled Water Supply: Supply of recycled water to properties in Adelaide's parklands, Bowden, Seaford Meadows, Seaford Heights, Mawson Lakes, and Virginia market gardeners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Quarterly | Residential Water and Sewerage Pricing |
| Usage-based | Quarterly | Commercial and Non-Residential Water Pricing |
| Subscription | Annual | Smart Meter Installation and Annual Service |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Connection Application Fees |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Waste Management Fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
SA Water product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SA Water provides essential water supply, sewerage collection and treatment, and recycled water services across South Australia as the state's monopoly water utility. The company also offers commercial services including trade waste management, smart metering for businesses, and an accredited water quality testing laboratory (Australian Water Quality Centre). It operates customer-facing digital platforms such as the mySAWater portal, GAMA grease arrestor app, and Connections Estimator Map, and is modernising core platforms through a six-year Core Systems Capability Transformation program.
Product overview
SA Water operates as a state-owned water utility offering a portfolio of customer-facing and infrastructure services. Its digital product suite includes mySAWater (a customer account portal), Smart Meters for Business (real-time water monitoring with dashboards and leak alerts), and the GAMA grease arrestor maintenance app. SA Water also provides Immersion Studios (virtual reality and digital twin solutions for industry training) and the Water Talks community engagement platform. Infrastructure services include the Australian Water Quality Centre (accredited lab testing), Recycled Water Stations, a Connections Estimator Map for property service availability, and an EPIC conveyancer portal for property transaction management. A six-year Core Systems Capability Transformation (CSCT) program is underway to modernise aging finance, asset management, and CRM platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- mySAWater: Online customer portal for managing water accounts, viewing bills, tracking usage, and accessing services.
- Australian Water Quality Centre (AWQC)
- Immersion Studios
- GAMA (Grease Arrestor Maintenance App)
Products and services
- mySAWater Customer Portal
Quantifiable outcome
- Smart septic tank monitoring resulted in fewer overflow events, reduced wasted trips, and early detection of infiltration, pump failures, and stormwater intrusion
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use SA Water
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SA Water technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
SA Water partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.
- KalliprnotableKallipr, an Australian technology company, developed a smart septic tank monitoring system using radar level sensors and cellular telemetry. SA Water implemented this system in South Australia, enabling maintenance teams to receive tank level updates every 15 minutes and schedule emptying based on actual need rather than fixed schedules. The deployment resulted in fewer overflow events, reduced wasted trips, and early detection of infiltration, pump failures, and stormwater intrusion.
- Immersion StudiosnotableImmersion Studios provides virtual reality and digital twin technology to SA Water for transforming training, operations and safety in the water industry.
- Australian Water Quality Centre (AWQC)coreSA Water operates the Australian Water Quality Centre as an accredited laboratory providing expert water and wastewater testing services to industries, councils and utilities across Australia.
- Flinders UniversitynotableResearchers at Flinders University are conducting field trials in South Australia to develop improved wastewater treatment techniques using high-rate algal ponds (HRAP) and sequencing batch reactors (SBR). These innovations aim to enhance wastewater reuse in regional and rural communities with lower energy and resource usage.
- WSP (Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant)notableWSP led engineering work on the Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades in South Australia, the largest in the region. The project involved complex engineering solutions to maintain operational status and enhance infrastructure capacity amid challenging site constraints to support population growth.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SA Water competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Melbourne Water: Victorian state-government-owned water authority managing bulk water, waterways, and sewage treatment across greater Melbourne. Comparable in governance, asset base, treatment focus, and recycled water programmes.
- Coliban Water: Victorian regional water corporation providing water and wastewater services to central and northern Victoria. Comparable in regional service obligations, small-town water network management, and recycled water programmes.
- Unitywater: Queensland government-owned water and sewerage service provider for the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions. Comparable in GOC structure, growth-corridor customer base, and digital/customer engagement initiatives.
- Sydney Water: State-owned water and wastewater utility serving greater Sydney. Closest Australian comparable to SA Water by structure (state GOC monopoly), service mix (water + sewerage + recycled water), regulatory model, and customer base scale.
- Yarra Valley Water: Victoria's largest retail water utility, serving the Melbourne growth corridor. Directly comparable in product mix (water, sewerage, recycled water, trade waste, smart metering) and customer-segment structure, although privately held under Melbourne Water's bulk model.
- Urban Utilities (Queensland): Statutory authority providing water and sewerage services across South East Queensland. Comparable in customer mix, growth-corridor exposure, and trade waste / commercial services portfolio.
- Water Corporation (Western Australia): Western Australian state-owned water utility providing water, wastewater, drainage and irrigation services across a large, climatically variable geography. Closely mirrors SA Water's integrated retail+bulk model and regional service obligations.
- ACTEW Water (Icon Water): ACT-owned water and wastewater utility serving Canberra and surrounds. Comparable in government ownership, integrated service delivery, and use of smart metering and digital customer engagement platforms.
- Seqwater: Queensland government-owned bulk water authority supplying treated water to South East Queensland. Comparable in state-owned structure, bulk water and treatment focus, and large-capex regional supply responsibilities.
- Hunter Water: NSW state-owned corporation providing water and wastewater services to the Hunter, Newcastle, and Central Coast regions. Comparable in GOC structure, integrated retail operations, and trade waste / recycled water offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SA Water social profiles
Digital presenceSA Water financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SA Water leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SA Water funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SA Water M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SA Water
What does SA Water do?
SA Water provides essential water supply, sewerage collection and treatment, and recycled water services across South Australia as the state's monopoly water utility. The company also offers commercial services including trade waste management, smart metering for businesses, and an accredited water quality testing laboratory (Australian Water Quality Centre). It operates customer-facing digital platforms such as the mySAWater portal, GAMA grease arrestor app, and Connections Estimator Map, and is modernising core platforms through a six-year Core Systems Capability Transformation program.
Is SA Water a public or private company?
SA Water is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was SA Water founded?
SA Water was founded in 1856. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is SA Water based?
SA Water is headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does SA Water make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Residential Water Supply Charges are the primary driver. The others are commercial and Non-Residential Water Services, smart Meter Services, trade Waste Management, connection and Development Fees and recycled Water Supply.
Who are SA Water's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Melbourne Water, Coliban Water, Unitywater, Sydney Water, Yarra Valley Water, Urban Utilities (Queensland), Water Corporation (Western Australia), ACTEW Water (Icon Water), Seqwater and Hunter Water.
Does SA Water have an API?
No public API is recorded for SA Water.
What industry is SA Water in?
SA Water's product category is Water and Sewerage Utility Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAG, Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration, with a secondary code of EUANADAF, Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Treatment & Wet-Weather Capacity. Its NAICS code is 2213 and its SIC code is 4941.