Chino Basin Water Conservation District

What Chino Basin Water Conservation District does

Chino Basin Water Conservation District (CBWCD) is a California special district established in 1949 to protect and replenish the Chino Groundwater Basin through natural percolation-based recharge. The district manages 1,433 acres of land, including the Montclair Percolation Basins capable of capturing 523 acre-feet (over 170 million gallons) of stormwater, which is filtered through layers of sand, gravel, and silt before recharging the local aquifer. It serves approximately 68,000 residents across six municipalities in San Bernardino County (Ontario, Montclair, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, and Chino Hills), and provides the community with approximately half of its water supply through groundwater recharge.

CBWCD operates three core program platforms: the Waterwise Community Center and Demonstration Garden (a public visitor destination in Montclair), the Waterwise Community Nursery (a retail outlet for waterwise and California native plants), and the Waterwise Garden Planner (an online landscape planning tool). These are supplemented by free community workshops, compost and mulch giveaways, turf replacement rebates, free water efficiency consultations, school field trips serving over 5,000 students annually, and professional certification programs including the California Native Plant Landscaper Certificate (CNPLC) and Water Efficient Landscaper DUAL Certification Program (WELDCP), the latter providing EPA WaterSense credentials in partnership with CLCA and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

CBWCD operates as a public agency funded through property assessments, grants, and partnerships with other water agencies rather than through direct fees. All community programs, workshops, consultations, and certifications are provided free of charge. The district is governed by an elected seven-member Board of Directors and led by General Manager Elizabeth Willis (appointed 2023), with a staff of 18 full-time and 6 part-time employees. Strategic partnerships with Theodore Payne Foundation, California Native Plant Society, CLCA, Metropolitan Water District, and EPA WaterSense underpin the district's professional training and funding model.

Name

Chino Basin Water Conservation District

Legal name

Chino Basin Water Conservation District

Website

https://cbwcd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chino Basin Water Conservation District is a California special district, established in 1949, that manages 1,433 acres of percolation basins to recharge the Chino Groundwater Basin and provides free waterwise landscaping education, professional certifications, and community programs to approximately 68,000 residents across six municipalities in San Bernardino County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Water Conservation and Groundwater Recharge Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Groundwater recharge services
• Water conservation education
• Stormwater percolation basins
• Waterwise landscaping programs
• Watershed protection district

Headquarters

HQ city

Montclair

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Governmental Water Conservation District Funding: As a California water conservation district established in 1949, CBWCD operates as a public agency providing free community programs funded through district assessments and partnerships. All programs, workshops, certifications, and resources are provided free to the community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chino Basin Water Conservation District is a California special district that protects and replenishes the Chino Groundwater Basin through 1,433 acres of percolation basins that capture and naturally filter stormwater. It delivers free community education and conservation programs, including a public Waterwise Community Center and demonstration garden, a retail plant nursery, free workshops, school field trips, professional landscape certifications, turf replacement rebates, and water efficiency consultations for residents, businesses, and HOAs in San Bernardino County.

