Sweetwater Authority
Sweetwater Authority is a California public water district serving approximately 51,178 equivalent dwelling units across Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita in San Diego County through reservoirs, groundwater desalination, and surface-water treatment infrastructure.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersChula Vista, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sweetwater Authority does
Sweetwater Authority is a California independent special district and public water utility serving approximately 51,178 Equivalent Dwelling Units across Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita in San Diego County. Founded in 1977 after residents voted for public ownership of the water system, the authority operates a multi-source water supply consisting of the Sweetwater and Loveland surface water reservoirs, the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility (which uses reverse osmosis to remove PFAS to non-detectable levels), the Perdue Water Treatment Plant, and National City groundwater wells. The system sits on approximately $280.9 million in net assets, supports the lowest water rates in San Diego County, and serves a service area where approximately 65% is classified as a disadvantaged community (43% severely disadvantaged, 22% moderately disadvantaged).
The authority's revenue model is built around three streams: usage-based water sales to residential, commercial, and industrial customers (rates effective January 1, 2026, with no rate increases for FY 2026-27); one-time capacity fees of $5,490 per EDU for new connections (calculated as total net assets divided by total EDUs); and pass-through imported raw water purchases from the San Diego County Water Authority at $1,500 per acre-foot plus $50-$60 per acre-foot in treatment costs. Customer-facing operations run through online bill pay, a Notify Me notification subscription system, water efficiency rebates, and a Low-Income Customer Assistance Program providing up to $180 per year in bill support.
Operationally, Sweetwater Authority is currently navigating two material capital programs: a proposed 3.7 MW floating solar project on Sweetwater Reservoir expected to offset approximately 66% of electric costs (~$500,000 annually), and approximately $40 million in planned PFAS treatment facilities required to meet the April 2029 EPA compliance deadline. The authority is governed by a board with representation from National City and the South Bay/Chula Vista-Bonita area, and is regulated at the federal level by the EPA and at the state level by the State Water Resources Control Board's Division of Drinking Water.
Sweetwater Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sweetwater Authority
- Legal name
- Sweetwater Authority, CA
- Website
- https://sweetwater.org
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sweetwater Authority is a California public water district serving approximately 51,178 equivalent dwelling units across Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita in San Diego County through reservoirs, groundwater desalination, and surface-water treatment infrastructure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sweetwater Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Water Utility Services
- NAICS
- Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE), Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) Utilities (Advanced Treatment & Blending) (EUANAGAC)
Keywords
Where Sweetwater Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chula Vista
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sweetwater Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Water Sales: Revenue generated from water consumption by residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Rates effective January 1, 2026 with no rate increases for FY 2026-27.
- Capacity Fees: One-time fees charged for new water service connections based on projected water use in gallons per day. Current Capacity Fee for single-family residence is $5,490 per Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU).
- Imported Water Sales: Purchased water from San Diego County Water Authority at $1,500 per acre/foot plus treatment costs of $50-60 per acre/foot.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Single-Family Residential Capacity Fee |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Multi-Family/Apartment Capacity Fee |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Irrigation Meter Capacity Fee |
| Subscription | Annual | Low-Income Customer Assistance |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Imported Raw Water |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Sweetwater Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sweetwater Authority is a California public water utility district that provides treated drinking water to approximately 51,178 equivalent dwelling units across Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita. It operates a multi-source water supply system including surface water from Sweetwater and Loveland Reservoirs treated at the Perdue Water Treatment Plant, groundwater desalination at the Richard A. Reynolds facility using reverse osmosis, and groundwater wells in National City. Core offerings include metered water service for residential/commercial/industrial customers, one-time capacity fees for new connections, development review and engineering services, water efficiency programs, and a Low-Income Customer Assistance Program providing up to $180 of annual bill assistance.
Product overview
Sweetwater Authority is a public water utility district providing drinking water services to residents of Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita in San Diego County, California. The organization operates a multi-source water supply system consisting of surface water (Sweetwater Reservoir and Loveland Reservoir), groundwater desalination (Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility), and groundwater wells (National City Wells). Water treatment is provided primarily through the Perdue Water Treatment Plant for surface water and the Reynolds facility for groundwater. The utility offers customer-facing services including online bill payment, a public records request portal, notification subscriptions, water efficiency programs, educational initiatives (scholarships, mini-grants, photo contests), and a PFAS education program addressing water quality concerns. The authority is also pursuing infrastructure projects including a floating solar project to reduce operational costs and lead service line inventory compliance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Water Service Metered drinking water supply for residential properties (single-family homes, multi-family units, apartments, mobile homes) within Sweetwater Authority's service territory in Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita. Customers are billed based on usage with rates effective January 1, 2026 and no rate increase for FY 2026-27.
- Commercial and Industrial Water Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Lowest water rates in San Diego County
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sweetwater Authority
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sweetwater Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sweetwater Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- San Diego County Water AuthoritycoreSweetwater Authority purchases imported raw water from San Diego County Water Authority at $1,500 per acre/foot when needed (e.g., during algae blooms or maintenance). This partnership provides backup water supply and is critical for PFAS mitigation blending options.
