Central Contra Costa Sanitary District

What Central Contra Costa Sanitary District does

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) is a California special district, founded in 1946, that provides wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal services to nearly 500,000 residents and more than 15,000 commercial and industrial businesses across 146 square miles of central Contra Costa County. The district operates an integrated infrastructure footprint consisting of over 1,500 miles of underground sewer lines (with more than 500 miles in easements and 1,000 miles in public right-of-way), a centralized wastewater treatment plant processing approximately 13 billion gallons per year (about 35 million gallons per day), and a proprietary recycled water distribution system serving portions of Martinez, Pacheco, Concord, and Pleasant Hill. It also runs a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility and an array of pollution-prevention programs, including a Dental Amalgam Program that has achieved a 75% reduction in mercury discharges to Suisun Bay.

The district's revenue model is a regulated utility model anchored by recurring annual sewer service charges billed on the Contra Costa County property tax roll, supplemented by one-time capacity fees for new connections (currently about $9,200–$10,200 per residential unit plus roughly $200 per linear foot for main extensions), environmental compliance permit fees for industrial and commercial users, and usage-based monthly recycled water charges. The FY 2025-26 operating budget is $101.0 million against $124.4 million of planned capital improvement expenditures, indicating a mature rate base supporting both ongoing operations and substantial reinvestment in collection and treatment infrastructure.

Customer segments are vertically stratified: residential properties (the primary base), commercial and industrial businesses subject to pretreatment and discharge permitting, partner cities such as Concord and Clayton that contract Central San for treatment while operating their own collection systems, and K-12 schools reached through structured environmental education programs. Distribution is exclusively through direct infrastructure connection within the district's legislatively defined boundary, supported by a Permit Counter, online permit and plan-review services, and treatment plant tours and a Central San Academy for civic engagement.

Name

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District

Legal name

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District

Website

https://centralsan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District is a California special district, founded 1946, that collects and treats wastewater for nearly 500,000 residents and 15,000+ businesses across 146 square miles of central Contra Costa County via 1,500 miles of sewer lines, and also provides recycled water and household hazardous waste services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wastewater Treatment Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gravity Sewer Collection Networks (Sanitary Sewers) (EUANACAA), Sewer Line Cleaning & Root Removal (HSAOABAC)

Keywords

• Wastewater treatment services
• Sewer collection systems
• Recycled water distribution
• Household hazardous waste
• Environmental compliance permitting

Headquarters

HQ city

Martinez

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sewer Service Charges: Annual fees charged to properties connected to the sewer system, typically billed on the Contra Costa County property tax bill. Covers collection, treatment, and other wastewater-related activities.
2. Capacity Fees: One-time fees charged for new construction projects or expansion of non-residential facilities that may result in increased wastewater burden. Charges new customers for their share of Central San's existing infrastructure assets.
3. Environmental Compliance Permit Fees: Fees for permits, plan reviews, inspections, and other activities associated with construction, sewer repair, remodel, and renovation projects.
4. Recycled Water Charges: Monthly billing for recycled water delivered to customers in portions of Martinez, Pacheco, Concord, and Pleasant Hill.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District collects, cleans, and treats wastewater from nearly 500,000 residents and more than 15,000 businesses across a 146-square-mile service area in central Contra Costa County, processing over 13 billion gallons per year through a 1,500-mile underground sewer collection system and a treatment plant. The district additionally produces and distributes recycled water through pipelines to portions of Martinez, Pacheco, Concord, and Pleasant Hill, and operates a free household hazardous waste collection facility that accepts residential drop-offs without appointment.

