Orange County Sanitation Department

What Orange County Sanitation Department does

Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) is a California special district public agency established by state legislature in 1954 that provides regional wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling services to approximately 2.6 million people across 479 square miles in central and northwest Orange County. The agency operates two treatment plants, Plant No. 1 in Fountain Valley and Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach, with a combined average daily treatment capacity of 184 million gallons per day, supported by 380+ miles of regional sewer pipes and 15 pump stations. OC San's service portfolio includes the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) partnership with the Orange County Water District, which recycles 100% of reclaimable flow at 170 million gallons per day using microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet disinfection.

OC San generates revenue primarily through annual sewer service fees collected via property tax bills, with residential properties charged a flat rate (approved to rise from $347 in 2022-23 to $411 in 2027-28), multi-family residences at 70% of single-family rates per unit, and non-residential properties charged per 1,000 square feet based on wastewater discharge characteristics; secondary revenue streams include one-time connection fees, industrial wastewater discharge permits, and wastehauler disposal fees. The agency's $500 million fiscal year 2025-26 operating and capital improvement budget and AAA credit ratings from Fitch and S&P support a planned $3.6 billion Capital Improvement Program over ten years. Technical differentiation rests on the world's largest behind-the-meter Tesla battery storage system (4.9 MW / 32.5 MWh) deployed in 2019, on-site biogas-fired cogeneration delivering $15.9 million in annual power savings, a patented Alkaline-Enhanced Iron (AE-Fe) odor control process, the first California public laboratory accredited to detect PFAS in wastewater, and a forthcoming Supercritical Water Oxidation demonstration project targeting PFAS and microplastics destruction.

Beyond its regulated franchise, OC San is commercializing PFAS waste destruction services for out-of-area municipalities through partnerships with 374Water (AirSCWO deployment) and Garney Construction, and operates regulatory permit programs covering industrial pretreatment, fats/oils/grease control, and dental amalgam compliance. The agency is governed by a 25-member Board of Directors and led by General Manager Rob Thompson, supported by directors across Engineering, Environmental Services, Operations & Maintenance, Finance, Human Resources, and Communications.

Name

Orange County Sanitation Department

Legal name

Orange County Sanitation District

Website

https://ocsan.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) is a California special district that provides wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling services to 2.6 million residents across 479 square miles in Orange County, operating two treatment plants with 184 MGD capacity and the Groundwater Replenishment System.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

PFAS & Emerging Contaminants Removal (AFFF/Trace Organics) (EUANADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Odor & Corrosion Control in Collection Systems (EUANACAJ), Industrial Wastewater Reuse (Cooling/Process/Boiler Feed) (EUANADAM), Industrial Wastewater & Effluent Treatment Services (BPALAHAD)

Keywords

• Wastewater treatment services
• Water reclamation recycling
• Sewer collection infrastructure
• Biosolids management program
• Industrial discharge permitting

Headquarters

HQ city

Fountain Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Regional Sewer Service Charges: Annual sewer service fees collected through property tax bills. Fees are based on demand placed on the system: residential properties charged flat rate, multi-family charged per unit, non-residential charged per thousand square feet based on wastewater discharge characteristics.
2. Connection Fees: One-time fees for new connections to the regional sewer system. Average connection fee for a single family (3-bedroom) residence is $6,388.
3. Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permits: Fees from industrial facilities discharging wastewater, regulated through the Resource Protection Division with numeric discharge standards and self-monitoring requirements.
4. Wastehauler Permits and Fees: Fees for liquid waste pumpers disposing of septage, chemical toilet, and grease trap wastes at Plant No. 1 station, with fee schedules by city.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Orange County Sanitation Department provides regional wastewater collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal services to approximately 2.6 million residents across 479 square miles in Orange County, California. Operating two treatment plants totaling 184 MGD capacity and 380+ miles of sewer infrastructure, OC San processes residential, commercial, and industrial wastewater while producing recycled water, biosolids soil amendment, and renewable energy from biogas. The agency also regulates industrial wastewater discharges, manages urban runoff, and offers emerging PFAS destruction services through Supercritical Water Oxidation.

Product overview

Orange County Sanitation District operates as a regional wastewater utility providing integrated collection, treatment, and recycling services. The core service portfolio includes Regional Sewer Service (collection and treatment of wastewater from 2.6 million residents), the Biosolids Program (producing 200,000 tons annually of soil amendment), Ocean Monitoring & Laboratory services, and Urban Runoff management. Key innovation programs under RISE include Supercritical Water Oxidation for PFAS destruction, Deep Well Injection for permanent biosolids disposal, and a world-leading battery storage system. Water reclamation through the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) partnership produces 170 million gallons daily for reuse. The agency also operates regulatory permit programs for industrial discharge, FOG control, and dental amalgam compliance. Central Power Generation produces 7.8 million kWh monthly from biogas, making OC San largely energy self-sufficient.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regional Sewer Service
• Biosolids Program
• Ocean Monitoring & Laboratory Program
• Urban Runoff Program
• Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) Recycled Water
• Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Program
• Fats, Oils & Grease (FOG) Control Program
• Dental Office Amalgam Compliance Program
• Wastehauler Permit and Disposal Service
• AirSCWO PFAS Destruction Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Recycles 100% of reclaimable wastewater flow through Groundwater Replenishment System
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• 374WatercoreTechnology or Integration · 2 June 2026Partnership for AirSCWO (Supercritical Water Oxidation) system deployment at OC San's Fountain Valley plant. The system is designed for destroying biosolids contaminated with PFAS. Factory acceptance test passed in June 2026, with deployment planned for October 2026. This provides an alternative disposal method amid rising regulatory restrictions on biosolids management.
• Stem, SK E&S, SUSI Partners, and Southern California EdisoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Public/private partnership for the world's largest behind-the-meter battery storage facility. A 4.9-megawatt, 32.5-megawatt-hour Tesla lithium-ion system was placed at Plant No. 1 facility in Fountain Valley, utilizing latest energy storage technology to offset peak power demand.
• UC Irvine and National Fuel Cell Research CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Partnership launched in 2011 to create the world's first experimental fuel cell, converting wastewater into hydrogen fuel, electricity, and heat. Project enabled hydrogen car refueling with sewage-derived fuel at 70 miles per gallon. Designed by UCI, FuelCell Energy, and Air Products & Chemicals. Terminated as not beneficial for a regional agency the size of OC San.
• Orange County Water District (OCWD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), which purifies treated wastewater using microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and UV light with hydrogen peroxide. OC San sends all reclaimable flow to GWRS, which produces enough water for 1 million residents. The GWRS Final Expansion allows 170 million gallons daily capacity. Also partners on Green Acres Project (GAP) for recycled water distribution and the GWRS Steering Committee.
• Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to protect potable water quality by managing salt disposal through OC San's infrastructure. OC San accepts OCWD's reverse osmosis concentrate free of charge for ocean disposal via the Ocean Outfall and collects unreclaimable flows from SAWPA's Inland Empire Brine Line through the Santa Ana River Interceptor for treatment at Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach.
• Southern California Coastal Water Research ProjectsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on a case study in 2019 to examine the applicability of cell bioassays as a novel tool to measure contaminant bioactivity in wastewater and the coastal receiving environment.
• Garney ConstructionsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner$4.5M contract with City of Olathe facilitated through Garney Construction for Waste Destruction Services deployment. OC San is building a recurring revenue platform for PFAS destruction services with municipal partners.
• South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on engine emissions reduction project starting in 2007, demonstrating technologies to reduce emissions from central generation engines. Based on favorable results, OC San implemented dual Selective Catalytic Reduction/Catalytic Oxidizer System across all eight engines at Plant Nos. 1 and 2 in 2015.
• CEMTEKsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership conducted a demonstration of the Unisearch LasIR Tunable Diode Laser (TDL) ammonia monitoring system for SCAQMD, testing the system's ability to measure real-time ammonia emissions from engines using urea injection and dual SCR/Oxidation Catalyst system.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DC Water: Washington DC's water and wastewater utility serving ~700K residents plus regional jurisdictions with advanced treatment including Blue Plains, the world's largest advanced wastewater treatment plant. Highly comparable as an innovative utility pursuing energy neutrality, water reuse, and biosolids innovation.
• King County Wastewater Treatment Division (Seattle): King County's regional wastewater agency serving ~1.7M people across 17 cities including Seattle, with major facilities and a leading biosolids program. Comparable scale and innovation profile, including resource recovery and environmental stewardship programs.
• Hampton Roads Sanitation District: Virginia regional wastewater utility serving ~1.7M people across 20 cities with major treatment plants and a focus on nutrient removal and HRSD Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT). Comparable in scale and forward-thinking water reuse approach.
• San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC): SFPUC operates the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant and oversees wastewater collection for San Francisco. Comparable as an innovative municipal utility pursuing water reuse, energy recovery, and Ocean Beach discharge considerations.
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD): Independent special district serving Chicago and 128 suburban communities with seven wastewater treatment plants. Comparable scale (~184 MGD combined capacity similar to OC San), similar governance model, and similar focus on water reuse (Tunnel and Reservoir Plan).
• LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN): CITY OF LOS ANGELES' department managing the largest wastewater system in the US, serving 4M+ residents with four treatment plants including Hyperion. Directly comparable as a large municipal wastewater agency with biosolids reuse, ocean discharge, and water reuse programs.
• Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (LACSD): LACSD is a California special district providing wastewater collection and treatment for ~5.5M people across 78 cities. Same governance structure (special district under CA legislature), same regulatory environment, and overlapping biosolids/PFAS innovation programs — the closest functional peer.

Emerging players

• 374Water: Public clean technology company commercializing AirSCWO supercritical water oxidation for PFAS and biosolids destruction. OC San is a flagship deployment partner, making 374Water a strategic supplier/peer in the PFAS destruction value chain OC San is building around.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions: Global water/wastewater technology vendor serving municipal utilities with treatment systems, PFAS solutions, and digital water tools. Broad incumbent that supplies and competes for advanced treatment projects that OC San also targets.

Regional players

• Orange County Water District (OCWD): OCWD is OC San's GWRS partner, managing groundwater replenishment and the world's largest indirect potable reuse facility. Not a direct competitor but the closest strategic partner and a useful benchmark for water reclamation at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OCSanDistrict
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OrangeCountySanitationDistrict/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/OCSanDistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocsd
• Instagraminstagram.com/OCSanDistrict

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Orange County Sanitation Department