SOUTH WALTON UTILITY COMPANY INC

What SOUTH WALTON UTILITY COMPANY INC does

South Walton Utility Company, Inc. (SWUCI) is a member-owned, not-for-profit water and wastewater utility organized under Florida Statutes Chapter 617 and operating under IRS 501(c)(12) tax-exempt status since 1968. Headquartered at 369 Miramar Beach Drive in Miramar Beach, Florida, the company serves a geographically defined territory spanning from Mack Bayou in Walton County to the MidBay Bridge in Okaloosa County, with a customer base of approximately 7,400 members comprising 15,000 water connections and 8,000 sewer connections (as of 2004). The utility is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Directors that appoints a General Manager to oversee day-to-day operations.

The company delivers two core services: potable water distribution sourced from the Upper Floridan Aquifer with chlorination for disinfection, and wastewater collection and treatment including grease trap management for food-service establishments and a reclaimed water program supplying golf courses for irrigation. Operational technology includes electronic meter reading via touch pads and wands, a Paymentus-integrated online billing and account management portal, EFT-based automatic debit payments, and 24-hour emergency phone coverage through an on-call answering service. The company maintains regulatory standing through repeated Florida Department of Environmental Protection Plant Operations Excellence Awards for both water and wastewater operations.

SWUCI monetizes through a tiered, usage-based rate structure consisting of recurring monthly water and sewer charges with inverted block pricing for residential customers (ranging from $2.35 to $6.71 per 1,000 gallons), one-time connection fees (Water $2,913.94 and Sewer $4,955.83 per residential unit under the 2025 schedule), service and reconnection charges, and refundable guaranteed payment deposits. Go-to-market is direct-to-member within the certificate-defined service territory, with new connections gated through Statement of Availability confirmation and staff-led development plan review. Customer segments include single-family residential, multi-family, commercial, institutional (schools, hospitals, assisted living), and wholesale water service to neighboring utilities.

Name

SOUTH WALTON UTILITY COMPANY INC

Legal name

South Walton Utility Company, Inc.

Website

https://swuci.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

South Walton Utility Company Inc is a member-owned, not-for-profit water and wastewater utility serving approximately 7,400 members with 15,000 water connections and 8,000 sewer connections across Walton and Okaloosa Counties in the Florida Panhandle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Retail Programs & Demand Management (conservation programs, rebates, water budgets, drought surcharges) (EUANAIAJ), Commercial & HOA Irrigation Services (Large-Scale Systems) (HSAIAEAJ)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Potable water supply
• Utility member services
• Reclaimed water irrigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Miramar Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monthly Water and Sewer Service Charges: Recurring monthly charges consisting of base/minimum rates based on meter size plus usage fees based on actual consumption. Residential tiered pricing: $2.35/1000 gallons (0-5,000), $3.28/1000 (5,001-10,000), $4.69/1000 (10,001-15,000), $6.71/1000 (above 15,000). Sewer usage: $6.94/1000 gallons.
2. Connection Fees: One-time fees for new connections to water and/or wastewater systems. Residential single family minimum: $2,913.94 water + $4,955.83 sewer. Fees are not refundable and must be paid prior to meter installation.
3. Service Charges and Miscellaneous Fees: Fees for reconnection ($65), after-hours service ($50), meter testing ($75+), delinquent account charges (10%), grease trap administrative fees ($250 annually), engineer review fees, and other service-related charges.
4. Guaranteed Payment Deposits: Required deposits from members that are refunded after 24 months of good payment history (zero late payments in 24 months). Deposits vary by meter size and customer type.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

South Walton Utility Company Inc is a member-owned, not-for-profit utility that provides potable water distribution and wastewater collection and treatment services to residential and commercial properties in its defined service territory spanning Walton and Okaloosa Counties, Florida. Water is sourced from the Upper Floridan Aquifer with chlorination disinfection, and ancillary services include online bill payment, EFT, conservation programs, and reclaimed water for irrigation.

