Coastal Water Authority
Coastal Water Authority is a Texas governmental agency that operates over $5 billion of regional water infrastructure, delivering up to 1.5 billion gallons per day of untreated surface water to the cities of Houston, Baytown, and Deer Park, and approximately 100 industrial and agricultural customers across Southeast Texas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Coastal Water Authority does
Coastal Water Authority (CWA) is a governmental agency and conservation and reclamation district, created in 1967 by a Special Act of the 60th Legislature of the State of Texas, operating as a political subdivision across Harris, Chambers, and Liberty Counties. CWA provides untreated surface water to the cities of Houston, Baytown, and Deer Park for municipal purposes and to approximately 100 industrial and agricultural customers in Southeast Texas. It is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors — four appointed by the Mayor of Houston and one each by the Texas Governor for Harris, Liberty, and Chambers Counties — and holds no power of taxation.
The Authority operates an integrated portfolio of water infrastructure assets valued at over $5 billion. Core assets include the Trinity River Water Conveyance System (anchored by a 22-mile Main Canal with 1.3+ billion gallons per day capacity), the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project (500 MGD Capers Ridge Pump Station plus dual 96-inch pipelines and 23.5 miles of earthen canal, completed in 2020), the Lynchburg Pump Station (1,172 MGD total pumping capacity across 16 pumps), the Lake Houston Pump Station and West Canal, the Red Bluff Water Treatment Plant (6.5 MGD, expandable to 13 MGD), and the Bayport Water System serving 38 industrial customers at an average of 31 MGD. CWA's stated vision targets up to 1.5 billion gallons per day of surface water delivery capacity.
The business model is a regulated utility cost-recovery structure rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue is generated primarily through long-term water supply contracts — most notably a contract with the City of Houston extending through June 15, 2035, with debt service requirements serving as the payment mechanism — supplemented by industrial and agricultural customer fees. CWA also collects administrative fees for permits (e.g., $5,000 non-refundable per easement/right-of-way crossing). Capital is raised through Special Project First Mortgage Revenue Bonds rather than equity. Recent activity includes ongoing capital maintenance and modernization projects (Bayport Waterline Replacement Phase 4, Trinity River Pump Station Electrical System Protection Project) and board appointments in 2024 and 2025.
Coastal Water Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coastal Water Authority
- Legal name
- Coastal Water Authority
- Website
- https://coastalwaterauthority.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Coastal Water Authority is a Texas governmental agency that operates over $5 billion of regional water infrastructure, delivering up to 1.5 billion gallons per day of untreated surface water to the cities of Houston, Baytown, and Deer Park, and approximately 100 industrial and agricultural customers across Southeast Texas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Coastal Water Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Utility Services
- NAICS
- Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater) (EUANAJAH)
Keywords
Where Coastal Water Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Coastal Water Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Raw Water Supply Contracts: Revenue generated through water supply contracts with the City of Houston and industrial/agricultural customers. The City of Houston pays for maintenance, operation, construction, improvement, and repair of Trinity River facilities pursuant to operating contracts.
- Industrial Water Treatment Services: Red Bluff Water Treatment Plant charges users amounts sufficient to cover all costs of operation, maintenance, and administration for industrial water treatment services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Easement & Right-of-Way Encroachment Administrative Fee |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Coastal Water Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coastal Water Authority (CWA) is a Texas governmental agency that operates regional water conveyance and treatment infrastructure to deliver raw, untreated surface water to municipal and industrial customers. It manages the Trinity River Water Conveyance System, Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project, Main Canal, Lynchburg Pump Station, Lake Houston facilities, Red Bluff Water Treatment Plant, and Bayport Water System, providing up to 1.5 billion gallons per day to the cities of Houston, Baytown, and Deer Park, plus approximately 100 industrial and agricultural customers across Harris, Chambers, and Liberty Counties.
Product overview
Coastal Water Authority (CWA) operates as a regional water infrastructure authority providing raw surface water delivery services. The organization manages a portfolio of water conveyance and distribution systems including the Trinity River Water Conveyance System, Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project, Lake Houston Facilities, Lynchburg Pump Station, Main Canal, Red Bluff Water Treatment Plant, and Bayport Water System. These interconnected systems collectively deliver up to 1.5 billion gallons per day of untreated surface water to the City of Houston, Baytown, Deer Park, and approximately 100 industrial and agricultural customers. CWA also provides permit services for easements, right-of-way encroachments, and raw water service connections.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trinity River Water Conveyance System A water conveyance system operated by CWA under contract with the City of Houston that transports raw surface water from the Trinity River to municipal and industrial customers.
- Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project (LBITP) Transfers surface water from the Trinity River to Lake Houston via the 500 MGD Capers Ridge Pump Station, dual 96-inch pipelines, and 23.5 miles of earthen canal — the largest raw water supply project built in Southeast Texas in the past 50 years.
- Lake Houston Facilities Lake Houston Pump Station and West Canal facilities that transport water from Lake Houston to the City of Houston's East Water Purification Plant and supply untreated water to industrial and agricultural customers.