- State Water Resources Control Board (Division of Drinking Water)coreAs the primacy agency for drinking water regulation in California, the Division of Drinking Water sets monitoring requirements, issues permits for projects impacting drinking water reservoirs, and establishes compliance standards that Sweetwater Authority must meet for PFAS and other contaminants.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreThe EPA sets national drinking water standards including Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFAS (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS). Sweetwater Authority conducts testing under EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) and must comply with the National Primary Drinking Water Standard by April 2029.
- City of National CityminorCity partnership for community outreach. Sweetwater Authority has coordinated with National City to share PFAS education information through city communications channels to broaden public engagement.
- City of Chula VistaminorCity partnership for community outreach. Sweetwater Authority has coordinated with Chula Vista to share PFAS education information through city communications channels.
- Local School Districts (Sweetwater Union High School, Chula Vista Elementary School, National School Districts)minorSchool district partnerships for targeted PFAS outreach. Sweetwater Authority requested districts share PFAS education information through their communications channels to engage families and community members.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sweetwater Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- San Diego County Water Authority: Wholesale water supplier from which Sweetwater purchases imported raw water at $1,500/acre-foot. Comparable as the regional umbrella water agency governing supply and infrastructure for San Diego County, with overlapping constituency and shared PFAS compliance pressures.
- City of San Diego Public Utilities Department: Largest water utility in San Diego County, providing retail water service to the City of San Diego. Comparable as a municipal water agency operating treatment, distribution, and customer service programs at much larger scale within the same regulatory jurisdiction.
Direct peers
- Helix Water District: San Diego County retail water district serving La Mesa, Lemon Grove, El Cajon, and Spring Valley. Directly comparable as a neighboring public water agency with similar treatment infrastructure, regulatory environment, and customer mix.
- Carlsbad Municipal Water District: Coastal San Diego County water utility operating the Carlsbad desalination plant (largest in the Western Hemisphere). Highly comparable as a regional water agency with significant desalination expertise and overlapping technical/regulatory challenges.
- Otay Water District: Adjacent retail water district serving eastern Chula Vista and surrounding South Bay communities. Directly comparable as a publicly chartered San Diego County water agency with overlapping service geography, similar residential/irrigation customer base, and equivalent regulatory model.
- Padre Dam Municipal Water District: East San Diego County water and wastewater district serving Santee, El Cajon, and Lakeside. Comparable as another publicly chartered San Diego-area utility with parallel treatment/distribution operations and customer engagement programs.
Regional players
- Lakeside Water District: East San Diego County retail water utility. Comparable as a small San Diego County public water agency facing similar regulatory, treatment, and customer affordability dynamics.
- Olivenhain Municipal Water District: Northern San Diego County water and wastewater district. Comparable as a similarly structured California public water agency with parallel treatment and customer service operations, though serving a different (northern) geography.
- Vallecitos Water District: Northern San Diego County water district serving San Marcos, Escondido, and Vista. Comparable as a similarly sized California public water agency with parallel treatment, customer service, and infrastructure renewal programs.
- Vista Irrigation District: North San Diego County water district. Comparable as a California public water utility with similar treatment operations, agricultural/municipal customer mix, and rate-setting process.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sweetwater Authority social profiles
Digital presenceSweetwater Authority compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Sweetwater Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sweetwater Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sweetwater Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sweetwater Authority M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sweetwater Authority
What does Sweetwater Authority do?
Sweetwater Authority is a California public water utility district that provides treated drinking water to approximately 51,178 equivalent dwelling units across Chula Vista, National City, and Bonita. It operates a multi-source water supply system including surface water from Sweetwater and Loveland Reservoirs treated at the Perdue Water Treatment Plant, groundwater desalination at the Richard A. Reynolds facility using reverse osmosis, and groundwater wells in National City. Core offerings include metered water service for residential/commercial/industrial customers, one-time capacity fees for new connections, development review and engineering services, water efficiency programs, and a Low-Income Customer Assistance Program providing up to $180 of annual bill assistance.
Is Sweetwater Authority a public or private company?
Sweetwater Authority is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Sweetwater Authority founded?
Sweetwater Authority was founded in 1970. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sweetwater Authority based?
Sweetwater Authority is headquartered in Chula Vista, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sweetwater Authority make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Water Sales are the primary driver. The others are capacity Fees and imported Water Sales.
Who are Sweetwater Authority's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are San Diego County Water Authority and City of San Diego Public Utilities Department. Direct peers are Helix Water District, Carlsbad Municipal Water District, Otay Water District and Padre Dam Municipal Water District. Regional players are Lakeside Water District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, Vallecitos Water District and Vista Irrigation District.
Does Sweetwater Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sweetwater Authority.
What industry is Sweetwater Authority in?
Sweetwater Authority's product category is Public Water Utility Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAG, Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration, with a secondary code of BPAIAMAE, Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater). Its NAICS code is 2213 and its SIC code is 4941.