What Water Resource Authority does

The Water Resources Authority (WRA) is a statutory body of the Government of Jamaica, established under the Water Resources Act of 1995 and operating under the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change. It is the sole national authority responsible for managing, protecting, and controlling the allocation and use of Jamaica's surface and groundwater resources, serving government agencies (including the National Water Commission and ODPEM), industrial water users, agricultural operators, well owners, and well drillers. The WRA is headquartered at Hope Gardens, Kingston 7, with a staff of approximately 45 employees.

The WRA's core operational offering is built on a hydrological monitoring and licensing platform. It operates 133 river gauging stations (100 automatic, 33 manual) and monitors groundwater levels at 320 well sites, maintaining Jamaica's primary hydrological database with streamflow records dating to 1954. Its technology stack includes GIS-based mapping (ArcGIS), a public Water Information System web portal, tele-logging (down-the-hole video) equipment for well diagnostics, and the Caribbean's only early flood warning system (Rio Cobre). Supporting offerings include flood plain mapping, dye tracing for aquifer analysis, Environmental Impact Assessment review, and public education.

The WRA's revenue model combines statutory licensing fees (one-time abstraction license fees of JMD $15K application / JMD $30K license for 5-year terms; well consent JMD $15K application / JMD $30K for 1-year terms; well-driller's license JMD $40K for 2-year terms) with annual volume-based fees (JMD $0.092-$0.1725 per cubic meter depending on use category) and government subvention. Distribution is direct through the Kingston headquarters office, downloadable online forms, and the public Water Information System. Customer segments are government agencies (primary), private industrial users, agricultural users, and well owners/drillers, with a horizontal segmentation approach across all water-consuming sectors in Jamaica.

Name

Water Resource Authority

Legal name

Water Resources Authority

Website

https://wra.gov.jm

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Water Resources Authority is Jamaica's sole statutory body for managing, protecting, and allocating the nation's surface and groundwater resources, serving government agencies, industrial users, agricultural operators, and well drillers through licensing, monitoring, and flood warning services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Regulation

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (926130)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory Compliance Monitoring & Reporting (SDWA/CWA/NPDES, permits, audits) (EUANAJAA), Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG)

Keywords

• Water resource management
• Hydrological monitoring
• Water abstraction licensing
• Flood early warning systems
• Groundwater assessment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

Jamaica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Water Abstraction Licensing: The WRA generates revenue through licensing fees for surface and underground water abstractions. Licenses are valid for five years and must be renewed. The authority also processes well license applications and maintains a register of permits and licenses.
2. Volume-Based Fees (VBF): Annual fees calculated based on the specified use for which a license was granted. Domestic/Public Supply: JMD $0.1150 per cubic meter; Industrial: JMD $0.1725 per cubic meter; Agriculture: JMD $0.1725 per cubic meter; Non-Consumptive (hydropower, aquaculture): JMD $0.0920 per cubic meter. Base rate is JMD $4.545 per cubic meter per annum.
3. Application and Permit Fees: Fees charged for processing applications: Application for licence to abstract water costs JMD $15,000; Licence to abstract water (renewable every 5 years) costs JMD $30,000; Application for consent to well drilling costs JMD $15,000; Consent to sink/alter well (valid 1 year) costs JMD $30,000; Well-driller's licence (renewable every 2 years) costs JMD $40,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Water Resource Authority (WRA) is a statutory body of the Government of Jamaica that regulates, manages, and protects Jamaica's water resources. It provides water abstraction licensing, well drilling consents, hydrological monitoring (streamflow and groundwater), water quality assessments, flood monitoring and early warning services, and maintains a national hydrological database accessible via a GIS-based Water Information System.

