What St. Vrain Sanitation District does

St. Vrain Sanitation District (SVSD) is a Colorado Special District local-government entity established in 1986 that provides sanitary sewer collection and wastewater treatment services to over 15,000 customer accounts across roughly 50,000-60,000 residents in Weld County, Colorado, including the communities of Dacono, Firestone, Frederick, portions of Mead, eastern Longmont, and surrounding unincorporated areas within the District 208 boundary. SVSD operates a single 40-acre treatment facility rated at 6.0 million gallons per day (MGD) with 11,575 lbs BOD/day loading capacity, currently running at approximately 3.5 MGD average daily flow. The treatment train uses single-pass biological activated sludge processing, ultraviolet (UV) disinfection for effluent, and Autothermic Thermophilic Aerobic Digesters (ATAD) that produce Class A Biosolids compliant with 40 CFR Part 503 for agricultural land application.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams including quarterly residential user fees (flat $36/month), individually determined commercial rates, one-time plant investment/connection fees ranging from $8,500 (residential SFE) to $272,000 (4-inch meter), plan review and inspection fees ($120-$360), annual contractor licensing ($20 renewal), and property tax revenue. Capital and operating expenditures are funded through a combination of user fees, connection charges, property taxes, and a 2023-completed $37 million capital improvement project that modernized plant operations. The district has 11-50 employees organized across four departments: Administration/Finance, Treatment Plant Operations, Engineering/Collections, and Pretreatment, with a Pretreatment program addressing FOG/SOG interceptors for restaurants, dental amalgam separators for dental offices (40 CFR 441 compliance), and industrial wastewater permitting.

SVSD is governed by an elected five-member Board of Directors and operates without subsidiaries, parent entities, or external equity funding; it is the sole authorized wastewater treatment provider in its service territory under an NPDES permit. Current strategic priorities include expanding plant capacity to 8.0 MGD by end of 2027 to accommodate regional growth, and a multi-year legal conflict with the Town of Firestone over eminent domain claims was resolved in SVSD's favor by the Colorado Supreme Court in May 2025.

Name

St. Vrain Sanitation District

Legal name

St. Vrain Sanitation District

Website

https://stvrainsdco.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Vrain Sanitation District is a Colorado Special District, established in 1986, that provides wastewater collection and treatment services to over 15,000 customer accounts and approximately 50,000-60,000 residents across Dacono, Firestone, Frederick, Mead, and eastern Longmont in Weld County, Colorado.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Septage Receiving, Treatment & Disposal (BPALAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Wastewater & Effluent Treatment Services (BPALAHAD)

Keywords

• Wastewater treatment services
• Municipal sanitation district
• Sewer collection systems
• Biosolids recycling programs
• Industrial pretreatment compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Firestone

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Quarterly User Fees: Residential customers charged flat rate of $36.00 per month ($108.00 quarterly). Commercial rates determined individually based on usage and meter size.
2. Plant Investment Fees: One-time connection fees for new service. Residential single family equivalent (SFE) at $8,500. Non-residential fees based on water meter size ranging from $12,750 (5/8 and 3/4 inch) up to $272,000 (4 inch).
3. Plan Review and Inspection Fees: Non-residential/residential building plan review at $120. Non-residential/residential subdivision plan review at $360. Main line inspection fees also applicable.
4. Property Tax Revenue: Budget includes property tax revenue as part of financial plan alongside user fees and connection charges for funding operations, maintenance, and capital improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

St. Vrain Sanitation District operates as a Colorado Special District providing municipal wastewater collection and treatment services to over 15,000 customer accounts across approximately 50,000-60,000 residents and businesses in Weld County, Colorado. Core delivery is anchored by a single 6.0 MGD treatment facility (expanding to 8.0 MGD) that uses a single-pass biological activated sludge process with UV disinfection, plus ATAD biosolids processing that produces Class A Biosolids. Supporting services include FOG/SOG interceptor compliance, dental and industrial pretreatment programs, contractor licensing, plan review and inspection, and a WebShare online billing portal for quarterly user fees.

Product overview

St. Vrain Sanitation District provides comprehensive wastewater collection and treatment services as a Colorado special district serving approximately 50,000-60,000 residents across communities including Dacono, Firestone, Frederick, portions of Mead, and eastern Longmont. The district operates a single treatment facility using a biological activated sludge process rated at 6.0 MGD. The core offering includes wastewater treatment services supported by four main departments: Treatment Plant Operations, Engineering and Collections, Pretreatment Program, and Administration and Finance. Additional services include biosolids management producing Class A Biosolids, FOG interceptor programs, contractor licensing, will-serve letter processing, and the WebShare online payment portal. The district also sells RootX treatment products directly to homeowners. The district completed a $37 million capital improvement project in 2023 and is expanding capacity to 8 million gallons per day by end of 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wastewater Treatment Services Core sanitary sewer service that collects and treats wastewater from residential and commercial customers across the District 208 boundary in Weld County, Colorado.
• Treatment Plant Operations Operation and maintenance of the District's wastewater treatment facility rated at 6.0 MGD and 11,575 lbs BOD per day using a single-pass biological activated sludge process, with an 8.0 MGD expansion underway for end of 2027.
• Pretreatment Program Program supporting industrial and non-residential customers with proper treatment of wastes at point of generation, including FOG interceptor requirements and dental office 40 CFR 441 compliance.
• Engineering and Collections Services Engineering and collection system services covering new infrastructure construction, mainline extensions, plan review, inspection, maintenance, and repair of pipes, manholes, and easements for wastewater conveyance.
• Biosolids Management Processing and recycling of nutrient-rich organic byproduct from wastewater treatment into Class A Biosolids for land application as soil amendment.
• FOG and SOG Interceptor Program Interceptor program designed to separate hard-to-treat oils and excess solids from collection systems to prevent sewer backups and line breaks.
• Dental Office Compliance Program Pretreatment program ensuring dental facilities comply with 40 CFR 441 amalgam separator requirements and one-time compliance reporting.
• Will Serve Letter Processing Service confirming that a project is within SVSD's District 208 boundaries and that the District will provide sanitary sewer service to the site upon completion of conditions.
• Contractor Licensing Licensing program for contractors performing work on District-owned sewer mains, manholes, or private sewer service lines connecting to the District's system.
• WebShare Online Billing and Payment Online payment system allowing customers to register accounts, view billing statements, and set up automatic payments for quarterly sewer bills.
• RootX Root Control Product Sales RootX product sold to homeowners to treat tree root intrusion in sewer service lines, effective for up to 12 months per application.
• Prescription Drug Disposal Program Program directing residents to local police stations for safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs).

Quantifiable outcome

• Processes 3.5 million gallons per day average flow
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Colorado 811 (iDig 811)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Colorado 811's iDig 811 platform for utility locating. User-friendly system for homeowners and professional excavators to submit single address locate requests online 24/7. District participates in the 811 system to prevent damage to underground utilities.
• Licensed Contractors (40+ businesses)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 40+ licensed contractors registered to perform work on District-owned sewer mains, manholes, and private service lines connecting to the sanitary sewer system. Contractors must maintain active District license with $1,000,000 liability insurance naming District as additional insured.
• Colorado Division of Local GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState oversight and regulatory body for Colorado special districts. Provides technical assistance, acts as liaison with state agencies, performs research on local government issues. District files required transparency and financial documents with DOLG.
• Local Municipalities (Firestone, Dacono, Frederick, Mead, Longmont)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntergovernmental coordination for regional wastewater service. Current litigation with Town of Firestone over eminent domain for water project on treatment plant property. Colorado Supreme Court ruled in District's favor (May 2025). District serves areas within these municipalities' boundaries.
• Local Police Departments (Dacono, Firestone, Frederick)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrescription drug disposal program partnership. Residents can dispose of unwanted PPCPs (pharmaceuticals and personal care products) at local police stations during regular business hours.
• Local Farmers and Agricultural OperationsminorOthersClass A Biosolids produced by treatment plant are provided to local farmers for use as soil amendment. Biosolids meet 40 CFR Part 503 regulations. Reduces need for chemical fertilizers and recharges organic matter in soil.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Metro Wastewater Reclamation District: Colorado special district providing wastewater collection and treatment to a large metro Denver service area. Operates an advanced treatment plant under similar NPDES regulatory framework with customer-base-funded capital program. Directly comparable Colorado utility peer.
• Clean Water Services: Oregon water resources recovery utility providing wastewater collection, treatment, and reuse across Washington County. Comparable small-to-mid utility with biosolids-to-energy program, rate-base-funded capital expansion, and industrial pretreatment — closest out-of-state functional peer.
• Aurora Water: Municipal water and wastewater utility serving Aurora, CO on the Front Range. Operates a comparable wastewater treatment plant with industrial pretreatment program, biosolids handling, and rate-base-funded capital expansion — direct Colorado regional peer.
• Trinity River Authority of Texas: Texas river authority operating regional wastewater treatment plants and collection infrastructure. Comparable structure as a special-purpose government entity operating activated-sludge treatment facilities with biosolids reuse and NPDES compliance.
• City of Boulder Water and Wastewater: Municipal wastewater treatment operation serving Boulder, CO within the same Front Range regulatory and demographic context. Comparable plant processes, biosolids reuse, and ratepayer-funded capital expansion model.
• City of Longmont Public Works (Wastewater): Municipal wastewater utility serving Longmont, CO — partially overlapping the eastern Longmont area served by SVSD. Direct geographic neighbor with similar technology profile, NPDES compliance, and rate-based funding structure.
• South Platte Water Renewal Partners: Joint powers authority operating the Littleton/Englehead wastewater treatment facility serving two Colorado municipalities. Directly comparable as a Colorado-area wastewater treatment utility district with similar biosolids handling and pretreatment program structure.

Broad incumbents

• Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District: Broader Northern Colorado regional water authority spanning water supply, treatment, and transmission across multiple counties. Compares as a regional incumbent in the same Colorado water and wastewater landscape but at materially larger geographic and infrastructure scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 St. Vrain Sanitation District