What Santa Fe Irrigation District does

Santa Fe Irrigation District (SFID) is a California public water utility district established in 1923 under the California Water Code as a special district. It supplies potable water to approximately 19,600 customers across roughly 10,300 acres in northern San Diego County, serving the communities of Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, and Fairbanks Ranch. The district operates approximately 170 miles of distribution pipeline, the R.E. Badger Filtration Plant for water treatment, and the Larrick and San Dieguito reservoirs for storage, all within an exclusive legislatively granted service territory that functions as a regulated monopoly.

The district's technology backbone is a district-wide Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system using Sensus fixed-base smart meters and iPerl digital endpoints, deployed across approximately 7,500 meters through a six-phase capital program that was completed in July 2021. The AMI system feeds two web portals: a customer-facing Sensus Analytics MyWaterUse portal for consumption tracking, billing estimates, and leak detection, and a utility-facing portal used by district staff for maintenance and reporting. Complementary technology integrations include BSI Online for backflow prevention compliance, MerchantTransact for bill payment, NEOGOV GovernmentJobs for hiring, and CivicPlus for the district website. Recent infrastructure investments include the completed R.E. Badger Clearwell Solar Project at the filtration plant and the in-progress Larrick Reservoir Seismic Retrofit design phase.

SFID's business model is a regulated utility rate model. Revenue is generated primarily through tiered water service fees billed to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers based on consumption (measured in hundred cubic feet), with separate fixed and variable rate components documented in published rate schedules. Supplementary revenue comes from one-time connection and service fees (a $38 new-account charge, a $1,611 temporary hydrant meter fee including deposit, and a $34 PSAWR application fee). The Permanent Special Agricultural Water Rate (PSAWR) program, developed jointly with the San Diego County Water Authority, offers reduced rates to qualifying agricultural customers in exchange for accepting higher cutback obligations during water shortages tied to Metropolitan Water District action levels. As a public agency, SFID is governed by a five-member elected Board of Directors and is not privately owned or investable through conventional PE/VC channels.

Name

Santa Fe Irrigation District

Legal name

Santa Fe Irrigation District, CA

Website

https://sfidwater.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Santa Fe Irrigation District is a California public water utility district formed in 1923 that supplies potable water to approximately 19,600 residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, and Fairbanks Ranch in northern San Diego County, operating 170 miles of pipeline and the R.E. Badger Filtration Plant within an exclusive service territory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Raw Water Conveyance & Transmission (Aqueducts, Mains, Pumping Stations) (EUANAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation Design, Installation & Maintenance Services (Engineering, Retrofit, Repair) (AFAAACAL), Irrigation Operation, Maintenance & Repair (Pumps, Valves, Controllers) (AFACAFAD), Irrigation Systems Installation & Maintenance (IMAIAIAC)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Potable water distribution
• Automated metering infrastructure
• Water treatment operations
• Water conservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Rancho Santa Fe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 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 Fees: Tiered water rates charged to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers based on water consumption (measured in hundred cubic feet). Includes fixed and variable rate components.
2. Connection and Service Fees: One-time service charges for new account setup ($38), temporary hydrant meters ($1,611 including deposit), and other miscellaneous fees and charges.
3. Permanent Special Agricultural Water Rate (PSAWR): Reduced cost water rates for qualifying agricultural customers in exchange for accepting higher cutback requirements during water shortages.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Santa Fe Irrigation District wholesales and retails treated potable water to approximately 19,600 customer connections across roughly 10,300 acres and ~170 miles of pipeline in northern San Diego County, including Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, and Fairbanks Ranch. Core services include water treatment (jointly at the R.E. Badger Filtration Plant), distribution, customer metering via Sensus AMI, conservation programs, and backflow prevention administration.

Product overview

Santa Fe Irrigation District is a public water utility formed in 1923, providing potable water distribution and treatment services to approximately 19,600 customers across Solana Beach, Fairbanks Ranch, and Rancho Santa Fe in northern San Diego County, California. The district operates a district-wide Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program using Sensus fixed-base meters, supported by the Sensus customer-facing portal (MyWaterUse) and utility-facing portal. Core services include water distribution, water treatment at the R.E. Badager Filtration Plant, leak detection and credit programs, backflow prevention management, and conservation programs. The district's technology portfolio encompasses the AMI system, customer and utility web portals, and capital improvement projects including pipeline replacements, reservoir seismic retrofits, and solar infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sensus (Xylem Inc.)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2016In June 2016, SFID Board approved sole source purchase and installation of Sensus AMI equipment for automated metering program. Sensus provides the fixed base automated metering system and customer/utility facing portals. The District utilizes Sensus customer-facing portal for ratepayers and utility-facing portal for AMI maintenance information.
• Aqua MetriccoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 June 2016Aqua Metric is the authorized vendor for Sensus equipment in the area and was responsible for primary installation of meters and other AMI equipment during the six-phase program completed in July 2021.
• San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDCWA is the wholesale water provider to SFID. Their rising rates significantly impact customer costs and leak credit calculations. SFID participates in SDCWA's Permanent Special Agricultural Water Rate (PSAWR) Program developed with regional farming leaders.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDCWA receives water supplies from MWD, and during shortages, PSAWR customers are subject to percent reduction equal to MWD's shortage action levels.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District: Adjacent Escondido-area special district serving a similar mix of residential, commercial, and agricultural customers. Closely comparable in customer profile, regulatory setting, and reliance on SDCWA wholesale supply.
• Helix Water District: East San Diego County water district operating its own treatment plant and distribution system under a similar special-district governance model. Closely comparable in operating model, customer mix, and AMI/smart-meter deployment.
• Sweetwater Authority: South Bay San Diego water authority jointly operated by National City and Chula Vista. Comparable California special-district utility with its own treatment and distribution assets and a similar tiered residential/commercial rate structure.
• Padre Dam Municipal Water District: Adjacent East San Diego County water and wastewater special district serving a comparable residential/commercial customer base with similar AMI, treatment, and recycled water programs. Directly comparable because SFID's General Manager previously served as Padre Dam's Director of Engineering.
• Carlsbad Municipal Water District: North San Diego County municipal water utility operated by the City of Carlsbad. Comparable in serving a coastal North County customer base with a similar blend of residential, commercial, and agricultural customers.
• Fallbrook Public Utility District: North San Diego County public utility district operating water and wastewater services with a significant agricultural customer base. Comparable in PSAWR-style agricultural exposure and special-district governance.
• San Dieguito Water District: Adjacent coastal San Diego County water district serving Encinitas and surrounding communities. Highly comparable in geography, customer demographics, and dependence on SDCWA/MWD wholesale supplies.
• Olivenhain Municipal Water District: Northern San Diego County special district supplying potable and recycled water to a similar affluent coastal and inland customer mix. Comparable scale and regulatory structure make it one of the closest operational peers to SFID.
• Otay Water District: Southern San Diego County special district providing wholesale and retail water service across a larger service area. Comparable in governance structure (elected board, special district) and in operating its own treatment and distribution infrastructure.
• Ramona Municipal Water District: Inland San Diego County water district serving residential, commercial, and agricultural customers with substantial irrigation exposure. Comparable in scale and in managing a mixed urban/agricultural demand profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfid
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxWGReoMb4mE6FH__RBLsiQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/santafeid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-fe-irrigation-district

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Santa Fe Irrigation District