Mission Springs Water District

What Mission Springs Water District does

Mission Springs Water District (MSWD) is a California county water district established in 1953 under Water Code §34000 et seq. and headquartered in Desert Hot Springs, California. It provides, protects, and preserves water resources for over 40,000 people across approximately 135 square miles, operating as the exclusive franchised water and wastewater utility within its service area. Core infrastructure comprises 13 groundwater wells, 24 reservoirs, and more than 1.25 million feet of pipelines, with wastewater treatment delivered through the Alan L. Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant (2 MGD capacity, built 1972 and expanded four times) and the Nancy Wright Regional Water Reclamation Facility (1.5 MGD Sequence Batch Reactor, operational Fall 2024), giving combined treatment capacity of roughly 3.5 MGD. The district also operates the Groundwater Guardian education program, a WaterSmart-powered Customer Connect portal for customer self-service, and conservation rebates, and is deploying approximately 4,364 kW of distributed solar across three facilities in partnership with Trident Mission Springs LLC.

MSWD's business model is that of a regulated public utility: recurring monthly water and wastewater service fees based on usage tiers and meter size, supplemented by property-assessed sewer infrastructure charges under multi-decade assessment districts (AD-1 through AD-15). Capital programs are substantially funded by State grants, including a $68 million award that primarily financed the Regional Water Reclamation Facility and Regional Conveyance Line, plus Proposition 1 funding for the M2 Septic to Sewer Project. The customer base is split between residential ratepayers and commercial users (including spa resorts that leverage the local hot mineral water economy), with no single enterprise anchor. Operational technology centers on groundwater extraction, distribution, and treatment assets; SGMA-driven groundwater management is a growing compliance focus across the Mission Creek and San Gorgonio Pass Subbasins.

The district has earned 11 medals at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition (including 2020 Best Tasting Municipal Water in the World), SDLF Platinum District of Distinction recognition, and consecutive GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards, signaling strong governance and financial reporting discipline. Recent strategic priorities include completing the M2 Septic to Sewer Project (~695 properties, construction beginning August 2026), advancing regional water management planning, and reducing operating costs through the solar buildout.

Name

Mission Springs Water District

Legal name

Mission Springs Water District

Website

https://mswd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Dewatering, Groundwater Control & Construction Hydrogeology (EUAHAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stormwater Collection & Conveyance (Inlets, Catch Basins, Pipes, Channels) (EUANAEAA), Mine Hydrogeology & Pit Dewatering (Seepage, Water Balance) (EUAHAFAI)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Groundwater management
• Water distribution
• Conservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Desert Hot Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Service Fees: Monthly water service charges based on usage tiers and meter size, covering domestic water production and distribution costs.
2. Wastewater/Sewer Service Fees: Monthly sewer service charges for wastewater collection and treatment services.
3. Assessment District Charges: Property-assessed fees for sewer infrastructure improvements, including 20-year payment schedules for property owners benefiting from septic-to-sewer conversions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mission Springs Water District provides water distribution and wastewater collection/treatment services to over 40,000 residential and commercial customers across 135 square miles in Desert Hot Springs, California. Core services include groundwater extraction from 13 wells, distribution through 1.25 million+ feet of pipelines, and wastewater treatment at two facilities (Alan L. Horton WWTP and Nancy Wright Regional Water Reclamation Facility) with combined capacity exceeding 3.5 million gallons per day. The district also operates customer billing, conservation programs, and developer/contractor services.

Product overview

Mission Springs Water District operates as a county water district providing water distribution, wastewater collection/treatment, and conservation services to over 40,000 residents across 135 square miles in Desert Hot Springs and surrounding areas. The District's core offerings include groundwater extraction/production from 13 wells and distribution via over 1.25 million feet of pipelines (Water Distribution & Production Service), and sewer collection with treatment at the Alan L. Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant (2 MGD) and the Nancy Wright Regional Water Reclamation Facility (1.5 MGD SBR). The Customer Connect Portal (built on WaterSmart) provides online bill payment, leak alerts, and usage tracking. Conservation Programs offer rebates for water-efficient devices and free conservation kits. The Groundwater Guardian Program promotes stewardship through education. Groundwater Protection efforts include septic-to-sewer conversions and the M2 Septic to Sewer Project. The Renewable Energy Solar Project (4.364 kW DC) across three facilities reduces operational costs. The District also provides water quality reporting, developer guidelines, and community outreach services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Distribution & Production Service Groundwater extraction, treatment, and distribution to residential, commercial, and institutional customers across Desert Hot Springs, California. Operates 13 water wells and 24 reservoirs serving over 40,000 people across 135 square miles.
• Wastewater Collection & Treatment Service Sewer collection system and wastewater treatment operations for residential and commercial customers. Includes the Alan L. Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant (2 MGD capacity) and the Nancy Wright Regional Water Reclamation Facility (1.5 MGD Sequence Batch Reactor).
• Customer Connect Portal Online customer self-service portal providing bill payment, automatic payment management, leak alerts, water waste identification, and historical water usage data comparison. Built on the WaterSmart platform.
• Conservation Programs Water conservation incentives including rebates for toilets, clothes washers, turf replacement, and smart irrigation controllers, plus free conservation kits, desert landscaping resources, and the LivingWise classroom education program for residential and commercial customers.
• Renewable Energy Solar Project Approximately 4.364 kW DC solar installation across three MSWD facilities, developed in partnership with Trident Mission Springs LLC to reduce operational energy costs at the wastewater treatment plants and reservoir.
• Water and Sewer System Maps (Interactive Map Viewer) Interactive GIS-powered map viewer and water/sewer system maps for customers, developers, and contractors to view infrastructure, service areas, and division boundaries.
• M2 Septic to Sewer Project Infrastructure project to connect approximately 695 properties to the MSWD sewer system, replacing aging septic systems to protect groundwater resources. Sold to property owners through property-assessed fees over 20-year payment schedules.
• Water Quality Reporting Annual Consumer Confidence Report and ongoing water quality reporting including source water analysis, Chromium 6 monitoring, PFAS regulations, lead and copper testing, and water pressure information for customers and regulators.
• Developer/Contractor Guidelines & Handbook Guidelines, standards, and application processes for developers and contractors regarding water and sewer service installation, construction inspection, fire flow testing, and landscape inspection for new development projects.
• Community Outreach & Tours Public speaker requests, facility tours, classroom education programs, community event participation, and bottled water donation program for non-profits to support community awareness of water resources and district operations.
• Nancy Wright Regional Water Reclamation Facility New 1.5 MGD wastewater treatment facility using Sequence Batch Reactor technology, expanding treatment capacity for residential and commercial sewer customers in Desert Hot Springs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 40,000 people
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Coachella Valley Regional Water Management Group (CVRWMG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Collaborative water management group formed in 2008 including five water purveyors and one wastewater agency to develop and implement an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for the Coachella Valley. Members include Mission Springs Water District, Coachella Valley Water District, Coachella Water Authority, Desert Water Agency, Indio Water Authority, and Valley Sanitary District.
• CV-SNMP AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaboration with water and wastewater agencies including City of Coachella, City of Palm Springs, Coachella Valley Water District, Desert Water Agency, Indio Water Authority, Mission Springs Water District, Myoma Dunes Water Company, and Valley Sanitary District to develop and implement the Coachella Valley Salt and Nutrient Management Plan.
• Trident Mission Springs LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for MSWD Renewable Energy Solar Project, developing approximately 4,364 kW of solar capacity across three MSWD facilities. Partner provides performance guarantee ensuring energy production at 90% of projected output.
• The Wildlands ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide school tours of the Mission Creek preserve, highlighting groundwater protection and environmental education.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Valley Sanitary District: Wastewater collection and treatment agency serving the Coachella Valley. Comparable as the wastewater-focused CVRWMP partner and a peer agency with similar regulatory and operational profile to MSWD's sewer operations.
• Coachella Valley Water District: Larger regional water and wastewater utility serving the broader Coachella Valley, including MSWD's neighbors. Highly comparable as a fellow CVRWMP/CV-SNMP member operating in the same groundwater basin with overlapping service obligations.
• Indio Water Authority: Municipal water utility serving the City of Indio in the Coachella Valley. Directly comparable as a peer CVRWMP/CV-SNMP agency with similar groundwater management and retail water service responsibilities.
• Desert Water Agency: Special district water wholesaler and retailer serving the Palm Springs/Cathedral City area. Directly comparable as a Coachella Valley groundwater manager and CVRWMP/CV-SNMP partner with similar groundwater-management mandate.
• Eastern Municipal Water District: Large California water and wastewater special district in Riverside County. Comparable as a Southern California special district with combined water, wastewater, and recycled water operations and a similar governance structure.
• Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District: Special district water and wastewater utility in Riverside County, California. Comparable as a similarly-sized California special district with overlapping SGMA, recycled water, and community-outreach operations.

Broad incumbents

• San Diego County Water Authority: Regional wholesale water supplier serving San Diego County. Comparable as a major California water agency with infrastructure-scale operations, groundwater management, and stewardship programs analogous to MSWD's.
• American Water Works Company: Largest publicly traded US water and wastewater utility with significant California operations. Comparable as a regulated water utility serving residential and commercial customers through pipelines, reservoirs, and treatment plants.
• California Water Service: Largest investor-owned water utility in California, operating regulated water and wastewater systems across the state. Comparable as a California water utility with similar regulatory regime, customer-base economics, and infrastructure profile.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: State-chartered regional water wholesaler supplying Southern California. Comparable as a large-scale California water agency with extensive treatment, conveyance, and groundwater management programs that intersect with MSWD's regional water-supply challenges.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MSWaterDistrict
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiy7wavO1XlOOTSW4sLkJZA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MissionSpringsWaterDistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mswd
• Instagraminstagram.com/missionspringswaterdistrict

Compliance14 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 Mission Springs Water District