Product overview

South Walton Utility Company Inc operates as a member-owned, non-profit water and wastewater utility serving residential, commercial, and multi-unit properties in Miramar Beach, Florida. The company provides two core services: potable water distribution sourced from the Upper Floridan Aquifer with chlorination treatment, and wastewater collection and treatment including grease trap management and reclaimed water programs. The core water and sewer services are supported by ancillary offerings including online account management through Paymentus, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for automatic payments, e-Bill electronic billing, and conservation programs including free retro-fit devices and Xeriscape landscape guidance. Temporary services include fire hydrant meters for construction use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Distribution Service Potable water supply and distribution service to residential, commercial, and multi-unit properties in the SWUCI service area. Water is sourced from the Upper Floridan Aquifer and treated with chlorination for disinfection.
• Wastewater Collection and Treatment Service Sewage collection, transmission, and treatment service for residential and commercial customers. Includes grease trap program for food service establishments and reclaimed water production for irrigation at golf courses.
• Online Account Management and Bill Payment Self-service portal allowing members to view accounts, pay bills online via credit card or e-check, set up recurring payments, and view water consumption history. Available 24/7.
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Service Automatic monthly debit from member checking or savings account on the first business day of each month. Members receive an invoice for review before the automatic debit occurs.
• e-Bill Service Electronic bill delivery via email providing the same information as paper bills without postal delivery delays.
• Retro-Fit Water Conservation Program Water conservation program offering free low-flow faucet aerators, showerheads, and leak detection tablets to members to reduce household water consumption.
• Fire Hydrant Meter Service Temporary water service through fire hydrant meters for construction and cleaning purposes, subject to non-refundable installation charges and monthly usage billing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving 7,400+ member accounts with 15,000 water connections and 8,000 sewer connections (as of 2004)

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 minor.

• American Water Works AssociationminorOthersIndustry association membership providing resources, standards, and recognition for water utilities. SWUCI participates in AWWA programs and has received the Outstanding Water Treatment Plant Award from AWWA.
• Florida Rural Water AssociationminorOthersState association providing training, technical assistance, and advocacy for rural water systems in Florida.
• Florida Department of Environmental ProtectionminorOthersState regulatory agency that awards Plant Operations Excellence Awards and enforces drinking water regulations under Chapter 62 of the Florida Administrative Code.
• Northwest Florida Water Management DistrictminorOthersRegional water management authority overseeing water resources in Northwest Florida, including the Upper Floridan Aquifer that serves as SWUCI's water source.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Essential Utilities (formerly Aqua America): Large investor-owned water and natural gas utility operating across multiple states. Comparable regulated water/wastewater service business at significantly larger scale.
• Tampa Bay Water: Wholesale water supplier serving the Tampa Bay region. Larger-scale peer in the same Florida water utility landscape with overlapping wholesale supply business model relevant to SWUCI's wholesale agreements.
• Gainesville Regional Utilities: Municipal utility providing water, wastewater, and electric services in Gainesville, Florida. Comparable multi-service Florida utility with similar community-ownership orientation.
• JEA (Jacksonville Electric Authority): Community-owned utility providing water, wastewater, and electric services in Jacksonville, Florida. Comparable community-owned utility structure with combined water and wastewater operations analogous to SWUCI.
• Orlando Utilities Commission: Community-owned municipal utility serving Orlando with water and wastewater services. Comparable as another Florida community-owned utility with regulated rate structure and member/customer governance model.
• American Water Works Company: Largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the United States. Comparable core business of regulated water/wastewater service, though much larger and investor-owned rather than member-owned nonprofit.

Regional players

• California Water Service Group: Investor-owned water utility primarily serving California. Comparable regulated water utility business model, though operating in a different geography with different regulatory framework.
• Hillsborough County Water Resources Department: Local government water and wastewater service provider in Hillsborough County, Florida. Comparable municipal water/wastewater service operation within the same state regulatory environment.

Direct peers

• Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority: Independent special district providing water service to the Florida Keys. Highly comparable to SWUCI as a similarly sized Florida coastal water utility operating under a defined service territory with comparable regulatory and climatic exposures.
• Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority: Regional water supply authority in Southwest Florida serving multiple member counties and utilities. Comparable to SWUCI as a Florida regional water provider operating under cooperative-style governance with member-owned economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/swuci1
• Facebookfacebook.com/South-Walton-Utility-881091685358820
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-walton-utility-company-inc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 SOUTH WALTON UTILITY COMPANY INC