Trinity River Authority of Texas

What Trinity River Authority of Texas does

Trinity River Authority of Texas is a conservation and reclamation district created by the Texas Legislature in 1955 and headquartered in Arlington, Texas. Operating across a nearly 18,000-square-mile basin, TRA is the largest wholesale wastewater treatment provider in Texas and a regional water supplier, operating five regional wastewater systems (combined permitted capacity of approximately 235 MGD, led by the 189 MGD Central Regional Wastewater System), six water treatment and distribution facilities, the Lake Livingston reservoir, and the Wolf Creek Park recreation facility. The Authority serves roughly 1.86 million wastewater customers and 306,637 water customers through more than 50 wholesale municipal contracts across cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Irving, Huntsville, and Livingston, alongside Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities and DFW International Airport.

Core technology centers on advanced secondary treatment using aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, cloth media filtration, ultraviolet disinfection, and anaerobic digestion; the Central Regional Wastewater System incorporates a 5.0 million-gallon Sequencing Batch Reactor and a Thermal Hydrolysis Process that produces Class A biosolids. The Authority also operates the first large-scale water reuse project in Texas (in partnership with Dallas County Utility Reclamation District), a Clean Rivers Program under the Clean Rivers Act, and biosolids land-application and watershed protection programs.

The business model is a fee-for-service wholesale utility model with no ad valorem or sales tax revenues. TRA sells treated drinking water and wastewater treatment under long-term contracts to cities, municipalities, and special districts at negotiated rates, and serves as a tax-exempt financing conduit for municipal water/wastewater and industrial pollution control facilities. The Authority is governed by a 25-member board appointed by the Texas Governor with Senate confirmation, manages more than $490 million in annual budget and over $2.6 billion in assets, and employs 400-500 staff.

Name

Trinity River Authority of Texas

Legal name

Trinity River Authority of Texas

Website

https://trinityra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Trinity River Authority of Texas is a state-created conservation and reclamation district that provides wholesale water and wastewater treatment, reservoir management, and recreation services to more than 50 municipal customers across the 18,000-square-mile Trinity River basin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Treatment Utilities

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Wastewater treatment services
• Wholesale water supply
• Water reclamation utilities
• Basin planning
• Reservoir management

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Treatment and Distribution Services: Revenue from treating and distributing drinking water to municipal customers. Services are contracted for by cities, municipalities or districts. TRA receives no ad valorem or sales tax revenues.
2. Wastewater Treatment Services: Revenue from treating wastewater for municipal customers. TRA operates five regional wastewater treatment systems serving cities and districts throughout the basin.
3. Water Reuse Sales: Revenue from selling treated water to Dallas County Utility Reclamation District for irrigation of golf courses and lake level maintenance in Las Colinas development. Revenue reduces costs for all CRWS facility customers.
4. Tax-Exempt Financing Conduit: TRA serves as a conduit for tax-exempt financing for municipal water and wastewater facilities and industrial pollution control facilities.
5. Federal Water Projects: Serves as local sponsor for federal water projects, maintaining master plan for basin-wide development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trinity River Authority of Texas is a conservation and reclamation district that provides wholesale water and wastewater treatment, water supply distribution, and supporting reservoir and recreation facilities to more than 50 cities, municipalities, and special districts across the 18,000-square-mile Trinity River basin. It also serves as a sponsor for federal water projects, a conduit for tax-exempt financing of municipal water infrastructure, and an operator of basin-wide environmental and water-quality programs including the Clean Rivers Program and watershed protection initiatives.

