Northwest Florida Water Management District

Name

Northwest Florida Water Management District

Legal name

Northwest Florida Water Management District

Website

https://nwfwater.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resource Management

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration (BPAIABAL), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Water resource management
• Environmental resource permitting
• Water use permitting
• Flood control infrastructure
• Springs protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Havana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ad Valorem Property Taxes: The District is a special taxing district with authority to collect property taxes from property owners within its 16-county jurisdiction. The District is limited to one-twentieth of a mill (0.05), which is five cents for every $1,000 of taxable property value.
2. Permit Fees: Revenue generated from issuing various permits including Environmental Resource Permits, Water Use Permits, Well Construction Permits, Dam Safety Permits, Agricultural Surface Water Project Permits, and Forestry Authorizations.
3. State and Federal Revenue: Funding from state legislature and federal agencies for water management programs, including cooperative projects, grants, and legislatively funded programs. The majority of District funding comes from cooperative projects, grants, and legislatively funded programs.
4. Timber Sales: Revenue from timber harvesting on District-owned lands, which is reinvested into land management activities.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Northwest Florida Water Management District manages and protects water resources across 16 counties in the Florida panhandle as a regional regulatory and stewardship authority. It issues environmental resource and water use permits, plans and operates flood control and water supply projects, manages a portfolio of conservation lands, conducts hydrologic monitoring, and implements springs protection and water quality programs under authority granted by Florida statutes.

Product overview

The Northwest Florida Water Management District operates as a regulatory agency providing permitting, water resource management, and land management services across 16 Florida panhandle counties. The core product portfolio centers on regulatory permitting services (Environmental Resource Permits, Water Use Permits, Dam Safety Permits, Well Permits, and Agricultural/Forestry permits) delivered through the ePermit Online Permitting Portal. These are complemented by water resource programs including Minimum Flows and Minimum Water Levels, Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM), Water Supply Planning, and the Regional Wetland Mitigation Program. The District also manages over 226,000 acres of conservation land for flood protection, water quality, and public recreation. Data and publications are available through online portals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Resource Permits (ERP) Statutory permits authorizing construction, alteration, or operation of activities affecting wetlands, surface waters, and stormwater management systems; issued to developers, contractors, local governments, and property owners within the district.
• Water Use Permits (WUP) Statutory permits authorizing withdrawal of specified quantities of groundwater or surface water for agricultural, industrial, commercial, public supply, and other beneficial uses within the district.
• Water Well Construction Permits Permits regulating the construction, repair, modification, and abandonment of water wells in the district to protect aquifer resources.
• ePermit Online Portal Web-based system allowing applicants to submit, track, amend, and manage permit applications and supporting documents electronically with the district.
• Flood Control and Water Supply Projects Planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of regional stormwater, flood control, and water supply infrastructure serving local governments and communities within the district.
• Conservation Land Stewardship Acquisition, management, restoration, and public access for a portfolio of conservation and water resource protection lands across the panhandle region.
• Hydrologic Monitoring and Data Services Operation of groundwater, surface-water, and rainfall monitoring stations, plus public distribution of hydrologic data, water levels, and water resource information.
• Springs Protection and Restoration Programs Programs to monitor, protect, and restore designated Outstanding Florida Springs and other priority spring systems within the district, including land acquisition, BMPs, and water quality improvements.
• Regional Water Supply Planning Development and periodic update of regional water supply plans assessing current and projected water demand, source availability, and supply options for utilities and other users within the district.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed 211,000+ acres of conservation land
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe District works cooperatively with DEP on implementing the SWIM program, Environmental Resource Permitting (jointly implemented), State 404 Program, and various water quality initiatives. DEP reviews and approves District's MFL Priority List and Schedule annually.
• United States Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared regulatory responsibility for dredge and fill permitting. Following federal court suspension of Florida's State 404 Program, USACE now processes all 404 permit applications in Florida. Joint implementation of ERP program for certain activities.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperating Technical Partner agreement with FEMA for modernizing flood hazard maps into digital format. Partnership through Risk MAP program for flood risk assessment and planning. District received Cooperating Technical Partner designation in December 2002.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with District on agricultural water conservation programs, Mobile Irrigation Laboratory, and best management practices for irrigation and fertilization in the Jackson Blue Springs Basin.
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative partnership for the Mobile Irrigation Laboratory program and agricultural assistance. FDACS provides support for sod-based crop rotation research and outreach through University of Florida's IFAS.
• University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (IFAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict provides financial support for the Sod-Based Crop Rotation Program conducted through UF/IFAS. Research and outreach partnership for agricultural water conservation.
• Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnder section 373.4137, Florida Statutes, the District offers mitigation services to FDOT for road projects with unavoidable wetland impacts when private mitigation banks are not feasible. District does not compete with private mitigation banks.
• Apalachicola National Estuarine Research ReserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program for planning, data collection, design, and implementation of water quality and habitat enhancement projects.
• Choctawhatchee Basin AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program for watershed protection and restoration activities.
• Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program for estuary protection and water quality improvement.
• Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program for estuary protection and water quality improvement.
• St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program for estuary protection and water quality improvement.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn April 2024, the District received 2,300 acres from The Nature Conservancy to protect the Choctawhatchee River delta. This land acquisition partnership advances conservation of critical water resources.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for hunting regulations on District lands. FWC provides public boat ramp listings and coordinates on wildlife habitat protection.
• Other Water Management Districts (Florida)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with St. Johns River WMD, South Florida WMD, Southwest Florida WMD, and Suwannee River WMD on statewide water management initiatives and shared permitting systems.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• FEMA: The federal agency with which the District holds a Cooperating Technical Partner agreement (since December 2002) for flood hazard map modernization and the Risk MAP program. Comparable as a floodplain management partner and flood data provider, though FEMA operates at the national scale and does not perform routine permitting or land management.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: The federal agency with which the District shares regulatory responsibility for dredge-and-fill (Section 404) permitting and with which it jointly implements portions of the ERP program. Comparable as a wetlands/water regulatory and infrastructure partner, though operating at federal scope and with much broader civil works authority.
• The Nature Conservancy (Florida Chapter): A major conservation NGO that is one of the District's core land-acquisition partners, having transferred 2,300 acres to the District in April 2024 to protect the Choctawhatchee River delta. Comparable as a conservation landowner and ecosystem-services provider in the same geography, though operating under a nonprofit model without regulatory authority.

