DC Water

What DC Water does

DC Water, officially the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, is a public utility authority providing drinking water distribution and wastewater collection and treatment services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across Washington, D.C. The utility serves over 700,000 residents and businesses and also treats wastewater for neighboring jurisdictions including Montgomery County and Prince George's County in Maryland through intermunicipal agreements. It operates the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of the largest advanced wastewater treatment facilities in the world, employing biological nutrient removal, enhanced clarification, and disinfection processes.

DC Water's core revenue stream is volumetric water charges, sewer fees, and fixed service charges billed monthly to all customers within its service territory, with rates set through a regulatory ratemaking process approved by its Board of Directors. The utility supplements ratepayer revenue with municipal bond financing, including green bonds recognized with the 2026 Environmental Finance Green Bond of the Year award. Major multi-year capital programs include the $2 billion Lead Free DC initiative to replace lead service lines, the $819 million Potomac River Tunnel project awarded to Halmar International, and the broader Clean Rivers Project encompassing the Northeast Boundary Tunnel and Piney Branch Storage Tunnel.

The utility operates advanced infrastructure technology including a partnership with RedZone Robotics deploying Solo autonomous robots to inspect approximately 4 million feet of small-diameter sewer lines, and a partnership with THINK Fluid Dynamix applying CFD-DEM numerical modeling to optimize Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor systems at Blue Plains. Additional service lines include stormwater management, the Pure Water DC water recycling initiative, biosolids management, industrial pretreatment programs, and fire hydrant services.

Name

DC Water

Legal name

DC Water and Sewer Authority

Website

https://dcwater.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

DC Water is the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, a public utility providing drinking water distribution and wastewater collection and treatment services to over 700,000 residents and businesses in Washington D.C. and select Maryland jurisdictions under regulated rates and municipal bond financing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Utilities (22)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), 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), Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) Utilities (Advanced Treatment & Blending) (EUANAGAC), Raw Water Conveyance & Transmission (Aqueducts, Mains, Pumping Stations) (EUANAAAB)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Drinking water distribution
• Sewer collection
• Stormwater management

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water and Sewer Utility Services: DC Water generates revenue primarily through water and sewer service fees charged to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Washington D.C. Revenue is derived from volumetric water charges, sewer fees, and fixed service charges based on meter size or property characteristics. Rates are set through a regulatory ratemaking process.
2. Green Bond Financing: DC Water issues municipal green bonds to finance capital improvement projects, particularly the DC Clean Rivers Project including the Potomac River Tunnel. The Green Bond of the Year award by Environmental Finance recognizes leadership in sustainable municipal financing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DC Water provides drinking water distribution, wastewater collection, and advanced wastewater treatment services to residents and businesses of Washington, D.C. The utility also operates the Lead Free DC program (free lead service line replacement), the Clean Rivers Project (including the Potomac River Tunnel and Northeast Boundary Tunnel) for combined sewer overflow reduction, stormwater management, biosolids processing, and an industrial pretreatment program.