Product overview

Trinity River Authority of Texas operates a comprehensive water and wastewater management infrastructure across the 18,000-square-mile Trinity River basin. The portfolio consists of five regional wastewater treatment systems (Central Regional at 189 MGD, Ten Mile Creek at 24 MGD, Denton Creek at 11.5 MGD, Mountain Creek at 4.5 MGD, and Red Oak Creek at 6.0 MGD), plus the Walker-Calloway outfall line for wastewater transport. Water supply is delivered through six water treatment and distribution facilities (Huntsville, Livingston, Tarrant County, Trinity County, Ellis County, and Lakeview Regional systems). Supporting infrastructure includes Lake Livingston reservoir and Wolf Creek Park recreation facility. Advanced treatment technologies include thermal hydrolysis for biosolids processing, water reuse programs for irrigation, and watershed protection initiatives. The Authority contributes nearly 166 million gallons of clean water daily to the Trinity River ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Central Regional Wastewater System (CRWS) Regional wastewater treatment facility on 495 acres adjacent to the West Fork of the Trinity River. Advanced secondary treatment using aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, advanced filtration including cloth media filters, with 189 MGD permitted capacity serving approximately 1.4 million customers across 20 cities in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.
• Ten Mile Creek Regional Wastewater System (TMCRWS) 24 MGD activated sludge treatment plant on a 100-acre site near Ferris, Texas providing regional wastewater transportation and treatment to portions of six cities. Includes wet-weather storage screening, grit removal, three activated sludge treatment trains, tertiary treatment with ultraviolet disinfection, and solids dewatering.
• Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System (DCRWS) 11.5 MGD advanced activated sludge facility with nitrification and denitrification for phosphorus removal. Serves approximately 170 square miles west of Grapevine Lake in Denton and Tarrant Counties, providing service to 13 customer cities including Argyle, Flower Mound, Roanoke, and others.
• Mountain Creek Regional Wastewater System (MCRWS) 4.5 MGD treatment plant (with 6.0 MGD expansion under construction) located in Midlothian, Texas, serving portions of four cities including Midlothian and Venus. Features include activated sludge process, advanced tertiary filtration, and ultraviolet disinfection.
• Red Oak Creek Regional Wastewater System (ROCRWS) 6.0 MGD biological treatment plant located southeast of Red Oak, Texas, serving portions of six cities including Red Oak, Ovilla, and Glenn Heights. Utilizes activated sludge process, advanced tertiary filtration, and UV disinfection.
• Walker-Calloway Branches Outfall Line 4.7-mile wastewater transportation facility that delivers wastewater from North Richland Hills and Hurst to the Fort Worth wastewater system.
• Huntsville Regional Water Supply System Water treatment and supply facility serving Huntsville, Texas and surrounding areas including Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities.
• Livingston Regional Water Supply System Water treatment facility serving Livingston and surrounding areas including the Polunsky Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the IAH Detention Facility.
• Tarrant County Water Supply Project Water supply project serving Tarrant County areas with ozone disinfection implemented to improve taste and odor of treated water.
• Trinity County Regional Water Supply System Water treatment facility serving Trinity County and surrounding areas including Glendale Water Supply Corp. customers.
• Ellis County Water Supply Project Water supply project serving Ellis County areas.
• Lakeview Regional Water Supply Project Water supply project serving Lakeview and surrounding areas.
• Lake Livingston Project Reservoir project managed by TRA as local sponsor. Lake Livingston Dam is 2.5 miles long and 55 feet high on average, providing water supply and recreation.
• Wolf Creek Park Recreation facility operated by TRA offering camping and outdoor activities within the Trinity River basin.
• Clean Rivers Program Water quality assessment and improvement program operating under the Clean Rivers Act, pursuing public participation through support of local organizations, stream cleanups, and volunteer monitoring.
• Thermal Hydrolysis Biosolids Process Advanced biosolids treatment process using thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion to produce Class A biosolids, minimizing biosolids production and transportation while ensuring pasteurization and sterilization.
• Water Reuse Program First large-scale water reuse project in Texas, in conjunction with the Dallas County Utility Reclamation District, delivering treated water for lake maintenance and golf course irrigation in Las Colinas.
• Watershed Protection Program Watershed protection planning for Joe Pool Lake and Village Creek-Lake Arlington watersheds, coordinating with municipalities and stakeholders to address water quality issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 166 million gallons of clean water returned to Trinity River daily
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered key, core, security, regional and community.

