The Metropolitan District

Name

The Metropolitan District

Legal name

The Metropolitan District

Website

https://themdc.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Meter Data Management & Analytics (MDM, validation/estimation/editing, usage insights) (EUANAIAB)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Municipal water supply
• Sewer services
• Water pollution control

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Service Charges: Charges for water consumption based on CCF (100 cubic feet) usage. Standard rate of $3.91 per CCF for consumption up to 802 CCF per day, with reduced rate of $3.16 per CCF for consumption above that threshold. Plus monthly customer service charge of $15.73.
2. Sewer Service (Ad Valorem Tax): Sewer services for member town customers billed through municipal property taxes based on average past three years' property tax receipts. Non-member and tax-exempt users (hospitals, churches) pay sewer user charge of $5.90 per CCF based on water usage.
3. Clean Water Project Charge: Charge of $4.87 per CCF based on water usage to fund principal and interest on bonds and loans for the Clean Water Project sewer infrastructure capital improvement program.
4. Non-Member Town Charges: Non-member town customers pay additional fixed monthly charges including Non-Member Town Charge ($15.73/month) and Special Capital Improvement Charge varying by town ($1.35-$2.63/month).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Metropolitan District (MDC) is a non-profit municipal water and sewer utility that provides regional drinking water supply and wastewater collection/treatment services to approximately 400,000 residents across 8 member municipalities in Connecticut. Core offerings include surface water sourcing from Barkhamsted and Nepaug reservoirs, treatment at facilities processing 50 million gallons daily, wastewater treatment at four water pollution control plants, and ancillary programs including automated meter reading, GIS mapping, and emergency response services.

Product overview

The Metropolitan District (MDC) is a municipal nonprofit water utility providing regional drinking water and sewer services. The core offerings include drinking water supply and treatment (sourcing from Barkhamsted and Nepaug reservoirs, delivering 45-50 million gallons daily via West Hartford and Bloomfield treatment facilities) and wastewater treatment through four water pollution control plants. MDC also provides comprehensive billing and customer services, emergency response (24/7 Command Center), and specialized programs including the Radio Frequency Meter Program (using Itron technology for automated readings), Water Service Line Inventory Map (ArcGIS-based for EPA Lead and Copper Rule compliance), Backwater Valve Program, Sewer House Connection Program, and Fats/Oils/Grease Program for food service establishments. Geographic Information Services and an Independent Consumer Advocate round out the service portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MDC Pay: Mobile application for managing water utility payments, including auto-pay and one-time payments.