Product overview

DC Water (District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority) operates as a public utility providing comprehensive water and wastewater services to the District of Columbia. The organization offers a unified portfolio of services including drinking water distribution, wastewater collection through combined and sanitary sewer systems, and advanced wastewater treatment at the Blue Plains facility. Major programs include the Lead Free DC lead pipe replacement initiative and the Clean Rivers Project featuring tunnel infrastructure (Potomac River Tunnel, Northeast Boundary Tunnel) to control sewer overflows. Additional offerings encompass stormwater management, the Pure Water DC water recycling initiative, biosolids management, industrial pretreatment programs, and fire hydrant services. DC Water also provides customer-facing digital services including the My DC Water online portal, open data dashboards, and various permit and compliance services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drinking Water Services Provides drinking water distribution to residential, commercial, and industrial customers within Washington, D.C., sourced from the Potomac River and treated through the Washington Aqueduct, with ongoing water quality monitoring and testing programs.
• Wastewater Collection Collection and transport of sewage from residential, commercial, and industrial customers through combined and sanitary sewer systems, including the Potomac Interceptor pipeline, to treatment facilities.
• Wastewater Treatment (Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant) Advanced wastewater treatment at the Blue Plains facility, one of the largest advanced wastewater treatment plants in the world, providing biological treatment, nutrient removal, enhanced clarification, and disinfection for the District and neighboring Maryland jurisdictions under intermunicipal agreements.
• Stormwater Management Management of stormwater runoff through catch basin systems and green infrastructure projects to reduce flooding and pollution in local waterways across the District.
• Lead Free DC Program DC Water's comprehensive $2 billion lead service line replacement program aimed at removing lead pipes from the District's water system, offering free replacements to eligible residents and recognized with the 2026 Outstanding Leadership Award from the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative (LSLRC).
• Industrial Pretreatment Program Regulatory program issuing pretreatment permits and conducting inspections to ensure industrial and commercial discharges meet quality standards before entering the sewer system, including fats, oils, and grease control.
• Biosolids Management Processing and beneficial reuse of wastewater treatment residuals, including programs for agricultural application and energy generation from biosolids.
• Fire Hydrant Services Installation, maintenance, and status monitoring of fire hydrants throughout the District to support firefighting capabilities and public safety.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• THINK Fluid DynamixcoreTechnology or Integration · 19 June 2026THINK Fluid Dynamix developed a coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics-Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) numerical model applied in a full-scale pilot study at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant for DC Water's conversion of biological reactors into IFAS reactors.
• Halmar InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Halmar International was awarded the $819 million Potomac River Tunnel project contract for DC Water. The heavy civil construction firm is expanding its executive leadership and strategic positioning to pursue public-private partnership and design-build opportunities for the tunnel project.
• RedZone RoboticscoreTechnology or Integration · 7 May 2025DC Water partnered with RedZone Robotics to deploy Solo autonomous robots for inspecting approximately 4 million feet of small-diameter sewer lines. The partnership includes a mentor-protégé program that trains diverse and minority-owned firms to operate the robotic systems, promoting workforce development and economic inclusion in the infrastructure sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP): NYC DEP operates the largest municipal water and wastewater system in the U.S., serving ~8 million residents with combined water supply, sewage collection, and advanced treatment. Directly comparable to DC Water in mandate, regulated monopoly model, and large-scale tunnel/CSO programs.
• Philadelphia Water Department: Philadelphia Water Department provides drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services to ~1.7 million customers with an extensive combined sewer system and Green City, Clean Waters program—directly comparable to DC Water's mandate and CSO challenges.
• LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN): LASAN operates one of the largest wastewater collection and treatment systems in the U.S., serving ~4 million residents in Los Angeles. Comparable to DC Water in advanced treatment scale, biosolids management, and water reuse initiatives.
• San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC): SFPUC delivers water, wastewater, and power services to San Francisco with major capital programs (Hetch Hetchy, sewer system improvement). Comparable as a municipally owned multi-utility with complex urban infrastructure and large capex programs.
• Boston Water and Sewer Commission: Boston Water and Sewer Commission provides water and sewer services to Boston residents and businesses with combined sewer overflow infrastructure. Comparable in scale, mandate, and urban combined sewer challenges similar to DC Water's.
• Seattle Public Utilities: Seattle Public Utilities provides drinking water, wastewater, drainage, and solid waste services to the Seattle area with combined sewer overflow reduction programs. Comparable in service mix, environmental stewardship, and tunnel infrastructure investments.
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD): MWRD treats wastewater for ~5 million people across Chicago and 128 suburbs, operating one of the largest wastewater treatment networks in the world. Directly comparable to DC Water in treatment scale, regional service, and biosolids/reuse initiatives.
• Denver Water: Denver Water serves ~1.5 million people across the Denver metro area with drinking water supply, treatment, and distribution. Comparable as a large municipally owned water utility with major treatment and distribution infrastructure programs.
• Houston Water (City of Houston Public Works): Houston Water provides water and wastewater services to the City of Houston and surrounding areas, operating one of the largest groundwater-based systems in the U.S. Comparable as a large municipal water/wastewater utility with major capital investment needs.

Regional players

• WSSC Water (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission): WSSC Water is the bi-county water and wastewater utility for Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland—jurisdictions already served through DC Water's Blue Plains agreements. Highly comparable in service mix and regional geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dcwater
• YouTubeyoutube.com/mydcwater
• Facebookfacebook.com/DCWaterSewerAuth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dc-water
• Instagraminstagram.com/dc.water

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 DC Water