Product overview

The Water Resources Authority (WRA) is a statutory body of the Government of Jamaica responsible for managing, protecting, and controlling the allocation and use of Jamaica's water resources. WRA operates as a regulatory and service agency rather than a commercial technology company. Its core offerings include water resources allocation (licensing services), water resources assessment (standards development and EIA review), hydrological monitoring (streamflow and groundwater level monitoring), and flood monitoring and assessment. Supporting services include GIS mapping, the Water Information System platform, tele-logging equipment diagnostics, well license application processing, and technical assistance to government and non-government institutions. The organization maintains a hydrological database and provides public access to water resource data through web-based systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Monitors streamflow at 133 river gauging stations across Jamaica
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and historical.

• Meteorological Service of JamaicacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2019The WRA and Meteorological Service of Jamaica signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on data sharing for emergency responses and preparation. The partnership enables refinement of floodplain maps across the island, conducts feasibility studies for flood early warning systems, and boosts preparation of flood inundation reports. The collaboration aims to help Jamaica implement adaptation strategies to minimize climate change effects.
• Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRA collaborates with ODPEM in the declaration of Floodwater Control areas, approval of structures to mitigate flood impacts, coordination of Floodwater Control Master Plan, and identification of potential sites for early warning systems.
• National Environmental and Planning Agency (NEPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRA reviews flood impact assessments submitted by NEPA and other agencies as part of the environmental assessment process.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)historicalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership (1965-1973) through the UNDP/FAO project which established the Water Resources Division. This partnership laid the foundation for modern water resource management in Jamaica.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Water Commission (Jamaica): Jamaica's state-owned water utility, which is also a WRA customer and licensee. Comparable in being a state entity operating in Jamaica's water sector, and a relevant peer for the regulatory/utility interplay WRA manages.
• Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre: Regional hub providing climate data, adaptation projects, and technical assistance across Caribbean states. Comparable to WRA in delivering climate/hydrological data services to governments and in convening regional climate adaptation activity, including the kinds of partnerships WRA has with CDB.
• International Water Resources Association (IWRA): Global, non-governmental organization that convenes freshwater management expertise and events. WRA is co-hosting the 2nd Islands Water Congress with IWRA in 2027, making IWRA a direct peer in convening capacity and the closest match for WRA's regional knowledge-broker role.

Broad incumbents

• Environment Agency (UK): Statutory body overseeing water resources, flood management, and environmental regulation in England. Comparable to WRA in that it combines hydrological monitoring, licensing of water abstraction, flood warning, and environmental protection — but at vastly greater scale and with a much broader regulatory remit.
• US Bureau of Reclamation: US federal agency that manages water resources, including water delivery, infrastructure, and resource planning in the western United States. Comparable to WRA in its role as a national-scale water resource manager, though its mandate is more delivery-oriented and less regulatory.
• USGS Water Resources Mission Area: US federal program that maintains the nation's hydrological monitoring network, publishes streamflow/groundwater data, and supports water resource planning. Functionally analogous to WRA's hydrological monitoring and data publication role, though without licensing/regulatory authority.
• Singapore Public Utilities Board (PUB): Singapore's national water agency that, like WRA, holds a statutory monopoly over water resource management, licensing, monitoring, and flood/drought planning. PUB operates at a much larger scale and covers the full drinking water and wastewater value chain, but the regulatory structure and mandate closely mirror WRA's role in Jamaica.

Regional players

• Barbados Water Authority: National water authority in Barbados combining water resource management with utility operations. Comparable to WRA in its Caribbean-island context and integration of resource management and supply oversight, though it also operates as a utility.
• South Florida Water Management District: Regional water authority managing water supply, flood control, and ecosystem restoration in South Florida. Closely comparable to WRA in combining hydrological monitoring, flood warning/management, and water allocation/licensing functions for a defined geographic jurisdiction.

Direct peers

• Trinidad and Tobago Water Resources Management Agency (WRMA): Statutory Caribbean agency responsible for managing, allocating, and regulating water resources in Trinidad and Tobago. The most directly comparable peer to WRA in terms of mandate, regional context, regulatory role, and operational scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water-resource-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Water Resource Authority