Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District

What Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District does

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD) is a California Special District organized under the Municipal Water Districts Principle Enabling Act (Water Code §71000 et seq.) that provides retail drinking water to roughly 88,000-94,000 customers across Humboldt County, with operating assets extending into southern Trinity County. Its water supply is derived from two primary sources: Ranney Wells that draw from the Mad River aquifer at depths of 60 to 90 feet (exploiting natural filtration through sands and gravel), and Ruth Lake, a 48,030 acre-foot reservoir formed by R.W. Matthews Dam in Trinity County whose water travels 75 miles via a regional transmission system to the district's facilities in Arcata. Treatment and quality assurance are handled at the Barbara and Lloyd L. Hecathorn Turbidity Reduction Facility in compliance with USEPA and California Department of Health Services standards, with additional resilience provided by two parallel transmission pipelines constructed in 1966 across the Mad River Slough.

The district operates as a regulated natural-monopoly utility. Revenue is generated almost entirely through water rates and fees set through local regulatory processes; the district does not publicly disclose detailed financial figures, although financial audit reports for fiscal years 2012-2016 are posted. It sells water on a wholesale basis to roughly a dozen Community Service Districts (e.g., McKinleyville, Fieldbrook, Manila, Humboldt, Loleta, Palmer Creek, Patrick Creek), municipal governments (Arcata, Eureka, Blue Lake, Fortuna), and County Water Districts (Jacoby Creek, Hydesville), as well as directly to residences and businesses on the Samoa Peninsula. It is governed by a five-member elected Board of Directors serving four-year terms.

Beyond water delivery, HBMWD runs an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program (CDFW-approved and updated for 2025) to protect Ruth Lake from Quagga, Zebra, and Golden Mussels through watercraft quarantine, inspections, and inspection-facility grants administered jointly with Ruth Lake Community Services District and funded by California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. The district employs approximately 18 staff and maintains a 50+ year-old infrastructure system, with current strategic planning articulated through an FY27-FY30 Strategic Plan and active recruitment for an Assistant Maintenance and Electrical Supervisor role.

Name

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District

Legal name

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District

Website

https://hbmwd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District is a California Special District that supplies drinking water to roughly 88,000-94,000 customers in Humboldt County via Ranney Wells on the Mad River and a 75-mile transmission system from Ruth Lake, delivering through municipal and community service district customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

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), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB)

Keywords

• Municipal water services
• Drinking water supply
• Water utility infrastructure
• Water treatment services
• Aquatic invasive species prevention

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District is a California Special District that sources, treats, and delivers drinking water to over 88,000-94,000 customers in Humboldt County. Drinking water is drawn from Ranney Wells in the Mad River aquifer (60-90 feet depth) and from Ruth Lake reservoir, treated at the Barbara and Lloyd L. Hecathorn Turbidity Reduction Facility, and distributed through a regional pipeline transmission system to cities, Community Service Districts, and the Samoa Peninsula. The District also operates an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program to protect Ruth Lake from Quagga, Zebra, and Golden Mussels.

Product overview

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District operates as a single unified municipal water utility providing drinking water services. The district's core offerings include retail water distribution to over 94,000 customers, sourced primarily from Ruth Lake and supplemented by Ranney Wells groundwater collection from the Mad River aquifer. Water is treated at the Barbara and Lloyd L. Hecathorn Turbidity Reduction Facility and distributed through transmission infrastructure including the Mad River Slough Crossing pipelines. The district also operates an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program to protect Ruth Lake from invasive mussels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail Water Services Municipal water distribution and retail water service supplying over 88,000 to 94,000 customers in the Humboldt Bay area, including cities and community service districts.
• Ruth Lake Water Supply Primary source of drinking water for over 94,000 customers, with 26-mile shoreline, 6-mile length, 48,030 acre-feet capacity, and water traveling 75 miles to Arcata treatment facilities.
• Ranney Wells Groundwater Collection Wells drawing water from the Mad River aquifer at depths of 60 to 90 feet through sands and gravel, providing naturally filtered source water for the District.
• Barbara and Lloyd L. Hecathorn Turbidity Reduction Facility (Water Treatment) Water treatment facility ensuring tap water meets USEPA and California Department of Health Services standards for safe drinking water before distribution to customers.
• Mad River Slough Crossing Transmission Infrastructure Two essential water pipelines constructed in 1966, part of the regional water transmission system supplying public health and fire-fighting water to Samoa Peninsula and the Humboldt Community.
• Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program at Ruth Lake Prevention program protecting Ruth Lake from invasive species such as Quagga Mussels, Zebra Mussels, and Golden Mussels through watercraft inspection, quarantine requirements, and a CDFW-approved prevention plan.