Broad incumbents

• Texas Water Development Board: The state agency responsible for water planning and financial assistance in Texas, the largest water-focused state agency in the U.S. Comparable as a state-level water resource planning and financing body, though it is not a regional permitting authority and lacks the regulatory permitting function that defines the District.
• California Department of Water Resources: The largest U.S. state water agency, managing the State Water Project, flood control, and integrated water management. Comparable in scale and mission (water supply planning, flood protection, environmental stewardship) but operates a vastly larger infrastructure portfolio and far broader geographic mandate.

Direct peers

• Southwest Florida Water Management District: One of Florida's five regional water management districts, covering 16 counties in southwest Florida. Directly comparable as a peer district operating under Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, with parallel permitting, MFL, and land management programs in a different geographic region of the same state.
• South Florida Water Management District: The largest of Florida's five water management districts, covering the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades region. Operates under the identical Chapter 373 statutory framework, executes the same core permitting and water supply functions, and is structurally the benchmark for water management district operations in Florida.
• St. Johns River Water Management District: Another of Florida's five regional water management districts, covering 18 counties in northeast and central Florida. Most directly comparable peer because it shares the same statutory mandate under Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, operates the same permitting programs (ERP, WUP), and even hosts the shared ePermit platform that the District uses.
• Suwannee River Water Management District: One of Florida's five water management districts, covering 15 counties in north-central Florida with a strong focus on springs protection. Directly comparable as a Chapter 373 entity executing the same permitting, MFL, and SWIM programs with significant overlap in springs and agricultural water management responsibilities.

Regional players

• Georgia Environmental Protection Division: The Georgia state agency that administers water quality, water supply, and stormwater permitting programs. Comparable in function—state-level permitting and water resource protection in the southeastern U.S.—but structured as a division within a larger agency (DNR) rather than as an independent special district with its own governing board.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nwfwmd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Northwest Florida Water Management District