Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District

What Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District does

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District is a California special district formed under California Water Code 39000 in 1959, headquartered in Bakersfield, California. The District delivers raw, untreated surface water from the State Water Project — accessed via the California Aqueduct through the John R. Teerink Pumping Plant — to agricultural growers and landowners across a 300-mile piped distribution system in Kern County. Its primary customers are agricultural irrigators, with a secondary, interruptible industrial water offering subject to Board authorization.

The District operates a usage-based revenue model in which annual acre-foot charges vary by State Water Project allocation, property location, charge code zone, gravity versus pump zone, and lift count. Customer interaction is anchored by the LATIS online water ordering platform, which was upgraded in 2026 and now requires growers to maintain accounts for electronic order submission. The District also administers the Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Groundwater Sustainability Agency (WRMGSA), managing groundwater allocation under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and collaborating with neighboring agencies on the Kern Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan.

Commercially, the entity functions as a regulated natural monopoly with an exclusive service area and statutory authority to set rates and impose groundwater service charges via Board resolution. It holds CCPA and CalOPPA compliance certifications and conducts weekly water quality sampling at headquarters. Growth is structurally tied to State Water Project allocation volatility rather than customer acquisition, with current allocation reported at 45% as of May 2026.

Name

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District

Legal name

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District

Website

https://wrmwsd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District is a California special district that delivers raw State Water Project water through a 300-mile piped system to agricultural growers and landowners across its Kern County service area, supporting irrigation and regional groundwater management under SGMA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Water Utility Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Pipes, Tubing & Conveyance Infrastructure (Mainlines, Laterals, Hoses) (AFAAACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE), Irrigation Design, Installation & Maintenance Services (Engineering, Retrofit, Repair) (AFAAACAL)

Keywords

• Agricultural water delivery
• Irrigation water supply
• Water storage district
• Surface water distribution
• State water project allocation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bakersfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Delivery Services: The district generates revenue through water delivery charges to landowners. Acre-foot charges vary annually based on State Water Project allocation, property location, charge code zone, and whether it is a gravity or pump zone. Additional charges apply for the number of lifts required to deliver water to a property.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The district delivers raw, untreated surface water from the State Water Project/California Aqueduct to agricultural landowners in Kern County through an approximately 300-mile piped distribution system (WRM 8). It supports growers with the LATIS online water ordering platform and administers groundwater allocation under California's SGMA. Secondary offerings include limited, interruptible industrial water supply subject to Board authorization.

Product overview

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District is a Public Agency/Special District formed under California Water Code 39000 that provides raw, untreated water for agricultural irrigation. The District's core offerings include agricultural water delivery through its 300-mile piped system (WRM 8 System) connected to the California Aqueduct/State Water Project, supported by the LATIS online water ordering platform. Secondary offerings include interruptible industrial water service. The District does not provide treated or municipal water.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agricultural Water Delivery Raw, untreated water delivered to agricultural growers for crop irrigation in Kern County, California. Not suitable for human consumption without treatment. Pricing varies by State Water Project allocation, property location, charge code zone, gravity vs. pump zone, and number of lifts.
• Industrial Water Service Interruptible and non-dependable water supply for construction and limited industrial use, available on a temporary or long-term contract basis subject to Board authorization. Not for domestic or human consumption use.
• WRM 8 Piped Distribution System Service Approximately 300-mile piped water distribution system conveying water from the California Aqueduct/State Water Project to customer properties within the district.
• LATIS Water Ordering System Online platform for district customers to submit water orders electronically; orders must be submitted by 8:00 AM prior to next-day delivery, and accounts require approval before use.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Imperial Irrigation District: California's largest irrigation district, delivering Colorado River water to Imperial Valley agriculture. Comparable as a California irrigation district with extensive conveyance infrastructure supplying raw water to growers.
• Westlands Water District: A large California irrigation district in the western San Joaquin Valley that delivers surface water from the Central Valley Project to agricultural growers. Comparable as a major agricultural irrigation district operating piped conveyance infrastructure.
• Kern County Water Agency: A California public agency that contracts with the State Water Project and coordinates water delivery for water districts across Kern County, including Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa. Highly comparable as a fellow SWP contractor and Kern County water administrator.
• San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors: An association of California water districts that hold long-term water supply contracts and deliver irrigation water to Central Valley growers. Comparable as a Central Valley agricultural water supplier operating under state water contracts.
• Madera Irrigation District: A California irrigation district in Madera County that delivers irrigation water to agricultural landowners from CVP/San Joaquin River sources. Comparable as a Central Valley irrigation district with similar grower delivery model.
• Coachella Valley Water District: A California special district providing irrigation, domestic, and recycled water across the Coachella Valley. Comparable as a multi-purpose California water district serving agricultural customers with piped distribution.
• Tulare Irrigation District: A Central Valley irrigation district delivering surface water to agricultural landowners in Tulare County. Comparable as a California special district operating irrigation infrastructure for growers.

Broad incumbents

• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: The largest wholesale water supplier in the United States, delivering imported water via the State Water Project and Colorado River Aqueduct to Southern California agencies. Comparable as a major SWP-contracted California water wholesaler, but at much larger scale and urban focus.
• East Bay Municipal Utility District: A large California special district providing treated water and wastewater service to the East Bay area. Broader water utility peer with significant infrastructure but focused on urban municipal supply rather than agricultural irrigation.
• California Water Service Company: A large investor-owned California water utility serving regulated drinking water customers across hundreds of service areas. Broader incumbent in California water supply, but addresses treated municipal water rather than raw agricultural irrigation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wrmwsd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wrmwsd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District