Name

Bartle Wells Associates

Legal name

Bartle Wells Associates

Website

https://bartlewells.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Municipal finance advisory
• Utility rate studies
• Public finance consulting
• Municipal bond advisory
• Financial planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Causeway Bay

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: BWA provides independent professional municipal advisory services to public agencies including utility rate studies, financial planning, and project financing. Revenue is generated through professional consulting engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Bartle Wells Associates is an independent public finance consulting firm that provides advisory services to public agencies, including utility rate and fee studies (water, sewer, recycled water, stormwater, solid waste), long-term strategic financial planning, and project financing via municipal bonds, COPs, bank loans, private placements, and state/federal grant and loan programs. The firm also offers ancillary services such as feasibility studies, system valuation, Proposition 218 compliance support, public outreach, and expert witness testimony.

Product overview

Bartle Wells Associates is a public finance consulting firm offering a unified portfolio of advisory services centered on utility rates and finance. The core offerings consist of Utility Rate & Fee Studies (which design rates and fees for water, sewer, and solid waste utilities), Financial Plans (which develop strategic roadmaps for funding operations, debt service, and capital needs), and Bonds/Project Financing (which secures low-cost financing via bonds, loans, and grants). Additional supporting services include feasibility studies, system valuation, and expert testimony. All services are tailored for public agencies seeking independent financial advice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• $5 billion+ in low-cost financing secured for public agencies
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Association of California Water AgenciesminorOthersProfessional membership organization for California water agencies. BWA maintains membership and affiliation with this industry association.
• California Association of Sanitation AgenciesminorOthersProfessional membership organization for sanitation agencies in California. BWA maintains affiliation through this industry association.
• National Association of Municipal AdvisorscoreOthersBWA is a charter member of NAMA, which promotes high professional and ethical standards in the public finance industry. Named a Board Member of NAMA multiple terms.
• California Rural Water AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBWA is designated as a preferred provider of municipal finance advisory services for California Rural Water Association members.
• American Water Works AssociationminorOthersProfessional association for water utilities. BWA staff participate in AWWA's Rates and Charges Committee.
• WateReuse Association of CaliforniaminorOthersProfessional association for water reuse. BWA maintains membership and affiliation with this industry organization.
• California Society of Municipal Finance OfficersminorOthersProfessional association for municipal finance officers in California. BWA maintains affiliation through this organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Hilltop Securities: Hilltop Securities is a national broker-dealer and municipal advisor with a strong public finance practice serving cities, counties, water districts, and special districts across the US. Competes with BWA on bond issuance and broader municipal advisory mandates at significantly larger scale.
• Forvis (formerly Kaufman Hall): Forvis provides financial advisory, strategic planning, and capital planning services to public sector and healthcare clients, including municipal financial planning and debt advisory. Broader-scale competitor with overlapping public-sector financial advisory offerings.
• Stifel (Public Finance): Stifel's public finance division provides municipal advisory and underwriting services to cities, counties, and special districts across the US, including water and sewer utilities. Larger-scale competitor in the same advisory space as BWA.
• PFM (Public Financial Management): PFM is one of the largest independent municipal advisory firms in the US, providing financial advisory, planning, and investment banking services to state and local governments. Directly comparable to BWA's bond issuance, rate study, and financial planning services, but with national scale and significantly larger staff.
• Piper Sandler (Public Finance): Piper Sandler operates a national public finance division providing municipal advisory, underwriting, and financial planning services to state and local government clients. Competes with BWA on bond issuance and broader public finance mandates at much greater scale.

Direct peers

• CSG Advisors: CSG Advisors is a California-based municipal advisory firm specializing in financial planning, rate setting, and bond issuance for water, wastewater, and solid waste utilities. Directly comparable to BWA's core service offerings and California client base.
• Robert Todd & Associates: Robert Todd & Associates is a California-based independent municipal advisor focused on financial planning and project financing for water and wastewater agencies. Comparable boutique peer with overlapping California public agency client base.
• NHA Advisors: NHA Advisors is an independent municipal advisor providing rate studies, financial planning, and project financing to water, sewer, and special districts primarily in California and the western US. Highly comparable boutique municipal advisor competing directly with BWA.
• Montague DeRose and Associates: Montague DeRose is an independent West Coast municipal advisor providing financial advisory and debt management services to public agencies, with overlap in bond issuance, refinancing, and utility financing similar to BWA.
• Fieldman Rolapp & Associates: Fieldman Rolapp is a California-based independent municipal advisor providing financial advisory services to public agencies, with strong overlap in water/sewer utility rate studies, bond issuance, and Proposition 218 compliance. Closest direct peer to BWA given California focus and similar boutique scale.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Bartle Wells Associates