Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority

Name

Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority

Legal name

Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority

Website

https://rivanna.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority is a municipal authority providing water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid waste disposal, and recycling services to the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Town of Scottsville, and the University of Virginia community under an exclusive territorial franchise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste Utilities

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Utilities (221)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Refuse Systems (4953), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Water treatment services
• Wastewater treatment services
• Solid waste management
• Recycling services
• Municipal utility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water and Sewer Utility Rates: Revenue generated through water and sewer service rates charged to residents and businesses in the service area. The Authority manages wholesale water rates and implements multi-year capital improvement planning tied to rate adjustments.
2. Disposal Fees: Fees for solid waste disposal, household hazardous waste disposal, and other waste management services at their facilities. Some programs like lithium battery disposal and certain Free Disposal Days are offered at no charge to residents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority is a municipal governmental authority that provides wholesale drinking water treatment, wastewater (water resource recovery) treatment, solid waste disposal, and recycling services to the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, the Town of Scottsville, and the University of Virginia community. Operating through six drinking water treatment plants, four water resource recovery facilities, and multiple drop-off sites (including the Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center), the Authority delivers essential utility services under an exclusive regional franchise governed by public Boards of Directors.

Product overview

Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority operates as a dual-authority municipal utility providing water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid waste disposal, and recycling services to the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the Town of Scottsville. The Authority operates under two entities: Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority handles water treatment (via South Rivanna, Observatory, Crozet, and Scottsville treatment plants) and wastewater treatment (via Moores Creek and Scottsville facilities), while Rivanna Solid Waste Authority manages refuse disposal and recycling through the Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center and McIntire Recycling Center. Recent initiatives include a free lithium battery disposal program and infrastructure projects such as the South Rivanna River Crossing and Central Water Line construction. The combined operations serve to maintain water quality, environmental sustainability, and community health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Treatment Services Treatment and distribution of drinking water to the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, including operations at multiple water treatment plants (South Rivanna, Observatory, Crozet, Scottsville). Wholesales water to municipal jurisdictions for distribution to residents and businesses.
• Wastewater Treatment Services Wastewater treatment and water resource recovery services including operations at Moores Creek Advanced Water Resource Recovery Facility and Scottsville Water Resource Recovery Facility. Includes enhanced nutrient removal and serves the regional service area across four water resource recovery facilities.
• Solid Waste Disposal Solid waste disposal services including household hazardous waste, furniture, mattresses, appliances, tires, and general refuse at Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center. Disposal rates published on the Rivanna Solid Waste website.
• Recycling Services Recycling programs including curbside recycling, drop-off recycling at Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center, and McIntire Recycling Center. Services provided to City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
• Lithium Battery Disposal Program Free lithium battery disposal service at Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center addressing fire hazards from thermal runaway. Available to residents Monday through Saturday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Free Disposal Days Periodic free drop-off events for household hazardous waste, furniture, mattresses, appliances, and tires at the Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center. No registration required, provided at no charge to residents of City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and Town of Scottsville.
• Water Transmission Infrastructure (Central Water Line and South Rivanna River Crossing) Construction and maintenance of water transmission pipes including the Central Water Line Construction Project (approximately five miles of high-flow water transmission pipe to improve water system capacity, redundancy, and resiliency) and the South Rivanna River Crossing Project (new 24-inch water pipe connecting South Rivanna Water Treatment Plant to Hollymead Town Center).

Quantifiable outcome

• First bond rating increase in 20 years (AA to AA+) received in 2012 during significant changes in municipal bond industry
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dominion EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Dominion Energy installed 7,200 solar panels on the closed Ivy Landfill near Charlottesville, Virginia in partnership with Rivanna Solid Waste Authority. The $15 million project turns a former waste site into a renewable energy facility as part of Dominion's clean energy expansion driven by Virginia's Clean Economy Act. The project supports renewable energy generation exceeding ten percent of Dominion's energy mix.
• Faulconer ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 12 May 2026Faulconer Construction is the contractor engaged by Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority for the South Rivanna River Crossing Project. The $6 million project involves controlled rock blasting and installation of a new 24-inch water pipe connecting the South Rivanna Water Treatment Plant to Hollymead Town Center.
• Raftelis ConsultantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 8 June 2022Raftelis Consultants guided the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority and Rivanna Solid Waste Authority through a joint strategic planning process beginning June 2022. The engagement aimed to update organizational vision and create a framework for guiding the utility into the future. The strategic framework helps prioritize investments, allocate resources, and facilitate annual reviews.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fairfax Water: Largest water utility in Virginia, serving Fairfax County and Falls Church with drinking water treatment and distribution. Directly comparable to RWSA as a large Virginia municipal water authority with similar regulatory and capital structure.
• Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC Water): Maryland bi-county water and wastewater utility serving Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Comparable as a regional municipal authority providing integrated water and wastewater services with a large CIP and bond-funded capital program.
• DC Water: District of Columbia water and sewer authority operating treatment plants, pumping stations, and a major combined sewer overflow tunneling program. Comparable as a regional water/wastewater authority with multi-billion-dollar CIP funded through revenue bonds.
• Hampton Roads Sanitation District: Virginia wastewater authority serving 20 localities in southeastern Virginia with sewage treatment and transmission infrastructure. Comparable as a Virginia municipal wastewater authority with multiple water resource recovery facilities and bond-funded capital projects.

Broad incumbents

• American Water Works Company: Largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the United States, serving 14 million people across 14 states. Comparable as a regulated water/wastewater operator but operates as a for-profit, publicly traded company with a much broader geographic footprint than RWSA.
• Aqua America (Essential Utilities): Investor-owned water and natural gas utility serving customers across 10 states. Comparable as a regulated water utility with rate-base growth, but operates as a public company and is geographically diversified rather than confined to a single municipal territory.
• Veolia North America: Global environmental services firm operating water and wastewater treatment facilities, often under contract with municipal authorities. Comparable as a provider of municipal water/wastewater O&M services, though operates as a private contractor rather than a public authority.
• Suez Water / Advanced Water Solutions: International water and waste management firm operating municipal water and wastewater systems through long-term O&M contracts. Comparable through water/wastewater service delivery but operates as a private operator with broader geographic reach.
• Republic Services: One of the largest U.S. solid waste and recycling companies, operating transfer stations, recycling centers, and landfills across the country. Comparable to the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority side of the business as a refuse and recycling provider, but operates as a publicly traded firm rather than a municipal authority.
• Waste Management Inc. Largest North American solid waste services company operating landfills, transfer stations, and recycling facilities. Comparable to the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority for refuse and recycling operations, but operates as a large publicly traded private company rather than a public authority.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority