Borough of Ephrata

What Borough of Ephrata does

The Borough of Ephrata is a Second Class Borough operating under Pennsylvania state law, providing municipal government services to residents, commercial properties, and industrial customers within its incorporated boundaries in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Its core service portfolio spans regulated utilities — electric distribution, water, sewer, and refuse/recycling collection — alongside traditional municipal functions including public works, police protection, and code enforcement. The Electric Division, which recorded a 99.98% ASAI reliability rating in 2019 and has received nine consecutive years of RP3 (Reliable Public Power Provider) recognition, is supported by a GIS-based operations platform and is being progressively augmented with distributed solar photovoltaic generation.

Operationally, the Borough is an active member of American Municipal Power (AMP), a joint action agency encompassing 135 communities across nine states, which provides pooled generation resources, mutual-aid capacity, and collective procurement leverage. Senior leadership underwent a structural refresh in 2019, including the creation of an Enterprise Operations Manager role, the promotion of the Electric Division lead, the hire of a dedicated Technical Support Manager, and the retirement of a long-tenured finance officer.

The Borough's revenue model is a hybrid of metered utility rates (electric, water, sewer), flat refuse fees, property taxation, and permitting income, with all cash flow generated exclusively from within Borough limits. Emergency response capability was demonstrated in 2019 when crews were dispatched to Ocala, Florida and the City of Franklin, Virginia in support of Hurricane Dorian recovery, underscoring both operational redundancy and reciprocal value within the AMP network.

Name

Borough of Ephrata

Legal name

Borough of Ephrata

Website

https://ephrataboro.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Borough of Ephrata is a Second Class Pennsylvania municipality in Lancaster County that delivers electric, water, sewer, refuse/recycling, public works, police, and code enforcement services to its residents, commercial properties, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Waste Collection (56211), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Water Supply (4941), Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Electric Utilities (Munis) (EUADABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Electric utility distribution
• Water and sewer services
• Refuse and recycling collection
• Public works administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Ephrata

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Utility Fees: Residential, commercial, and industrial customers pay for electric, water, sewer, refuse, and recycling services based on consumption and fixed monthly charges
2. Refuse Collection Fees: Monthly refuse fee of $25.00 and recycling fee of $13.75 charged to all Borough residents in properties with four or fewer dwelling units
3. Water Rates: Water utility bills calculated based on consumption with minimum billing amount for first 1,500 gallons at $12.64, effective 7/1/2026
4. Sewer Rates: Sewage treatment charges based on water consumption with monthly customer charges varying by class (Residential $7.25, Commercial $12.85, Industrial $30.85) plus per-gallon rates
5. Property Tax Revenue: Municipal government revenue from property taxes supporting general operations
6. Service Fees and Permits: Various permit fees including building, electric, sewer, water permits, and connection fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Borough of Ephrata is a municipal government that provides essential services to its residents and businesses, including electric distribution, water supply, wastewater/sewer treatment, refuse and recycling collection, public works, police protection, code enforcement, parks and recreation, and permitting. Utility services are billed monthly through subscription and usage-based rates, with online, mail, and in-person payment options.

Product overview

Borough of Ephrata operates a single unified website powered by CivicPlus that delivers municipal government services to residents. The core offerings include essential utility services (electric distribution with 99.98% reliability, water via Ephrata Area Joint Authority, wastewater treatment, and refuse/recycling collection) alongside administrative functions such as permits, zoning, and code enforcement. The platform includes integrated modules for online utility billing (MerchantTransact), facilities reservation, community calendar with notification subscriptions, and an extensive permits and forms portal. The CivicPlus-powered website serves as the digital front door for all borough services rather than distinct product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Municipal Government Services Core government services for Borough of Ephrata including police, public works, zoning, code enforcement, and administrative functions delivered through Borough Hall and a CivicPlus-powered website platform. Intended for residents and businesses within the Borough.
• Electric Utility Service Municipal electric power distribution service providing electricity to Borough residents and businesses, with 99.98% ASAI reliability in 2019 and member status in American Public Power Association and American Municipal Power.
• Water Utility Service Public water system treatment and distribution service operated by the Borough on behalf of the Ephrata Area Joint Authority, providing water supply to Borough customers at usage-based rates with a monthly minimum charge.
• Wastewater / Sewer Service Sewage treatment service with rates based on water consumption for residential, commercial, and industrial customers, billed monthly with a customer class charge and per-gallon usage rate.
• Refuse and Recycling Collection Solid waste and recycling collection services for Borough residents, including curbside pickup, yard waste, and special collections. Monthly refuse fee of $25.00 and recycling fee of $13.75 charged to properties with four or fewer dwelling units.
• Facilities and Parks Management Scheduling and management of Borough facilities including parks, playgrounds, archery range, and community centers with online reservation capabilities for residents and community organizations.
• Permits and Applications Portal Online and printable forms for construction permits, zoning applications, rental permits, building, electric, water, and sewer permits issued by the Borough.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.98% electric service reliability (ASAI) in 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Public Power Association (APPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization providing outage tracking, reliability statistics, and the RP3 (Reliable Public Power) award program. The Borough has been a member for 9+ years and participates in annual reliability benchmarking.
• American Municipal Power (AMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of 135 municipal power communities across 9 states. Borough serves as Pennsylvania representative on AMP's Board of Trustees. Participates in annual conferences and recognition programs. Includes Municipal Aid Program membership in Purple Sector.
• Ephrata Area Joint AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint authority responsible for public water system ownership. The Borough operates the water system on behalf of the Authority. Regular meetings held at Borough Hall.
• Mainspring of EphrataminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity organization featured on Borough website as a popular link for community resources and information.
• Historic Ephrata CloisterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistoric site featured as popular link on Borough website for cultural and historical tourism information.
• Ephrata Recreation CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecreation facility partnership providing community recreation programs and facilities.
• Ephrata Public LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic library partnership providing community education and resources, featured as popular link.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Water Works Company: American Water is the largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the United States. While Ephrata's water system is operated under the Ephrata Area Joint Authority, American Water represents the broad incumbent private-sector model of municipal-scale water service delivery that contrasts with Ephrata's public-utility approach.
• Met-Ed (FirstEnergy): Met-Ed, a FirstEnergy subsidiary, is a regulated investor-owned electric utility serving eastern and south-central Pennsylvania, including portions of Lancaster County. Broad incumbent comparable on the electric distribution side, though at much larger scale and with different regulatory treatment than municipal utilities.
• PPL Electric Utilities: PPL is the largest investor-owned electric utility serving eastern and central Pennsylvania, including portions of Lancaster County. It is a broad incumbent in the same electric distribution category as Ephrata's Electric Division but at vastly greater scale and as a regulated IOU rather than a municipal utility.

Direct peers

• City of Lancaster, PA: Lancaster City operates a municipal electric utility (Lancaster Electric), water, sewer, and refuse services within Lancaster County. It is the most directly comparable municipal utility peer in the same county, offering the same combination of services to a similar regulatory environment.
• Manheim Borough, PA: Manheim is a neighboring Lancaster County borough with a similar mix of municipal services including water, sewer, and refuse collection. Direct peer in scale and operating model.
• Borough of Lititz: Lititz is a neighboring Lancaster County borough providing comparable general municipal services (water, sewer, refuse/recycling, public works, code enforcement). Direct peer in terms of scale, governance structure, and service mix.
• City of Reading, PA: Reading is a mid-sized Pennsylvania municipality that operates water and wastewater utilities and provides general municipal services. Comparable in regulatory framework (PA municipal code) and utility mix, though Reading's electric service is supplied by Met-Ed rather than self-provided.
• Ephrata Township: Ephrata Township immediately surrounds Ephrata Borough in Lancaster County and provides comparable municipal services to a similar but separate population. Most direct geographic peer for service-mix benchmarking.
• Mount Joy Borough, PA: Mount Joy is a Lancaster County borough providing water, sewer, refuse/recycling, and general municipal services. Comparable peer in size, governance structure, and Lancaster County operational context.
• City of Lebanon, PA: Lebanon is a Pennsylvania municipality that operates its own electric utility alongside water and sewer services — making it one of the closer peers for Ephrata's vertically-integrated municipal utility model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Ephrata-Borough-PA-Government/100066598317186/?ref=hl
• Instagraminstagram.com/ephrata_borough
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/borough-of-ephrata

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 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 Borough of Ephrata