Providence Water

Name

Providence Water

Legal name

Providence Water Supply Board

Website

https://provwater.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1869

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water Utility

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Potable Water Treatment & Conditioning (Filtration, Disinfection, Corrosion Control) (EUANAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corrosion Control & Stabilization (pH/Alkalinity Adjustment, Phosphate Dosing) (EUANABAG), Treated Water Storage & Pressure Management (Reservoirs, Tanks, Booster Stations) (EUANAAAD), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Municipal water utility
• Drinking water supply
• Water treatment services
• Lead service replacement
• Water quality testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Sales (Retail and Wholesale): Providence Water generates revenue through water consumption charges billed to retail customers (residential, commercial, and industrial) based on volume consumed (measured in HCF - hundred cubic feet). The utility also supplies water on a wholesale basis to seven municipalities. Revenue and rate structure is regulated by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.
2. Service Connection and Installation Fees: Fees charged for new water service installations, meter rightsizing, backflow device installation, and other service applications. Fee schedules include flat rates for service installation sizes ranging from 1 inch to 8 inches, and meter pricing from 5/8 inch to 3 inch sizes.
3. Hydrant Flow Test Fees: Fees charged for hydrant flow tests requested by commercial property owners or developers. Current fee is $574.00 per request.
4. Fire Protection Service Charges: Monthly fire protection service charges applied to City of Providence residents (5/8 inch meter at $4.14 per month), and various district debt service and annexation fees applied per HCF.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Providence Water provides drinking water supply, treatment, and distribution services from the Scituate Reservoir through the Philip J. Holton Water Purification Plant to approximately 600,000 Rhode Islanders across more than a dozen communities. The utility serves over 75,000 direct retail customers and seven wholesale municipal customers, supported by water quality laboratory testing, accelerated lead service line replacement programs, and 100% renewable energy operations.

Product overview

Providence Water is Rhode Island's largest water utility operating as a single, unified water supply and distribution service. The company's core offering is drinking water production and delivery through the Philip J. Holton Water Purification Works, serving approximately 600,000 people across more than a dozen communities. Supporting the core water service are multiple specialized programs including the Lead Service Line Replacement Program (offering both free replacements and 0% interest loans), Water Quality Laboratory Services (RI Department of Health certified), and the Scituate Reservoir Watershed Management system. Additional services include online bill payment via Invoice Cloud, free lead test kits, hydrant flow testing for contractors, service/backflow applications, and environmental programs such as the Pine Hill Solar Array (achieving 100% renewable energy), timber harvesting, wildlife habitat management, and deer management. The utility is organized as a department of the City of Providence, regulated by the EPA, Rhode Island Department of Health, and Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drinking Water Supply and Distribution Providence Water's primary service providing drinking water to approximately 600,000 Rhode Islanders across more than a dozen communities through wholesale distribution, with over 75,000 direct retail customer accounts in Providence, North Providence, Cranston, Johnston, and Smithfield.
• Water Treatment Services Conventional water treatment at the Philip J. Holton Water Purification Works purifying source water from the Scituate Reservoir through aeration, coagulation-flocculation, lime addition, sedimentation, disinfection, filtration, orthophosphate for corrosion control, and fluoridation.
• Water Quality Laboratory Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 90th percentile lead levels reduced to 2 ug/L (2025), well below the 15 ug/L action level, compared to highs of 30 ug/L in 2009-2013
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• EDF Renewables/AEP (EDF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020EDF Renewables/AEP (EDF) was selected through an RFP process (out of more than 20 proposals) to design, construct, and partially fund the Pine Hill Solar Array project at 10 Pine Hill Road in Johnston, RI. Providence Water owns the site property while EDF constructed the array and funded the cost of construction at no cost to Providence Water. Providence Water purchases electrical power from EDF at a contracted fixed rate of $0.0914/kWh for 25 years (with option for additional 10 years). The 17,739-panel, 4.99 MW ground-mounted solar array generates approximately 8,500,000 kWh per year and enables Providence Water to be 100% powered by renewable energy.
• Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1993, Providence Water has partnered with the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD) on the Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education & Outreach Program. The NRICD is a quasi-public, not-for-profit organization focused on protecting drinking water supplies. This program focuses on minimizing both the quality and quantity of pollution entering the Scituate Reservoir, educating tens of thousands of watershed residents, teachers, and students since its inception. The program is funded by Providence Water and administered by NRICD, operating through LandWaterConnection.org.
• Invoice CloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationInvoice Cloud is Providence Water's third-party web-based electronic invoice presentment and payment partner. The platform provides online bill payment, auto-pay, paperless billing, and account management services to Providence Water customers. Invoice Cloud handles payment processing for credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express), debit cards, and electronic checks. Customer service for the payment system is available at (781) 848-3733.
• CDM SmithcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCDM Smith serves as a program management partner for Providence Water's Accelerated Lead Service Line Replacement Program. They manage the leadCAST system for property owner registration and Right of Entry form submissions. The Lead Service Line Hotline (401-575-0776) and email ([email protected]) are operated by CDM Smith to support property owners in signing up for free lead service line replacements.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Water Works Company: American Water is the largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the US, serving over 14 million people across 14 states. It provides a useful comparison point for regulated rate-base economics, capital intensity, and customer scale relative to a municipal operator like Providence Water.
• Essential Utilities: Essential Utilities is a multi-state regulated water and natural gas utility serving ~5 million people across 10 states. Comparable as a scaled water-utility operator with similar regulatory rate-base economics and infrastructure-replacement programs, though diversified geographically beyond Rhode Island.
• New York City Department of Environmental Protection: NYC DEP operates the largest municipal water system in the US, serving over 8 million residents. As a much larger municipal water provider with similar regulatory and infrastructure profile, it serves as a scaled-up comparable for utility operations, watershed management, and capital planning.

Regional players

• Aquarion Water Company: Aquarion is a regulated water utility serving customers in New England (CT, MA, NH) and other states. It is a regional peer in Providence Water's own New England footprint with comparable scale, customer mix, and treatment/distribution profile.

Direct peers

• San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: SFPUC is a municipal water, wastewater, and power utility serving San Francisco and wholesale customers in the Bay Area. It is a directly comparable municipal utility with similar watershed-reservoir supply model, treatment operations, and renewable energy initiatives (e.g., CleanPowerSF).
• Baltimore City Department of Public Works: Baltimore City DPW operates the municipal water and wastewater system for Baltimore. It is a comparable municipal water provider with similar aging-infrastructure profile, lead service line replacement programs, and treatment plant scale relative to Providence Water.
• Boston Water and Sewer Commission: BWSC is a quasi-municipal water and sewer utility serving Boston. It is highly comparable as a New England municipal water provider with retail and wholesale customer bases, aging infrastructure, and treatment plant operations, making it a strong regional peer to Providence Water.
• Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA): MWRA is a regional wholesale water and wastewater authority supplying communities in the greater Boston area. It directly parallels Providence Water's wholesale model, large treatment plant operations, and supply reservoir management role in the New England region.
• DC Water: DC Water is a large municipal water and wastewater utility serving the District of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions. Like Providence Water, it is a regulated municipal utility operating its own treatment, distribution, and customer service for hundreds of thousands of customers, with similar lead service line replacement and watershed management challenges.
• Philadelphia Water Department: Philadelphia Water Department is a municipal water and wastewater utility serving the City of Philadelphia and wholesale customers in the region. It is comparable in scale of customer base, treatment operations, and aging-infrastructure challenges to Providence Water.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Provwater
• Facebookfacebook.com/Providencewater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/providence-water-supply-board

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Providence Water