• National Water Resources AssociationkeyOthersKey national affiliation for water resources advocacy and policy representation
• National Waterways ConferencekeyOthersNational organization representing interests related to water supply and waterways transportation
• Water Environment FederationkeyOthersKey national organization for water quality and wastewater treatment professionals
• American Water Works AssociationkeyOthersKey national organization for water supply professionals
• National Association of Clean Water AgencieskeyOthersNational organization for clean water agencies providing advocacy and awards recognition
• Region C Regional Planning GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState regional water planning group for Region C in which TRA participates
• Region H Regional Planning GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState regional water planning group for Region H in which TRA participates
• Dallas County Utility Reclamation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership creating the first large scale reuse project in Texas - DCURD funded pipeline and pumping facility extending from CRWS plant to Las Colinas for water reuse
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRA serves as local sponsor for federal water projects operated by the Corps. Partnership for zebra mussel investigation since 2011.
• Texas Water Development BoardkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency for water planning and development; TRA General Manager previously served as executive administrator
• WaterISACsecurityTechnology or IntegrationWater sector security information sharing and analysis center
• Texas Parks and Wildlife DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in zebra mussel awareness campaign to slow spread in Trinity basin; TPWD leads the campaign
• North Texas CommissionregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organization where TRA General Manager serves on board and executive committee
• Texas Water Conservation AssociationkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerState organization where TRA General Manager chairs the River Authority Panel and serves on executive committee
• River Legacy Living Science CentercommunityStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for River Legacy Living Science Center's environmental education programs; TRA helped enhance the Exhibit Hall in 2018
• Friends of Lake LivingstoncommunityStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for restoring, enhancing and preserving native aquatic vegetation in Lake Livingston to provide habitats, reduce erosion and improve water quality

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tarrant Regional Water District: Major Texas regional water supplier serving Tarrant County and surrounding areas with raw and treated water; comparable wholesale customer base, many shared municipal customers with TRA.
• Lower Colorado River Authority: One of the largest river authorities in Texas; provides water and wastewater services, manages reservoirs, and supplies wholesale water and power across the lower Colorado River basin — comparable scale and statutory mission.
• North Harris County Regional Water Authority: Regional water authority in Texas providing wholesale treated water to municipalities and districts in the north Houston region — directly comparable wholesale utility model.
• Sabine River Authority of Texas: Texas river authority providing water supply, wastewater treatment, and reservoir management along the Sabine River — same statutory category and similar wholesale municipal service model.
• Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority: Texas conservation and reclamation district operating across the Guadalupe River basin; supplies wholesale water, treats wastewater, and manages reservoirs for municipal and industrial customers.
• San Jacinto River Authority: Texas conservation and reclamation authority operating in the San Jacinto River basin; provides wholesale water supply, wastewater treatment, and reservoir management to municipalities and districts — directly comparable mandate and business model to TRA.
• Brazos River Authority: Texas river authority providing water supply, wastewater, and reservoir/recreation services across the Brazos basin — directly comparable statutory structure, customer base, and service portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Essential Utilities: U.S. natural gas, water, and wastewater utility serving ~5M people across 10 states with a regulated rate-base model; comparable regulated water/wastewater utility economics though diversified across geographies and gas operations.
• American Water Works Company: Largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility serving ~14M people across 14 states; comparable wastewater treatment operations and regulated utility economics, though privately owned and geographically diversified rather than basin-concentrated.
• Veralto (formerly Veolia Water Technologies parent): Global water quality and treatment technology and services company with a major utility platform in North America; comparable wastewater treatment technology stack and municipal customer base, though operates globally and across industrial customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TRAofTexas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TRAofTexas
• Facebookfacebook.com/TRAofTexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trinity-river-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/traoftexas
• Pinterestpinterest.com/TRAofTexas

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Trinity River Authority of Texas