Monroe County Water Authority

What Monroe County Water Authority does

Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) is a public benefit corporation formed in 1950 under the New York State Public Authorities Law, operating as a government-owned water utility serving approximately 50 communities in Monroe County, New York, outside the City of Rochester. The utility draws water from Lake Ontario through two treatment facilities: the Shoremont Water Treatment Plant in Greece, NY (capacity up to 140 million gallons per day) and the Webster Water Treatment Plant (capacity up to 50 million gallons per day), with raw water conveyed via a one-mile, nine-foot diameter tunnel carved 165 feet beneath the lake surface. Treatment employs coagulation using alum and polymers, chlorine sanitization, pH adjustment with carbon dioxide, and a natural freeze-dry sludge process that saves over 100,000 kWh annually. MCWA maintains more than 130 million gallons of storage capacity (roughly three days of supply), over 27,000 fire hydrants, and performs more than 70,000 water quality analyses per year.

MCWA generates revenue primarily through regulated, usage-based monthly water service fees billed to residential, commercial, and industrial customers, with secondary revenue from leasing water tower space to cellular carriers. Rates are positioned at approximately one cent per four gallons, and the customer portal (cp.mcwa.com) supports billing through Speedpay, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo. The utility has invested $150 million in the East Side Water Supply Project (completed 2013) and a 5 MW bifacial solar array in Penfield, NY (commissioned August 2022 with Sol Systems and NYPA) that generates roughly 15% of its energy needs. Operations are supported by AWS-hosted infrastructure, ArcGIS for spatial analysis, and standard web analytics tools. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with standing committees for audit, governance, finance, and compensation, and employs between 51 and 100 people across facilities in Rochester, Greece, Webster, and Penfield.

Name

Monroe County Water Authority

Legal name

Monroe County Water Authority

Website

https://mcwa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Monroe County Water Authority is a government-owned public benefit water utility serving approximately 50 communities in Monroe County, New York, operating two Lake Ontario-sourced treatment plants with combined capacity of 190 million gallons per day.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Drinking Water Distribution Network Operations (Mains, Valves, Hydrants, Service Lines) (EUANAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Raw Water Conveyance & Transmission (Aqueducts, Mains, Pumping Stations) (EUANAAAB), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG), Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater) (EUANAJAH), Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals (IMAEAJAA)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Drinking water treatment
• Water distribution infrastructure
• Public water supply
• Fire hydrant maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Water Utility Service Fees: MCWA generates primary revenue through water utility service fees charged to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. As a public water authority, rates are set to cover operational costs and maintain infrastructure. Water is provided at approximately 1 cent per 4 gallons.
2. Cell Tower Leasing: MCWA leases space on water towers to cellular carriers, which provides additional revenue and helps keep water rates low.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Monroe County Water Authority operates as a public benefit corporation providing treated drinking water to approximately 50 communities in Monroe County, New York, drawing raw water from Lake Ontario through two treatment facilities—the 140 MGD Shoremont Plant in Greece and the 50 MGD Webster Plant—then distributing through transmission mains and an extensive pipeline network. Services encompass water treatment, distribution, fire hydrant maintenance (27,000+ hydrants), water quality testing (70,000+ annual analyses), lead service line identification and replacement, and online billing through a self-service customer portal.