Product overview

Chino Basin Water Conservation District operates as a community education and water management organization offering a unified platform of water conservation programs and services. The core offerings include the Waterwise Community Center and Demonstration Garden (a physical visitor destination), the Waterwise Community Nursery (plant sales), and the Waterwise Garden Planner (online planning resource). These are supplemented by professional certification programs (CNPLC and WELDCP), free community workshops, compost/mulch giveaways, turf replacement rebates, water efficiency consultations, youth education programs, percolation basin management, and seasonal events. All programs and events are free to the community, with services targeted to homeowners, landscape professionals, businesses, HOAs, and educators across the Chino Basin area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waterwise Community Center & Demonstration Garden A public garden and community center in Montclair, CA that provides waterwise landscaping education, demonstration gardens, and free community programs. Serves as the primary physical location for the district's outreach and educational activities, with free admission for the public.
• Waterwise Community Nursery A retail nursery selling waterwise and California native plants with free expert advice available to community members. Provides a commercial sales channel for plants suited to the regional climate.
• Waterwise Garden Planner An online planning tool providing resources for waterwise and California native plant selection, care, irrigation design, and landscape planning for homeowners and professionals. Available free of charge as a self-service web application.
• California Native Plant Landscaper Certificate Program (CNPLC) A 20-hour professional certificate program for landscapers and landscape professionals covering maintenance, selection, planting, pruning, irrigation, and pest management for California native plants. Offered in partnership with Theodore Payne Foundation and California Native Plant Society.
• Water Efficient Landscaper Dual Certification Program (WELDCP) A combined certification program offering two EPA WaterSense professional certifications (CLCA Water Management Certification and Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper) through a single course. Presented in three 6-hour classes covering irrigation auditing, scheduling, soils, systems, maintenance, controllers, and landscape water management. Free due to Metropolitan Water District sponsorship.
• Free Workshops & On-Demand Tutorials Free live and recorded workshops covering landscape transformation basics, California native garden design, installation and establishment, and pruning and maintenance. Available on YouTube and in-person at the Waterwise Community Center.
• Free Water Efficiency Consultations On-site consultations for landscape water efficiency, available for residential properties and businesses/HOAs within the service area. Delivered by district conservation staff.
• School Field Trips & Youth Education Programs Interactive youth education programs providing place-based, hands-on activities connecting students to watershed awareness and water conservation. Serves over 5,000 local school children annually. Includes field trips, poster contests, teacher resources, a youth volunteer team, and educator newsletters.
• Percolation Basins & Groundwater Recharge Infrastructure 1,433 acres of land managed for water capture and infiltration, including the Montclair percolation basins capable of capturing 523 acre-feet (over 170 million gallons) of water. Uses natural percolation processes to replenish the local Chino Groundwater Basin. The district's core water management infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Captures 523 acre-feet (170+ million gallons) of water in Montclair Percolation Basins
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Theodore Payne FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for California Native Plant Landscaper Certificate Program (CNPLC). CBWCD hosts the 20-hour curriculum for landscapers in the Chino Basin area. The foundation developed the curriculum and provides ongoing program support.
• California Native Plant SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the CNPLC certificate program, providing curriculum development and expertise in California native plant landscaping.
• California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CLCA to offer Water Efficient Landscaper Certification Program (WELDCP), combining CLCA's Water Management Certification with the Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program.
• EPA WaterSensecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional certifications offered through WELDCP are nationally recognized EPA WaterSense certifications for irrigation professionals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District: Special district in Los Angeles County providing groundwater management, conservation education, and rebate programs. Highly comparable in regulatory role, recharge mandate, and free public programming.
• Water Replenishment District of Southern California: California special district responsible for replenishing and protecting the Central and West Coast groundwater basins in LA County. Highly comparable in regulatory authority, recharge mission, and public education/community engagement model.
• Las Virgenes Municipal Water District: California special district focused on water conservation, recycled water, and customer programs in Los Angeles County. Comparable in community education focus, conservation rebates, and waterwise landscaping outreach.
• Inland Empire Utilities Agency: Regional wastewater and water reuse agency serving Chino and broader Inland Empire. Comparable in groundwater recharge, recycled water, and water education programs; direct geographic overlap with CBWCD's service area.
• Calleguas Municipal Water District: California special district providing wholesale water and conservation services to Ventura County agencies. Comparable special-district structure with conservation programming, though geographically separate.
• San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District: Regional water agency serving San Bernardino Valley with groundwater recharge, imported water, and conservation programs. Same county/region as CBWCD, with overlapping stormwater capture and groundwater replenishment mandate.
• Western Municipal Water District: California water district providing water, wastewater, and conservation services in Riverside County. Comparable special-district structure with conservation education, turf replacement rebates, and community programming.
• Three Valleys Municipal Water District: Wholesale water agency serving the eastern San Gabriel Valley with conservation, education, and rebate programs. Comparable in regional water-conservation programming and free community outreach structure.
• Orange County Water District: California special district managing Orange County's groundwater basin with recharge, monitoring, and public education programs. Directly comparable in mission, structure (special district), and groundwater-recharge focus, but operates at significantly larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Regional wholesaler and major funder/partner of CBWCD's WELDCP program. Broader mandate spanning imported water, regional infrastructure, and conservation rebates across six counties; comparable in conservation program design but operates at vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CBWCD
• Facebookfacebook.com/CBWCD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chino-basin-water-conservation-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/cbwcd
• Xx.com/cbwcd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Chino Basin Water Conservation District