What Coachella Valley Water District does

Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) is a California special district established by the state legislature on January 16, 1918, that operates as an integrated water utility serving approximately 1,000 square miles of the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, California. CVWD is the largest provider of drinking water in the region, delivering domestic water, wastewater sanitation, canal irrigation water for agriculture, recycled/nonpotable water for golf courses and landscapes, and stormwater/flood protection services, while also managing a groundwater replenishment program funded through assessment charges on water usage. The district operates a state-certified laboratory for water quality and groundwater monitoring, and supplements local supplies with imported water from the Colorado River and State Water Project.

CVWD's core products and underlying infrastructure include: domestic water service, sanitation/wastewater treatment, canal water irrigation, the Replenishment Assessment Charge (RAC) program, laboratory analytical services, recycled water distribution, stormwater protection, and groundwater replenishment. Supporting technology comprises an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) pilot for smart metering, a GIS portal for infrastructure mapping, and tiered pricing with penalties for excessive consumption. The district manages Chromium-6 regulatory compliance and operates a Water Replenishment program.

CVWD's business model is a regulated utility ratepayer-funded model with five primary revenue streams: (1) recurring monthly domestic water service charges (tiered with conservation penalties); (2) recurring sanitation service fees; (3) usage-based canal water service for agricultural customers (orderable online); (4) recurring Replenishment Assessment Charges for groundwater replenishment; and (5) one-time developer fees and connection charges ($46 account establishment, $100-$250 deposits). Customer acquisition occurs through service area designation rather than sales competition; new customers apply online or through customer service centers. Customer segments include residential ratepayers (primary), agricultural operations (e.g., Anthony Vineyards, Peter Rabbit Farms), approximately 125 golf courses, commercial businesses, and HOAs. The district is governed by a five-member publicly elected Board of Directors and is regulated by state and federal agencies but exempt from California Public Utilities Commission oversight as a government entity.

Name

Coachella Valley Water District

Legal name

Coachella Valley Water District, CA

Website

https://cvwd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Coachella Valley Water District is a California special district and the largest drinking water provider in the Coachella Valley, delivering domestic water, sanitation, agricultural irrigation, recycled water, and groundwater replenishment services across approximately 1,000 square miles to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Detention, Retention & Storage Systems (Ponds, Tanks, Vaults) (EUANAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Drinking water supply
• Wastewater treatment
• Agricultural irrigation
• Groundwater replenishment

Headquarters

HQ city

Coachella

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Domestic Water Service Charges: Monthly water service charges for drinking water delivery to residential and commercial customers. Rates include tiered pricing structure with penalties for excessive consumption.
2. Sanitation Service: Wastewater collection and treatment services billed to customers connected to the district's sewer system.
3. Canal Water Service: Agricultural irrigation water delivery through canal systems. Customers can order canal water online and are billed based on usage.
4. Replenishment Assessment Charge (RAC): Groundwater replenishment program funding through charges assessed on water usage to replenish the groundwater basin.
5. Developer Fees and Connection Charges: Fees charged for new development connections, including water and sewer availability charges, developer fees, and cost of service studies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Coachella Valley Water District is a public special district that delivers integrated water management services to the Coachella Valley. Its offerings include domestic drinking water service, wastewater collection and treatment, canal-based agricultural irrigation, groundwater basin replenishment, recycled/nonpotable water for golf courses and farms, stormwater protection and flood control, water quality monitoring, and conservation programs.