Product overview

Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) operates as a public benefit corporation providing water treatment and distribution services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Monroe County and surrounding areas. The organization operates two primary Lake Ontario-sourced treatment facilities—the Shoremont Water Treatment Plant (140 MGD capacity) and the Webster Water Treatment Plant (50 MGD capacity)—serving 50 communities. Service offerings include core water distribution infrastructure supported by the MCWA Customer Portal for online account management and bill payment, water quality testing and reporting with over 70,000 annual analyses, lead reduction programs targeting service line inventory, and infrastructure maintenance services encompassing water main replacements, tank rehabilitation, and system upgrades. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with standing committees for audit, governance, finance, and compensation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Treatment and Distribution Service Core service delivering clean, safe drinking water from Lake Ontario through the Shoremont and Webster treatment plants to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers across approximately 50 communities in Monroe County, NY, via an owned network of treatment facilities, transmission mains, and distribution pipelines.
• MCWA Customer Portal Online self-service platform enabling MCWA customers to view accounts, pay bills, access water quality reports, and manage service preferences, supporting Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo, and Speedpay payment processing.
• Lead Reduction Program Program to identify and replace lead and galvanized water service lines throughout the service area, including external inspections via contractors at curb boxes and customer self-reporting for internal service lines.
• Infrastructure Maintenance Services Ongoing maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of water mains, storage tanks, and distribution infrastructure, including water main replacements, tank painting and cleaning, structural lining programs, and cathodic protection, with multi-year projects through 2027.
• Treatment Plant Tours Educational tours of the Shoremont Water Treatment Plant in Greece, NY, available for students (grade 3 and up) and community groups, demonstrating the water treatment process from raw intake through delivery to homes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70,000+ water quality analyses performed annually
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sol SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2022National solar energy developer selected through competitive bid process led by NYPA to install and operate a 5 MW ground-mounted solar array at no expense to MCWA. Sol Systems receives energy credits from RG&E for energy produced while MCWA receives percentage credited on its energy bills over a 25-year contract. Array uses bifacial solar modules and single axis tracking technology.
• New York Power Authority (NYPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYPA served as energy advisor and led the competitive bid process to select Sol Systems for the solar array project. NYPA supported the project as part of New York's clean energy goals. Justin E. Driscoll, NYPA's interim president and CEO, participated in the 'flip the switch' ceremony.
• City of RochestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCWA partners with the City of Rochester on comprehensive corrosion control treatment study in conjunction with the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, and purchases water from the City of Rochester as part of supply optimization.
• Erie County Water Authority (ECWA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCWA purchases water from Erie County Water Authority as part of its supply optimization strategy to manage sources and optimize water delivery to customers.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Onondaga County Water Authority: New York public benefit corporation water authority serving Onondaga County (Syracuse area). Operates under the same NYS Public Authorities Law framework and serves a comparable mid-size Upstate NY customer base.
• Erie County Water Authority: New York State public benefit corporation water authority serving Erie County, also drawing from Lake Erie. Closest direct peer in structure, regulatory framework, and Great Lakes source-water model; MCWA also purchases water from ECWA as part of supply optimization.

Broad incumbents

• SJW Group (San Jose Water): Holding company for regulated water utilities (San Jose Water, Connecticut Water, Maine Water) serving ~1.5 million people. Comparable as a mid-cap rate-regulated water utility with active M&A and infrastructure investment programs.
• Veolia North America: Global environmental services firm operating water and wastewater contracts for municipalities across North America. Comparable as an outsourced operator of water treatment and distribution assets at municipal scale.
• NYC Department of Environmental Protection: Municipal water and wastewater authority serving 8+ million New York City residents. Largest NY water utility and a useful comparison for source-water protection, large-scale treatment operations, and capital program execution.
• California Water Service Group: Investor-owned water utility regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission serving ~2 million people. Comparable in regulated rate-base growth, water quality compliance, and conservation program design.
• American Water Works Company: Largest publicly traded investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the U.S., serving over 14 million people across 14 states. Provides a benchmark for regulated water utility economics, rate-base growth, and capex programs at scale.
• Aqua America: Investor-owned water and wastewater utility serving ~3 million people across multiple states. Comparable in regulated utility operations, infrastructure renewal programs, and emerging contaminant (PFAS) capex exposure.
• Liberty Utilities: Investor-owned utility providing water, wastewater, electric, and natural gas service across the U.S. Operates a New York water division (formerly American Water's NY system), directly comparable as a regulated water provider in the same state.

Regional players

• City of Rochester Water Bureau: Municipal water utility serving the City of Rochester, the geographic counterpart within Monroe County. MCWA partners with the City on corrosion control studies and purchases water from it for supply optimization, making it the most operationally intertwined regional peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MonroeCntyH20
• Facebookfacebook.com/MonroeCountyWaterAuthority
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/monroe-county-water-authority

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Monroe County Water Authority