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ruth Lake Community Services District (RLCSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint management of Ruth Lake watercraft quarantine program to prevent invasive species. Conduct joint board meetings (e.g., September 22, 2023 joint board meeting). Shared responsibility for recreational facilities and prevention plans for Quagga and Zebra Mussels at Ruth Lake.
• California State Parks, Division of Boating and WaterwayscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides grant funding for Quagga and Zebra Mussel prevention at Ruth Lake. Multiple grants received for projects to help reinforce the District's Prevention Plan. Funding for boat launching facilities and inspection/registration requirements implementation.
• U.S. Forest ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates several campgrounds around Ruth Lake. Partner in water sales policy - agencies include U.S. Forest Service for water use permits outside buffer strip for road construction, maintenance and dust control.
• Trinity CountyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgency partner for water sales outside buffer strip for construction, maintenance and dust control purposes under the Policy for Water Sales Outside the Buffer Strip.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• East Bay Municipal Utility District: Larger California municipal water utility serving 1.4 million customers in the East Bay area. Comparable as a Special District under California Water Code with similar retail water distribution mandate, hydroelectric operations, and watershed management responsibilities.
• Santa Clara Valley Water District: Larger California Special District managing water resources for 2 million residents in Santa Clara County. Comparable as a wholesale and retail water provider with reservoir operations, groundwater management, and flood protection mandate under California Water Code.
• California Water Service Company: Investor-owned public utility serving over 2 million customers across California. Comparable as a regulated water utility with similar retail water service operations, though privately held and regulated by CPUC rather than operating as a special district.
• San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: Large municipal water utility serving San Francisco and surrounding communities. Comparable as a public agency providing retail water, with reservoir and watershed assets in similar Northern California geography and similar statutory authority to generate hydroelectric power.

Direct peers

• Sonoma Water: California Special District providing wholesale water to over 600,000 customers in Sonoma and Marin counties. Comparable as a regional water transmission system operator with reservoir operations, similar statutory authority, and Northern California geography.
• Contra Costa Water District: California Special District providing water service to approximately 500,000 customers in Contra Costa County. Comparable structure with raw and treated water delivery, similar regulatory framework under California Water Code, and infrastructure including reservoirs and treatment facilities.
• Alameda County Water District: California Special District serving approximately 357,000 customers in Alameda County. Comparable as a public water agency with groundwater and surface water supply portfolio, treatment facilities, and similar governance structure under California Water Code.
• Zone 7 Water Agency: California Special District providing treated water to retailers serving approximately 240,000 customers in eastern Alameda County. Comparable scale and structure with similar wholesale water treatment operations, groundwater management, and California Water Code governance.
• Marin Municipal Water District: California Special District providing water service to approximately 190,000 customers in Marin County. Closely comparable as a similarly-sized municipal water district with reservoir-based water supply, watershed protection, and recreational facilities at its water storage sites.
• Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District: California Special District providing water, wastewater, and recycled water services in Riverside County. Comparable as a small-to-mid-sized municipal water district with similar enabling act governance, treatment facilities, and retail water distribution focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humboldt-bay-municipal-water-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District