South San Joaquin Irrigation District

What South San Joaquin Irrigation District does

South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) is a California special district organized under Division 11 of the California Water Code, established in 1909 and headquartered in Manteca, California. It provides irrigation water to over 55,000 acres of farmland in Escalon, Manteca, and Ripon through a gravity-based distribution system comprising 18 miles of main canal, 312 miles of lateral pipelines, and 38 miles of open-channel canals, supplemented by a pressurized Division 9 system serving 3,800 acres near Ripon via 19 miles of pipeline with online and mobile scheduling. The district also operates the Nick C. DeGroot Water Treatment Plant, a 40 MGD membrane filtration facility using Zenon 1000 submerged membranes, supplying treated drinking water to approximately 200,000 residents across the cities of Tracy, Manteca, Lathrop, and (in Phase II) Escalon through 37 miles of transmission pipeline, seven pump stations, and four million-gallon storage tanks.

SSJID generates revenue through a mix of flat-rate irrigation charges ($60/acre with a $60 minimum invoiced annually through San Joaquin County property tax bills), tiered volumetric water charges, groundwater recharge fees ($12/acre), pressurized irrigation service fees ($58.12/acre-foot effective March 2025), municipal water reimbursements from partner cities, and $4-17 million in annual hydropower income from the Tri-Dam Project (Donnells, Beardsley, and Tulloch facilities with 135 MW capacity) operated jointly with Oakdale Irrigation District. The district holds pre-1914 senior water rights on the Stanislaus River, jointly with OID, securing rights to the first 600,000 acre-feet of water flowing into New Melones Reservoir each year.

SSJID is governed by an elected five-member Board of Directors and led by General Manager Peter Rietkerk. The district is debt-free as of December 2021 after paying off $11 million in unfunded pension costs, and it has adopted a 2024 Strategic Plan plus a $191 million 30-year Water Master Plan. Beyond water and hydropower, SSJID is pursuing acquisition of PG&E's electrical distribution network to offer retail electric service at rates projected 15% below PG&E, supported by a 2014 LAFCo approval upheld through the California Supreme Court in 2022. The district also operates a 1.4 MW Robert O. Schulz Solar Farm that offsets nearly $400,000 in annual water treatment plant electricity costs and participates in groundwater sustainability planning under SGMA.

Name

South San Joaquin Irrigation District

Legal name

South San Joaquin Irrigation District

Website

https://ssjid.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South San Joaquin Irrigation District is a California public irrigation district, established 1909, delivering irrigation water to 55,000+ acres of farmland and treated drinking water to approximately 200,000 residents in South San Joaquin County through gravity-fed canals, a 40 MGD membrane treatment plant, and Tri-Dam hydropower assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Power Utility Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Irrigation Design, Installation & Maintenance Services (Engineering, Retrofit, Repair) (AFAAACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pump & Well Services for Irrigation (Well Testing, Pump Sizing, Rehab) (AFACAFAG)

Keywords

• Irrigation water delivery
• Municipal water treatment
• Hydropower generation
• Agricultural water services
• Public utility district