Product overview

Coachella Valley Water District provides integrated water utility services through a portfolio of interconnected core products: domestic/drinking water service, sanitation/wastewater treatment, canal/irrigation water for agriculture, groundwater replenishment programs, recycled water for nonpotable uses, and stormwater/flood protection. Supporting services include water quality monitoring, laboratory analytical services, water conservation programs with rebates and education, all coordinated under a long-term water management framework that incorporates Colorado River water imports and State Water Project supplies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Domestic Water Service Drinking water service providing high-quality potable water to residential and commercial customers across the Coachella Valley.
• Sanitation Service Wastewater collection and treatment services for customers connected to the district's sewer system in the Coachella Valley.
• Canal Water Service Irrigation water delivery service for agricultural operations and farming irrigation across the Coachella Valley.
• Replenishment Assessment Charge (RAC) Service Groundwater replenishment program partially funded through assessment charges assessed on water usage to maintain sustainable groundwater basin levels.
• Recycled/Nonpotable Water Treated wastewater recycled for agricultural irrigation and golf course irrigation, promoting water conservation in the desert environment.
• Stormwater Protection and Flood Control Regional stormwater management and flood protection infrastructure services for eastern Coachella Valley communities.
• Groundwater Replenishment and Imported Water Groundwater basin management through imported water from the State Water Project and Colorado River to maintain sustainable long-term water supplies.
• Agricultural Irrigation and Drainage Irrigation water delivery and agricultural drainage services supporting farming operations across the Coachella Valley.
• Laboratory Analytical Services State-certified laboratory providing water quality testing and analytical services for domestic, recycled, and source waters.
• Water Quality Services Water quality monitoring and compliance services ensuring drinking water meets all state and federal standards, including Chromium-6 testing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Drinking water meets all current state and federal standards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Water Works Association (AWWA)minorOthersProfessional association membership providing industry standards, best practices, and networking for water utilities.
• Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA)minorOthersStatewide association representing public water agencies. CVWD participates in ACWA for policy advocacy and industry collaboration.
• Colorado River Water Users Association (CRWUA)coreOthersCVWD Board Director John Powell Jr. serves as trustee representing California on CRWUA governing board. Critical for Colorado River water management advocacy.
• California State Water Resources Control BoardcoreOthersRegulatory oversight for water quality, groundwater management, and compliance. CVWD is regulated by this state agency.
• Coachella Valley Association of GovernmentsminorOthersRegional planning and coordination body. CVWD Board Director John Aguilar served on Executive Committee.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Imperial Irrigation District: Irrigation and water district in Imperial County that shares the same Coachella/Imperial Valley agricultural water economy and Colorado River water-rights framework as CVWD. Most directly comparable on agricultural irrigation and canal water operations.
• Eastern Municipal Water District: Special district water and wastewater agency serving western Riverside County, directly adjacent to CVWD's territory. Offers the same integrated portfolio (domestic water, recycled water, wastewater, irrigation) under the same California regulatory framework.
• Orange County Water District: Special district focused on groundwater management and replenishment in Orange County, with a leading recycled water program (Groundwater Replenishment System). Closely comparable to CVWD's groundwater replenishment mission and special-district structure.
• Western Municipal Water District: Special district water utility serving western Riverside County with integrated water, wastewater, and recycled water services. Closely comparable service model and California special-district governance structure.
• Santa Clara Valley Water District: California special district providing integrated water supply, flood protection, and stream stewardship in Santa Clara County. Directly comparable mission, special-district governance, and integrated service portfolio.
• Inland Empire Utilities Agency: Regional wastewater and recycled water wholesale agency serving San Bernardino County with groundwater replenishment and recycled water programs structurally similar to CVWD's groundwater basin management.
• San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District: Special district water wholesaler serving San Bernardino Valley with groundwater recharge and imported water programs structurally similar to CVWD's groundwater replenishment and State Water Project operations.

Broad incumbents

• California Water Service Group: Largest investor-owned water utility in California with PUC-regulated drinking water and wastewater operations. Although for-profit rather than a special district, it offers comparable drinking water delivery models across diverse California geographies.
• California American Water: Investor-owned water and wastewater utility operating across California under PUC regulation. Comparable drinking water and wastewater service offering, though under a different regulatory structure than CVWD's special district model.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Large regional water wholesaler supplying imported Colorado River and State Water Project water across Southern California, including to CVWD. Acts as an upstream supplier to CVWD and operates a broader portfolio of supply infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cvwater
• Facebookfacebook.com/CoachellaValleyWaterDistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coachella-valley-water-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/cvwdh2o

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Coachella Valley Water District