Highlands Ranch Water

What Highlands Ranch Water does

Highlands Ranch Water is a Colorado special district water and wastewater utility founded in 1981, serving the Highlands Ranch and Solstice communities with a 51–100 employee organization headquartered at 62 Plaza Drive, Highlands Ranch. The utility provides water supply and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, commercial backflow testing, FOG management, industrial pretreatment, and water quality monitoring (including lead, copper, and PFAS testing) under a regulated monopoly within its defined service area.

The operating model is built on physical water and wastewater infrastructure delivering essential utility services directly to residential and commercial customers within a fixed geographic boundary. Supporting systems include an InvoiceCloud-integrated billing platform for monthly customer billing and self-service, a water budget allocation system that tiers pricing based on consumption against allocated amounts, and conservation programs such as ColoradoScape (garden templates and plant finder tools) and residential/commercial rebates. The utility is governed by an elected Board of Directors with public transparency reporting and a citizen engagement committee, and its website is operated on the Streamline platform tailored for special districts.

Revenue is generated through recurring subscription-style water and wastewater service fees billed monthly on a usage-based model, supplemented by drought pricing surcharges currently active under Stage 1 drought restrictions. Pricing is regulated and varies by customer type and consumption tier. As of July 2026, the district is operating under Stage 1 drought restrictions limiting outdoor irrigation to two days per week and targeting a 15–20% reduction in customer water use, reflecting the utility's dual role as both service provider and conservation manager within a water-constrained Colorado Front Region.

Name

Highlands Ranch Water

Legal name

Highlands Ranch Water

Website

https://centennialwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Highlands Ranch Water is a Colorado special district utility, founded in 1981, providing water supply, wastewater treatment, billing, and conservation services to residential and commercial customers within the Highlands Ranch and Solstice service area under a regulated monopoly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utilities

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Municipal water supply
• Water conservation programs
• Water billing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Highlands Ranch

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water Service Fees: Charges for water supply and distribution services to residential and commercial customers, based on consumption and water budget allocations. Revenue is collected through monthly billing via InvoiceCloud platform.
2. Wastewater Service Fees: Charges for wastewater collection and treatment services to customers within the service area.
3. Drought Pricing Surcharges: Special pricing implemented during Stage 1 drought conditions to support conservation efforts and manage demand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Highlands Ranch Water is a regulated municipal water and wastewater utility providing water supply and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, automated billing via the InvoiceCloud platform, and water conservation programs (including ColoradoScape, rebates, and water budget systems) to residential and commercial customers within the Highlands Ranch and Solstice service area in Colorado. The utility operates Stage 1 drought response protocols limiting outdoor irrigation and applies water budget-based pricing.

Product overview

Highlands Ranch Water is a water and wastewater utility provider serving Highlands Ranch and Solstice, Colorado. The company operates as a single integrated utility offering water supply and distribution alongside wastewater management as its core services. Supporting these core functions are several modules including Water Quality Services (monitoring, testing, and reporting), Billing and Payment Services (via InvoiceCloud integration), Water Conservation Programs (including ColoradoScape, rebates, and efficiency plans), and a Drought Resource Center for drought restriction management. The company is currently operating under Stage 1 drought restrictions, limiting outdoor irrigation to 2 days per week.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Supply and Distribution

Quantifiable outcome

• 15-20% reduction in customer water use targeted during Stage 1 drought restrictions

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Denver Water: Largest water utility in Colorado, serving Denver and surrounding suburbs. Comparable in core municipal water delivery function but operates at much larger scale across a broader service area.
• Colorado Springs Utilities: Multi-utility (water, wastewater, electric, gas) serving Colorado Springs. Comparable in regulated utility model and Colorado service area, but broader portfolio and significantly larger scale.
• American Water Works Company: Largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the United States. Comparable in regulated water/wastewater service delivery and conservation program offerings, though operating across many states with a private ownership model.

Regional players

• Louisville Water Company: Mid-sized municipal water utility serving Louisville, Kentucky and surrounding counties. Comparable as a mid-sized regulated municipal water provider with a long operating history and similar community-focused service model.
• Denver Metro Wastewater Reclamation District: Regional wastewater treatment provider for the Denver metro area. Comparable in regulated wastewater service delivery and Colorado operating environment, though wastewater-only and at much larger scale.
• Aurora Water: City of Aurora's water utility serving a large Front Range population with water, wastewater, and reuse services. Comparable in function and regional Colorado market, though larger and municipally owned rather than a special district.

Direct peers

• Parker Water and Sanitation District: Colorado special district providing water and wastewater service to Parker and surrounding areas. Closely comparable in governance structure, scale, and suburban Front Range service profile.
• Centennial Water and Sanitation District: Neighboring Colorado special district providing water and wastewater services in the south Denver metro area. Closest comparable in service model, scale, and regulatory structure.
• East Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitation District: Adjacent Colorado special district serving parts of the south Denver metro area. Directly comparable in special-district governance, water/wastewater service mix, and suburban customer base.

Others

• DC Water: Large U.S. municipal water and wastewater authority serving the District of Columbia. Comparable in regulated utility function and integrated water/wastewater service, though far larger and operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HRWater
• Facebookfacebook.com/HighlandsRanchWater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highlandsranchwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Highlands Ranch Water