California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA)

Name

California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA)

Legal name

California Urban Water Agencies

Website

https://cuwa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Policy Coordination

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Onsite/Decentralized Reuse Utilities (District/Building‑Scale Reuse as a Service) (EUANAGAH), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ)

Keywords

• Water utility policy
• Drinking water quality
• Water supply reliability
• Workforce development programs
• Water resource collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Walnut Creek

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues / consortium contributions: CUWA operates as a non-profit consortium of 11 major California urban water agencies. Revenue appears to derive from membership dues or contributions from member agencies, which are publicly accountable water utilities serving two-thirds of California's population.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA) is a non-advocacy consortium of 11 major California urban water agencies, established in 1990, that collectively serve drinking water to two-thirds of the state's population. The organization develops and disseminates policy principles, issue briefs, white papers, workforce resources, and technical assistance programs addressing water quality, supply reliability, water reuse, climate resilience, affordability, and DEI. It serves as a State-recognized Technical Assistance Provider under the SAFER Program and publishes a comprehensive library of free publications for the water industry.

Product overview

California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA) operates as a non-advocacy organization providing publications, policy principles, toolkits, and technical resources rather than a traditional product-based offering. The portfolio includes career development resources (Career Ladders), DEI toolkit, wildfire mitigation checklists, water quality and supply policy principles, potable reuse training frameworks, and research reports sponsored through the Water Research Foundation. These resources serve member agencies and the broader California water community, focusing on water supply reliability, affordability, accessibility, water quality protection, and workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career Ladders Career development resources for water industry professionals covering career paths for Operators, Engineers, Scientists, Analysts, and Planners.
• CUWA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Toolkit Best practices and lessons learned to help benefit and improve CUWA agencies and the entire water community in DEI efforts, including Executive Management Commitment, Data Assessment, and Action Plan components.
• Wildfire Incident Checklists Updated resources on wildfire mitigation and response for water agencies, including checklists and guidance on wildfire impacts on drinking water quality.
• Solutions for Underperforming Drinking Water Systems in California Research report addressing underperforming drinking water systems in California, co-sponsored with the Water Research Foundation and prepared jointly with the Pacific Institute.
• Potable Reuse Operator Training and Certification Framework White paper and fact sheet establishing a framework for training and certifying operators in potable water reuse systems.
• Water Quality Policy Principles Policy principles addressing water quality standards and constituents of emerging concern to ensure safe drinking water.
• Water Supply Strategy Resources Resources advancing California's water supply strategy, including issue briefs and presentations on supply reliability, conservation savings, and drought resilience.
• A Reliable Workforce for Reliable Water Infrastructure Issue brief on workforce reliability for water infrastructure, with supplemental slides addressing the water industry's workforce challenges.
• From Challenge to Opportunity: Modern Funding and Delivery Models for Small Water Utilities Technical assistance presentation developed in collaboration with Ardurra discussing modern funding and delivery models for small water utilities, presented at the AWWA ACE conference.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1 million people in California lack access to clean, safe drinking water; CUWA, as a SAFER Program Technical Assistance Provider, works with small disadvantaged communities to address this.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ArdurraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026CUWA collaborated with Ardurra to develop a presentation on modern funding and delivery models for small water utilities, presented at the June 2026 AWWA ACE conference. This was part of CUWA's Technical Assistance Provider work under the SAFER Program.
• CA-NV Section of the American Water Works Association (CA-NV AWWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2025CUWA co-hosted the Water 101: Water Systems & Wildfires Webinar alongside CA-NV AWWA, California Association of Mutual Water Companies (CalMutuals), and California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA). This collaboration provides educational content about California's water systems to industry participants.
• California Association of Mutual Water Companies (CalMutuals)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2025CUWA co-hosted the Water 101: Water Systems & Wildfires Webinar alongside CA-NV AWWA, CalMutuals, and CMUA as an informational overview of water in California, including who provides water, how it's delivered, and the challenges ahead.
• California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2025CUWA co-hosted the Water 101: Water Systems & Wildfires Webinar alongside CA-NV AWWA, CalMutuals, and CMUA. Additionally, CUWA and CMUA have jointly published Water-Energy Policy Principles, Reliable Water Financing Policy Principles, and a Cap and Trade Investment Plan.
• Various California water utilities and agencies (referenced via publications)coreOthers · 1 February 2021CUWA's DEI Toolkit references examples and resources from member agencies including East Bay Municipal Utility District, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Contra Costa Water District. These agencies contributed case studies and practices to CUWA's DEI toolkit.
• Water Research Foundation (WRF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2020CUWA co-sponsored the Solutions for Underperforming Drinking Water Systems in California report, prepared jointly with the Pacific Institute and published by WRF (Project #5015). WRF published and distributes the report.
• Pacific InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2020CUWA co-sponsored and co-prepared the Solutions for Underperforming Drinking Water Systems in California report alongside the Pacific Institute, published by the Water Research Foundation.
• California State SAFER Program (State Water Resources Control Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCUWA serves as a Technical Assistance Provider under the State's SAFER (Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience) Program. In this role, CUWA works with small, disadvantaged communities to develop and implement sustainable solutions for drinking water challenges. This is a formal state-recognized role for which CUWA has also issued RFQs to engage small and local firms.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Water Environment Federation (WEF): International not-for-profit technical and educational organization for water quality professionals, with strong overlap on wastewater and reuse topics. WEF is a comparable non-advocacy technical body serving the water sector.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): The leading national scientific and educational association for the water community, covering drinking water treatment, distribution, and reuse. CUWA's CA-NV Section is a key partner, and AWWA sets the standards framework CUWA helps California utilities navigate.
• US Water Alliance: National nonprofit advancing integrated and inclusive water management through policy, research, and convening. US Water Alliance is comparable to CUWA as a water-focused non-advocacy/nonprofit coordinator, but operates nationally with a broader mission.

Others

• Pacific Institute: Independent global water research nonprofit based in Oakland, California, working on freshwater resources, climate, and conflict. Pacific Institute is a research co-author with CUWA on California drinking water system reports.
• Water Research Foundation (WRF): Nonprofit research organization funding practical, applied drinking water and wastewater research globally. WRF is a publishing and research partner of CUWA (co-sponsor of the Underperforming Drinking Water Systems report) rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• WaterReuse Association: Nation's only nonprofit solely dedicated to water reuse, advancing recycled water policy, research, and operator training. WaterReuse is a comparable specialist consortium on a topic (potable reuse) where CUWA has published frameworks, but operates nationally and is reuse-focused.

Direct peers

• California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA): California statewide association representing municipal utilities, including many of the same water and electric utilities that comprise CUWA. CMUA is the closest organizational peer, and the two co-publish policy principles and co-host industry education events.
• National Association of Water Companies (NAWC): National trade association for regulated water utilities, focused on investor-owned and small water companies. NAWC is comparable as a utility consortium pursuing policy and regulatory objectives on behalf of member water providers.
• California Association of Mutual Water Companies (CalMutuals): California trade association for mutual water companies, providing regulatory compliance, legislative advocacy, and operator training. CalMutuals is a co-host of CUWA's Water 101 webinar series and shares CUWA's California water-utility focus.
• Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA): California's largest statewide association of public water agencies, advocating on water policy and providing member training and resources. ACWA is the principal statewide peer for representing California water utilities in legislative and regulatory engagement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-urban-water-agencies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA)