Spanaway Water Co

What Spanaway Water Co does

Spanaway Water Company is a non-profit mutual water utility incorporated in Washington State and operating continuously from its Spanaway, WA headquarters since 1953. SWC is wholly owned by the property owners (members) it serves, with a Board of Directors elected from and by the membership. The company draws water from 11 wells in the Chambers/Clover Creek watershed, treats it via pH adjustment (sodium hydroxide) and chlorine disinfection, and distributes it through owned mains and storage tanks. Service area capacity peaks at approximately 6 million gallons per day during summer demand, more than double off-peak throughput.

The company serves over 9,000 residential families and more than 330 commercial businesses in the Spanaway Area of Pierce County. SWC ranks as the 50th largest of 4,129 Group A federally regulated water utilities in Washington, the 2nd largest non-profit mutual water company in the state, and the 8th largest of 338 federally regulated water utilities in Pierce County. Water quality is tested daily by employees, with weekly, annual, and tri-annual analysis by Washington State and EPA certified laboratories; DBP test results consistently run below 25% of EPA maximum contamination levels. The company maintains SCADA control systems, a cross-connection control program, weekly water main flushing (October–April), and 24-hour emergency response.

SWC's revenue model combines a bi-monthly base rate (minimum charge $35.79 + EPA treatment charge $11.94 + Capital Projects Fee $40.91 = $88.64) with increasing-block volumetric usage fees billed per CCF (100 cubic feet = 748 gallons). A 22% rate increase took effect January 1, 2026, raising the average residential bill from approximately $50.81 to $62.01 per month. Customer billing is distributed through direct mail, online portal (ePayUB), phone, in-person, and ACH. The company is in the process of deploying Automatic Meter Reading (AMI) infrastructure as part of its 2020–2024 capital plan. Distribution is exclusively direct within its single regulated service territory; no geographic or vertical expansion is pursued.

Name

Spanaway Water Co

Legal name

Spanaway Water Company

Website

https://spanaway-water.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spanaway Water Company is a non-profit mutual water utility, member-owned since 1953, serving over 9,000 families and 330 businesses in Pierce County, Washington, from 11 wells with EPA-compliant treatment and bi-monthly tiered billing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Spanaway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Service Fees: Bi-monthly billing for water service including a minimum charge of $35.79 per two month cycle. Total bi-monthly base rate of $88.64 comprising minimum charge ($35.79), EPA treatment charge ($11.94), and Capital Projects Fee ($40.91). Usage fees added based on water volume consumed using increasing block rates.
2. Usage-Based Volumetric Fees: Water use fees added to base rate based on water volume consumed. Billed in CCF (One Hundred Cubic Feet, equal to 748 gallons). Year-round average residential use is about 1,700 cubic feet per billing cycle, with usage more than doubling in summer months. 22% rate increase effective January 1, 2026.
3. Connection and Membership Fees: Fees for new memberships, connections, and special fees as set by the Board of Directors. Permanent residences require one membership and meter per unit. Non-residential properties also require separate memberships and meters.
4. Late Payment and Disconnection Fees: Late fee of $10.00 on accounts when a delinquent notice is required and a $50.00 fee when service is disconnected for lack of payment. Members more than two months in arrears are not in good standing and are subject to disconnection plus reconnection fees.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Spanaway Water Company is a non-profit mutual water utility that draws water from 11 wells in the Spanaway area of the Chambers/Clover Creek watershed and delivers potable water service to over 9,000 residential families and 330+ commercial businesses in Pierce County, Washington. The company bills members on a bi-monthly cycle with a base rate plus tiered volumetric usage fees, and supports delivery with water quality testing, cross connection control, main flushing, and online bill payment.

Product overview

Spanaway Water Company is a non-profit mutual water utility owned by property owners (members) it serves. The company operates as a single, unified water service providing residential and commercial water delivery through 11 wells in the Spanaway area. Core services include water distribution, quality testing and reporting, cross connection control, and water main flushing. Supporting services include an online payment portal, conservation programs with tiered pricing structures, and planned automated meter reading infrastructure. The company is the 50th largest of 4,129 Group A federally regulated water utilities in Washington State and the 2nd largest non-profit mutual water company in the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Water Service Provides safe, high-quality drinking water to over 9,000 families in the Spanaway area, delivered through 11 wells in the Chambers/Clover Creek watershed with bi-monthly billing and tiered water rates.
• Commercial Water Service Provides water service to more than 330 businesses in the Spanaway area, including commercial developments with multiple rental spaces, motels, mobile home parks, and other non-residential properties. Commercial rates are available by contacting the office directly.
• Water Quality Testing and Reporting Water quality is tested daily by employees with weekly, annual, and tri-annual analysis by Washington State and EPA certified laboratories. Annual Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) document testing results for metals, nutrients, bacteria, and radionuclide chemicals.
• Cross Connection Control Program Program implementing backflow prevention assembly testing for irrigation systems as required by Washington Department of Health regulations. Assesses risks and prioritizes based on potential health hazard, with annual reporting to DOH.
• Water Main Flushing Service Cleaning of water distribution mains conducted every Tuesday from October through April to remove sediments and maintain water quality, chlorine residuals, and system integrity.
• Water Conservation Program Water conservation initiatives including outdoor watering schedules (odd/even based on address), summer peak demand reduction strategies, and customer education on water-efficient practices to reduce usage and costs.
• Online Payment System Customer portal at spanaway-water.epayub.com for online bill payment, account management, credit/debit card payments, and automatic payment setup.

Quantifiable outcome

• DBP test results all less than 25% of EPA's maximum contamination level (MCL)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Tacoma Water: Tacoma Water is the large municipal water utility serving the City of Tacoma and parts of Pierce County. It is a much larger, broader-scope peer operating in the same county and regulatory environment as SWC, providing a useful comparison for scale, infrastructure, and rate-making approach.
• Washington Water Service Company: Washington Water Service Company is the Washington-state subsidiary of California Water Service Group, an investor-owned water utility. It is comparable to SWC as a regulated water utility serving Washington residential and commercial customers, though with a for-profit (rather than mutual) ownership model.

Regional players

• Lakewood Water District: Lakewood Water District serves the City of Lakewood in Pierce County, directly adjacent to SWC's Spanaway service territory. Both are regulated Group A water utilities in Pierce County operating under Washington DOH oversight with similar residential/commercial customer mixes.
• Parkland Water District: Parkland Water District serves the Parkland community immediately adjacent to Spanaway in Pierce County. It is a comparable small-to-mid sized regulated water utility serving a similar suburban residential and commercial customer base in the same county.
• Edgewood Water District: Edgewood Water District is a Pierce County water utility serving the City of Edgewood and surrounding areas near Spanaway. Comparable as a small, geographically focused regulated water utility operating under the same Washington DOH framework.

Direct peers

• Fruitland Mutual Water Company: Fruitland Mutual Water Company is a Washington-state mutual water utility with a member-owned, non-profit structure closely mirroring SWC's. It is a direct structural peer in governance and operating model, even if smaller and in a different sub-region of the state.
• Mountain View Water Company: Mountain View Water Company is a Washington-state mutual water company serving a defined service territory with a member-owned structure similar to SWC. It is a direct peer in ownership model, scale, and operating philosophy.

Others

• Cascade Water Alliance: Cascade Water Alliance is a King/Pierce County water wholesaler that supplies treated water to several regional water utilities. It is relevant to SWC as an enabling wholesale supplier and as a regional convener that shapes supply, treatment, and rate dynamics across Pierce County utilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Spanaway Water Co