- Lynchburg Pump Station Pump station with 16 pumps and motors providing 970 MGD pumping capacity (1,172 MGD total with all pumps including stand-bys), serving industries on the south side of the Houston Ship Channel and Bayport Industrial Complex.
- Main Canal 22-mile unlined earthen canal extending from Trinity River Pump Station to Lynchburg Reservoir, with capacity of over 1.3 billion gallons per day.
- Red Bluff Water Treatment Plant 6.5 MGD capacity industrial water treatment plant (expandable to 13 MGD maximum flow) that treats raw water to meet industrial customer requirements. Charges cover operations, maintenance, and administration.
- Bayport Water System Water distribution system serving 38 industrial customers in the Bayport Industrial Complex, with average delivery of 31 MGD.
- Permit Services (Easement, Right-of-Way Encroachment, Raw Water Service Connection, Right of Entry) Administrative permitting for construction and access activities near CWA facilities, including $5,000 non-refundable administrative fees per pipeline, utility, road, railroad, or other facility crossing a CWA Corridor, plus easement acquisition costs based on independent appraisals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Deliver up to 1.5 billion gallons per day of surface water
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Coastal Water Authority
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Coastal Water Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Coastal Water Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Coastal Water Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Angelina and Neches River Authority: Texas conservation district managing water resources and supplying municipal/industrial water in East Texas. Comparable in legal form and core mandate to CWA, though operating in a different basin with smaller scale.
- Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority: Texas conservation district providing water supply, wastewater, and recreation services in the Guadalupe River basin. Comparable as a multi-county Texas water authority with similar municipal and industrial customer base.
- Sabine River Authority of Texas: Texas conservation and reclamation district managing water resources and providing municipal/industrial water supply in the Sabine River basin. Comparable in legal structure and basic mandate to CWA as a Texas river authority.
- Upper Trinity Regional Water District: Texas regional water district serving growing communities north of Dallas with raw and treated water supply. Comparable as a regional raw water supplier with similar customer base of municipalities, though geographically distinct from Houston.
- Tarrant Regional Water District: Regional water district supplying raw water to cities and utilities in the Fort Worth area, with major reservoir and pipeline infrastructure. Comparable as a large-scale raw water conveyance operator serving multiple municipal customers in Texas.
- North Texas Municipal Water District: Regional water district providing wholesale water, wastewater, and solid waste services to communities north and east of Dallas. Comparable as a Texas regional wholesale water supplier serving municipal members, though in a different metro market than Houston.
Direct peers
- Trinity River Authority of Texas: Texas conservation and reclamation district operating water supply, wastewater, and recreation infrastructure along the Trinity River basin. Directly comparable to CWA as a regional water authority operating in overlapping watersheds and serving municipal/industrial customers.
- San Jacinto River Authority: Texas conservation district operating raw water supply, water treatment, and wastewater services in the San Jacinto basin, including areas adjacent to CWA's Houston-area service territory. Highly comparable as a regional raw water supplier serving municipal and industrial customers.
Broad incumbents
- Brazos River Authority: Texas conservation district providing water supply, wastewater, and recreation services throughout the Brazos River basin. Comparable as a Texas water authority with multi-county jurisdiction and similar customer mix of municipalities and industry.
- Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA): Major Texas river authority providing water supply, wastewater, electric generation, and recreation services across the lower Colorado River basin. Comparable as a multi-purpose Texas water/utility authority, though broader in scope and with electric generation beyond CWA's mandate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coastal Water Authority social profiles
Digital presenceCoastal Water Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coastal Water Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Coastal Water Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coastal Water 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 Coastal Water Authority
What does Coastal Water Authority do?
Coastal Water Authority (CWA) is a Texas governmental agency that operates regional water conveyance and treatment infrastructure to deliver raw, untreated surface water to municipal and industrial customers. It manages the Trinity River Water Conveyance System, Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project, Main Canal, Lynchburg Pump Station, Lake Houston facilities, Red Bluff Water Treatment Plant, and Bayport Water System, providing up to 1.5 billion gallons per day to the cities of Houston, Baytown, and Deer Park, plus approximately 100 industrial and agricultural customers across Harris, Chambers, and Liberty Counties.
Is Coastal Water Authority a public or private company?
Coastal Water Authority is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Coastal Water Authority founded?
Coastal Water Authority was founded in 1967. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Coastal Water Authority based?
Coastal Water Authority is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coastal Water Authority make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Raw Water Supply Contracts are the primary driver. The others are industrial Water Treatment Services.
Who are Coastal Water Authority's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Angelina and Neches River Authority, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, Sabine River Authority of Texas, Upper Trinity Regional Water District, Tarrant Regional Water District and North Texas Municipal Water District. Direct peers are Trinity River Authority of Texas and San Jacinto River Authority. Broad incumbents are Brazos River Authority and Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).
Does Coastal Water Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coastal Water Authority.
What industry is Coastal Water Authority in?
Coastal Water Authority's product category is Water Utility Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAG, Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration, with a secondary code of EUANAJAH, Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater). Its NAICS code is 22131 and its SIC code is 4941.