Headquarters

HQ city

Manteca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Irrigation Water Service: SSJID delivers irrigation water to over 55,000 acres of farmland within its territory. Revenue is generated through flat rate charges ($60/acre with $60 minimum), volumetric charges based on acre-feet delivered (Tier 1: $10/acre-foot up to 48 inches; Tier 2: $17.50/acre-foot over 48 inches), and groundwater recharge fees ($12/acre with $25 minimum). Landowners are invoiced annually in November for acreage-based charges via San Joaquin County property tax bill, with monthly bills for volumetric charges.
2. Municipal Drinking Water Supply: SSJID operates the Nick C. DeGroot Water Treatment Plant providing treated drinking water to approximately 200,000 residents in Tracy, Manteca, Lathrop, and eventually Escalon. SSJID supplies raw water and operates the treatment plant and transmission system, while participating cities pay for raw water and reimburse operating expenses. This provides financial benefit to SSJID irrigation customers through raw water sales.
3. Hydropower Generation: Through the Tri-Dam Project partnership with Oakdale Irrigation District (OID), SSJID generates and sells hydropower electricity. The system includes Donnells, Beardsley, and Tulloch facilities with capacity of nearly 135 megawatts. Hydroelectric plants bring SSJID $4-17 million in annual income. The Sandbar hydroelectric plant is operated by Tri-Dam Power Authority.
4. Pressurized Irrigation Service (Division 9): Provides pressurized water service to 3,800 acres of farmland near Ripon through 19 miles of pressurized pipeline. Customers pay flat rate charges (currently $58.12/acre-foot) in addition to standard irrigation rates. This unique system services growers using micro, drip, and sprinkler systems with automated irrigation access.
5. Electric Utility Services (Proposed): SSJID is pursuing acquisition of PG&E's electrical distribution network to provide retail electric service to Escalon, Manteca, Ripon, and surrounding areas. If successful, this would generate revenue from electricity distribution, with rates estimated to be 15% lower than PG&E, saving customers an estimated $15.5 million in the first year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) is a public irrigation district that delivers irrigation water to over 55,000 acres of farmland in South San Joaquin County, California, through a gravity-based conveyance system of canals and pipelines. The district also operates the Nick C. DeGroot Water Treatment Plant to supply treated municipal drinking water to approximately 200,000 residents in Tracy, Manteca, Lathrop, and (in Phase II) Escalon. SSJID additionally generates hydroelectric power through the Tri-Dam Project partnership with Oakdale Irrigation District and is pursuing acquisition of PG&E's electric distribution network to provide retail electric service in its territory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agricultural Irrigation Water Service Gravity-based and volumetric irrigation water delivery to over 55,000 acres of farmland in Escalon, Manteca, and Ripon areas, serving growers producing almonds, walnuts, grapes, and pasture. Charged via flat rate per acre, tiered volumetric rates per acre-foot, and groundwater recharge fees, with annual acreage-based billing through San Joaquin County property tax and monthly volumetric billing.
• South County Water Supply Program (Municipal Drinking Water) Treated drinking water supply from the Nick C. DeGroot Water Treatment Plant (40 MGD Zenon 1000 Submerged Membrane System) delivered through 37 miles of pipeline, seven pump stations, and four 1-million-gallon storage tanks to the Cities of Tracy, Manteca, Lathrop, and (Phase II) Escalon. SSJID supplies raw water and operates the treatment plant and transmission system; participating cities pay for raw water and reimburse operating expenses. Serves approximately 200,000 residents.
• Pressurized Irrigation Service (Division 9 Irrigation Enhancement Project) Pressurized water delivery to 3,800 acres near Ripon through 19 miles of pipeline, enabling growers to use micro, drip, and sprinkler systems with automated irrigation access. Customers receive individualized scheduling based on weather forecasts, previous usage, and historical evapotranspiration rates, with email/text alerts and moisture sensors. Pricing is $58.12/acre-foot (effective March 1, 2025), billed monthly, with annual adjustments tied to electricity costs and CPI.
• Hydropower Generation (Tri-Dam Project) Hydropower electricity generated and sold through the Tri-Dam Project partnership between SSJID and Oakdale Irrigation District (OID). Includes Donnells, Beardsley, and Tulloch facilities with nearly 135 megawatts of total capacity (102 MW with spinning turbines). Generates $4-17 million in annual income for SSJID. The Sandbar hydroelectric plant is operated by Tri-Dam Power Authority.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivers irrigation water to over 55,000 acres of farmland
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• South San Joaquin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SSJGSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with Cities of Escalon and Ripon to form the South San Joaquin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SSJGSA), a separate legal entity managing groundwater resources under SGMA requirements. The agency is one of 16 member GSAs in the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Authority working to achieve sustainable groundwater management by 2040 through the Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
• Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019SSJGSA (including SSJID) participates as one of 16 member GSAs in the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Authority, which coordinates development and implementation of a single Groundwater Sustainability Plan covering the entire Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Subbasin spanning portions of Calaveras, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus Counties.
• Pacific Northwest College of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Partnership developed in collaboration with Pacific Northwest College of Art and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation to create salmon life cycle animation and educational materials. The animation complements the 'An Incredible Journey' educational series promoting salmon stewardship.
• National Marine Sanctuary FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Partnership developed in collaboration with Pacific Northwest College of Art and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation to create salmon life cycle animation and educational materials. The animation complements the 'An Incredible Journey' educational series promoting salmon stewardship.
• Cities of Escalon, Lathrop, Manteca, and TracycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005South County Water Supply Program partnership where SSJID provides raw water and operates the Nick C. DeGroot Water Treatment Plant and transmission system. Participating cities pay for raw water and reimburse operating expenses. Currently serving Tracy, Manteca, and Lathrop with approximately 200,000 residents. Escalon to be added in Phase II.
• Oakdale Irrigation District (OID)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1955SSJID and OID jointly developed the Tri-Dam Project (Donnells, Beardsley, and Tulloch reservoirs) starting in 1955, with operations beginning in 1957. The partnership also includes joint management of New Melones Reservoir with rights to first 600,000 acre-feet of water, Goodwin Dam construction above Knights Ferry (1913), and shared water rights on the Stanislaus River. Both districts jointly pursue fishery research and salmon monitoring programs.
• Stanislaus Medical FoundationminorOthersSSJID partners with Stanislaus Medical Foundation for dental coverage as part of employee benefits. The district is self-insured for dental coverage and partners with the foundation to create employee coverage.
• San Joaquin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo)coreOthersRegulatory agency that approved SSJID's right to provide retail electric service in its territory in 2014, following a legal battle against PG&E. This approval was essential for SSJID's public power initiative.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• California Water Service: Largest investor-owned water utility serving 2M+ customers across California; broader incumbent in regulated drinking-water and irrigation services operating under the same CPUC regulatory backdrop.
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD): Large California publicly-owned electric utility with substantial hydro generation; broader incumbent comparable for SSJID's power aspirations and existing hydropower operations at much greater scale and customer base.
• East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD): Major California water utility serving drinking water and wastewater for ~1.4 million customers; broader incumbent in the same public-agency water-utility category with substantially larger scale and urban service territory.
• San Diego County Water Authority: Large wholesale water supplier in California with a mission to deliver reliable, cost-effective water across municipal and agricultural customers; comparable as a public-agency water provider at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Turlock Irrigation District: Adjacent Central Valley irrigation district operating both irrigation water and retail electric service via TID Power—closely comparable in mission, scale, and combined water/power operations to SSJID's existing and aspirational footprint.
• Oakdale Irrigation District: SSJID's Tri-Dam partner and joint holder of pre-1914 Stanislaus River water rights; the most directly comparable Central California irrigation district with adjacent service territory, similar irrigation, and hydropower operations.
• Merced Irrigation District: California Central Valley irrigation district operating irrigation, municipal water, and hydropower; comparable scale and service mix in a similar agricultural and regulatory environment, including SGMA exposure.
• Modesto Irrigation District: Neighbor San Joaquin Valley irrigation district providing irrigation water, municipal water, and retail electric service; nearly identical business model to SSJID with deeper electric utility penetration, making it the benchmark for SSJID's PG&E-acquisition ambitions.
• El Dorado Irrigation District: California special district providing irrigation, drinking water, wastewater, and recycled water services; comparable mix of agricultural and municipal customers and similar special-district governance model under California law.
• Placer County Water Agency: California public agency supplying irrigation, drinking water, and hydroelectric power across Placer County—directly comparable scope as a multi-purpose Northern California water-and-power agency with similar governance profile.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SSJIDofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ssjid
• Instagraminstagram.com/ssjidofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 South San Joaquin Irrigation District