Products and services

• Drinking Water Supply and Treatment Potable drinking water sourced from surface water reservoirs (Barkhamsted and Nepaug), treated at facilities in West Hartford and Bloomfield, delivering an average of 45-50 million gallons per day to approximately 400,000 people across 8 member towns and parts of 4 non-member towns.
• Wastewater Treatment Wastewater collection and treatment services operated through four water pollution control plants (Hartford, East Hartford, Poquonock/Windsor, Rocky Hill) serving member municipalities. Includes the over $2 billion Clean Water Project infrastructure modernization program.
• Billing Services Comprehensive billing services for water and sewer charges including online account management (MyHQ portal), mobile app payments (MDC Pay), phone payments, mail payments, retail payment locations, autopay enrollment, paperless billing, payment plans, and customer assistance programs for low-income customers.
• Emergency Response Services 24/7 Command Center responding to water main breaks, sewer backups, and other emergencies. Includes MDC Alerts notification system (powered by Everbridge) for emergency communications to customers via phone, text, and email.
• Backwater Valve Program Program to prevent sewer backups in basements by assessing properties and installing backwater valves to separate groundwater and foundation drainage from the sanitary sewer system. Available to property owners in member towns.
• Sewer House Connection Program Program providing inspection, maintenance, and funding (up to $10,000) for renewal of sewer laterals connecting properties to the main sewer line. Available to property owners in member towns.
• Fats, Oils & Grease Program for Food Service Establishments Wastewater pretreatment compliance program for Class III and IV Food Service Establishments and FDA Class 2, 3, and 4 establishments. Includes grease interceptor specifications, inspection protocols, and compliance monitoring for Connecticut DEEP FOG discharge regulations. Annual fee of $150 ($12.50/month).
• Water Service Line Inventory Map Online interactive ArcGIS-based map providing inventory of over 100,000 drinking water service lines, showing material types (lead, non-lead, galvanized, unknown) for compliance with EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revision.
• Fire Hydrant Flushing Program Annual program flushing approximately 11,000 fire hydrants across member towns from spring through late summer to maintain water quality and ensure hydrant operability.
• Water and Sewer Service Installation Program Financing program allowing homeowners to spread replacement costs of water and sewer laterals over 15 or 20 years with interest, addressing private property infrastructure needs in member towns.
• Geographic Information Services GIS mapping services for MDC operations, construction projects, and customer service including traffic alerts and roadwork activity maps. Provides spatial data management for infrastructure planning and regional coordination.
• Independent Consumer Advocate Independent advocacy service for MDC customers assisting with filing claims, resolving billing disputes, and navigating MDC services. Provides third-party customer representation.
• MDC Alerts Emergency Notification System Mass notification system powered by Everbridge enabling MDC Command Center to communicate with residential and business customers during water or sewer emergencies via landline, cell phone, text message, and email.
• Hydroelectric Power Generation Renewable hydroelectric power generation at Goodwin and Colebrook River Dams on the Farmington River, generating clean energy that reduces regional fossil fuel dependence.
• Customer Assistance Program (Generation Power CT) Bill payment assistance program for low-income MDC customers, operated in cooperation with Generation Power CT (formerly Operation Fuel). Customers can also donate to help other MDC customers in need; 100% of donated funds go directly to providing water assistance.
• Bulk Water Filling Station Bulk water dispensing service at 125 Maxim Road, Hartford, providing water at $100 per load for contractors and other users requiring large-volume water access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Removes 90% of contaminants from sewage before discharge to Connecticut River (1972-1976 improvements)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Generation Power CT (formerly Operation Fuel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDC created its Customer Assistance Program in cooperation with Generation Power CT to assist lower-income MDC customers struggling to pay their water bills. Customers can also donate to help other MDC customers in need through the Customer Assistance Program when paying monthly bills. 100% of donated funds go directly to providing water assistance.
• EverbridgecoreTechnology or IntegrationMDC Alerts powered by Everbridge provides the MDC Command Center an additional tool to communicate with residential and business customers during water or sewer emergency situations through multiple contact methods including landline, cell phone, text message, and email. Connecticut state and several municipalities also use the Everbridge emergency notification system.
• Riverfront RecaptureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1998, MDC agreed to work with Riverfront Recapture to provide daily park maintenance and funding for a park ranger program, supporting regional recreational opportunities along the Connecticut River.
• Call Before You Dig (CBYD)minorOthersMDC is a member of Connecticut's Call Before You Dig notification system regulated by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). CBYD ensures public safety and protects underground utilities during excavation by notifying all affected utilities in an excavation area.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Aquarion Water Company: Aquarion Water Company is a regulated investor-owned water utility serving parts of Connecticut and other Northeastern states, providing regional water supply services comparable to MDC's water operations but with a private utility business model rather than municipal district structure.
• Providence Water: Providence Water is a regional water utility supplying drinking water to Providence, Rhode Island and surrounding communities. It operates surface water supply infrastructure comparable to MDC's reservoir-based system but does not provide wastewater services.

Broad incumbents

• American Water: American Water is the largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the United States, serving over 14 million people across multiple states. As a broad incumbent, it provides comparable water and wastewater services at national scale but operates under private utility regulation rather than municipal district governance.
• Essential Utilities (formerly Aqua America): Essential Utilities is a large investor-owned water and natural gas utility serving customers across multiple states, including Connecticut. As a broad incumbent, it offers overlapping water utility capabilities comparable to MDC's regulated water operations but under private utility regulation rather than municipal authority structure.

Direct peers

• NYC Environmental Protection: NYC DEP operates the largest municipal water and wastewater system in the United States, with comparable surface water supply system, in-house water quality laboratory, multi-billion-dollar capital programs, and similar governance as a public authority.
• Boston Water and Sewer Commission: Boston Water and Sewer Commission is a similar municipal water and sewer utility providing regional water supply and wastewater services to the greater Boston area, with comparable regulatory structure and infrastructure modernization programs.
• Philadelphia Water Department: Philadelphia Water Department is a large municipal water and wastewater utility serving the City of Philadelphia with similar combined sewer overflow challenges, EPA-mandated capital programs, and regional source water protection responsibilities.
• DC Water: DC Water is an analogous regional water and wastewater utility authority serving the District of Columbia, with comparable scope of drinking water treatment, wastewater collection/treatment, and combined sewer overflow remediation programs funded through capital programs.
• Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky: SD1 is a regional wastewater and storm water utility serving multiple counties in Northern Kentucky, with comparable governance as a special district, similar federal consent decree-driven infrastructure programs, and household hazardous waste collection services.
• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District: NEORSD is a regional sewer district providing wastewater collection and treatment across multiple member communities in Northeast Ohio, with comparable governance structure, federal consent decree-driven capital programs, and watershed protection mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mdcwater
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MDCHartford
• Facebookfacebook.com/themetropolitandistrict
• Instagraminstagram.com/themetropolitandistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metropolitan-district-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 The Metropolitan District