Product overview

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) is a special district providing essential public utility services rather than commercial software products. The organization operates as a unified service offering with three core functions: wastewater collection and treatment services (managing over 1,500 miles of sewers and treating 13 billion gallons annually), recycled water production and distribution, and household hazardous waste collection. Supporting services include environmental compliance monitoring, sewer permit services, and public education programs including Central San Academy and K-12 education initiatives. The District also offers financing programs such as Septic to Sewer (S2S) and Sewer Lateral Replacement programs to help property owners connect to or maintain the sewer system. Public communication is maintained through the Pipeline newsletter, treatment plant tours, and videos.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wastewater Collection and Treatment Services Collection, cleaning, and treatment of more than 13 billion gallons of wastewater per year for nearly 500,000 residents and more than 15,000 businesses across a 146-square-mile service area in central Contra Costa County. Delivered through a 1,500-mile underground sewer network and treatment plant.
• Recycled Water Program Production and pipeline distribution of recycled water for irrigation and other approved uses, delivered to portions of Martinez, Pacheco, Concord, and Pleasant Hill. Includes a Recycled Water Fill Station open to residents Monday through Saturday.
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility Household hazardous waste collection facility accepting residential drop-offs at no charge without appointment, and business drop-offs by appointment. Includes a Reuse Room for donated usable household products. Open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Sewer Permit Services Permit counter services for sewer work including permit issuance, plan review, project fee quotes, permit history, easement research, and inspections for sewer connections, repairs, and alterations.
• Environmental Compliance Program Monitoring and enforcement program ensuring commercial and industrial businesses comply with wastewater discharge requirements. Includes Pretreatment Regulations, Dental Program, Stormwater Program, special discharge permits, waste hauler permits, plan reviews, and inspections.
• Collection System Operations Maintenance and operation of 1,500 miles of underground sewer lines (500+ miles in easements and 1,000+ miles in public right-of-way), including cleaning, maintenance, repair, and emergency response to prevent sewer overflows.
• Septic to Sewer (S2S) Financing Program Low-cost financing program for residential property owners with private septic systems, providing funding to connect to the public sewer system and properly abandon their septic tank. Financed through the property tax bill.
• Sewer Lateral Replacement Financing Program Financing program to help property owners replace a private sewer lateral or separate a shared sewer lateral. Available to residential and commercial property owners within the service area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 75% decrease in mercury discharged into Suisun Bay since the Dental Amalgam Program began
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Contra Costa County Office of Emergency ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral San participates in the Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), working with over 40 participating agencies including the County Office of Emergency Services to become more resilient to natural, human-caused, and technological hazards.
• Marine Science InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral San co-sponsors Delta Discovery Voyage field trips on the RV Robert G. Brownlee, a 90-foot research vessel operated by the Marine Science Institute, for fifth graders to learn about water sources and pollution prevention.
• Contra Costa County School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral San works collaboratively with local school districts during teacher release time for professional development support. Partner districts include Mt Diablo Unified, Lafayette Elementary, San Ramon Valley Unified, and Contra Costa County Office of Education.
• Contra Costa Clean Water ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral San works with the Contra Costa Clean Water Program (CWP) to perform storm water inspections in the ten incorporated cities of central Contra Costa County to prevent storm water pollution.
• American Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral San provides earthquake preparedness resources in partnership with the American Red Cross as part of emergency preparedness initiatives.
• California Special Districts Association (CSDA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral San is a member of the California Special Districts Association and its local chapter, the Contra Costa Special Districts Association, for advocacy and best practice sharing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Delta Diablo: A neighboring East Bay wastewater treatment agency serving eastern Contra Costa County communities, comparable in service model, regulatory environment, and customer mix.
• Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District: A larger-scale California regional sanitation district providing wastewater collection, treatment, and recycled water services across the Sacramento region, directly comparable in operating model though broader in geography.
• Silicon Valley Clean Water: A joint powers authority providing wastewater treatment and recycled water services on the San Francisco Peninsula, with a comparable mid-scale service area and treatment-plus-reuse operating model.
• Union Sanitary District: An Alameda County special district operating wastewater treatment and collection for a similar mid-sized urban California service area, with a comparable mix of residential, commercial, and industrial users.
• Central Marin Sanitation Agency: A Bay Area sanitary agency providing wastewater collection and treatment services to central Marin County under a similar special-district governance structure, with comparable scope and customer profile to Central San.
• Mt. View Sanitary District: A neighboring California sanitary district that shares the same Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility infrastructure with Central San and operates a comparable wastewater collection and treatment model for a smaller Contra Costa County service area.

Broad incumbents

• East Bay Municipal Utility District: A much larger East Bay water and wastewater utility serving a broad regional territory; comparable in core wastewater operations and recycled water programs but operates at significantly greater scale.
• San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: A large-scale municipal utility providing wastewater, water, and power services across San Francisco, comparable in core wastewater treatment operations but operating across a major urban environment at much higher scale.
• Orange County Sanitation District: One of the largest wastewater agencies in California, operating advanced treatment and large-scale recycled water (Groundwater Replenishment System) programs, broadly comparable as an incumbent in the same regulatory environment.
• LA County Sanitation Districts: The largest wastewater agency in California, operating a regional network of treatment plants serving much of Los Angeles County, comparable in core function but vastly larger in geographic and customer scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8CHsuTJvQiDnojeLTtWYvA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentralSanDist
• Instagraminstagram.com/centralsandist
• Xx.com/CentralSan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Central Contra Costa Sanitary District