Ohio Water Development Authority

What Ohio Water Development Authority does

Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) is a state government financing authority established in 1968 under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6121 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. OWDA provides low-interest loans and grants to Ohio municipalities, villages, townships, and local government agencies for water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, dam safety, and brownfield remediation infrastructure projects. Its core function is to channel tax-exempt bond proceeds and state/federal revolving fund capital into qualifying public infrastructure, with loan applications reviewed monthly by the OWDA Board.

OWDA's product suite spans 13+ programs organized under branded fund structures: the Fresh Water Program (market-rate and Community Assistance tiers), the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF), the Drinking Water Assistance Fund (DWAF/WSRLA), plus targeted programs for construction/planning, refinance, brownfield, solid waste, local economic development, onsite stormwater, USDA-RD loan advance, and dam safety. Grants include Un-Sewered Area Assistance and R&D grants. Operational tooling consists of an online Loan Data Portal (loans.owda.org) for borrower servicing and a publicly available Loan Calculator. The authority is governed by a board appointed by the Governor of Ohio and chaired by R. Gregory Browning, with Mike Fraizer serving as Executive Director.

The business model is public-sector lending: OWDA issues municipal bonds (AAA-rated bond programs, with multiple recent series including Fresh Water Series 2023B, WPCLF Series 2025, DWAF 2025A, SRF 2026A, and Fresh Water Revolving Fund 2026) and relends proceeds at prescribed interest rates. Revenue derives from interest income on outstanding loans, with rates differentiated by program and term (e.g., Fresh Water market rate 4.45%-4.87%, WPCLF standard 3.20%-3.72%, Refinance tax-exempt 3.22%-4.08%, Refinance taxable 4.89%-5.97%). Loan originations are demand-driven by EPA compliance mandates and aging infrastructure needs across Ohio communities.

Name

Ohio Water Development Authority

Legal name

Ohio Water Development Authority

Website

https://owda.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water Infrastructure Financing

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal/Local Government Development Banks (FSABAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Water infrastructure financing
• Municipal lending programs
• Wastewater treatment loans
• Drinking water funding
• State revolving funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: OWDA generates revenue through interest on loans provided to Ohio communities for water, wastewater, and infrastructure projects. Interest rates vary by program, from below-market rates for community assistance to market-rate loans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Ohio Water Development Authority provides low-interest loans and administers grant programs that finance drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and related water infrastructure projects for Ohio's local governments, counties, and water/wastewater districts. The authority funds itself through the issuance of tax-exempt revenue bonds and on-lends proceeds at below-market rates, while also partnering with the Ohio EPA to administer the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund and Drinking Water Assistance Fund.

Product overview

Ohio Water Development Authority provides a comprehensive suite of financial programs for water infrastructure across Ohio. The organization operates multiple loan programs including Construction/Planning Loans, Refinance Loans, Brownfield Loans, Solid Waste Loans, Local Economic Development Loans, Onsite Stormwater Loans, USDA-RD Loan Advance Program, and Dam Safety Loans. OWDA also administers grant programs such as Un-Sewered Area Assistance and Research & Development Grants. These programs are organized under branded fund structures including the Fresh Water Program (with market rate and Community Assistance tiers), the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) for wastewater, and the Drinking Water Assistance Fund (DWAF) for drinking water. Additional tools include a Loan Calculator and Loan Data Portal for borrower management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Water Loan Program Provides below-market loans to Ohio political subdivisions to finance the planning, design, and construction of public drinking water infrastructure projects.
• Wastewater Loan Program Provides below-market loans to Ohio political subdivisions for the planning, design, and construction of public wastewater treatment and collection infrastructure.
• Stormwater Loan Program Provides below-market loans to Ohio political subdivisions for publicly owned stormwater management and infrastructure projects.
• Small Communities Loan Program Provides below-market loans with tailored terms to small Ohio communities for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects.
• Special Projects Loan Program Provides below-market loans to Ohio political subdivisions for special-purpose water and wastewater projects that fall outside the standard Fresh Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater programs.
• Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) Provides low-interest loans and principal forgiveness grants to Ohio political subdivisions for wastewater treatment and water quality protection projects, co-administered with the Ohio EPA.
• Drinking Water Assistance Fund (DWAF) Provides low-interest loans and principal forgiveness grants to Ohio public water systems for drinking water infrastructure projects, co-administered with the Ohio EPA.
• H2Ohio Program Funds water quality improvement and drinking water/wastewater infrastructure projects in Ohio through grants and below-market financing administered in coordination with the H2Ohio initiative.
• Lead Service Line Replacement Funding Provides funding to Ohio political subdivisions for the identification and replacement of lead service lines on public and private property.
• Sewer Lateral Loan Program Provides below-market loans to Ohio homeowners for repair or replacement of residential sewer laterals, administered through participating local governments.
• Water Lateral Loan Program Provides below-market loans to Ohio homeowners for repair or replacement of residential water laterals, administered through participating local governments.
• Economic Development Program Provides financing for water and wastewater infrastructure projects that support job creation and economic development in Ohio communities.
• Emergency Relief Program Provides expedited below-market financing to Ohio political subdivisions facing emergency conditions affecting their water or wastewater systems.
• Engineering Report/Planning Loan Program Provides below-market loans to Ohio political subdivisions to fund engineering reports, facility plans, and pre-construction planning for water and wastewater projects.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Environmental Protection AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio EPA works with OWDA on the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) and Drinking Water Assistance Fund (DWAF) programs. OWDA processes loans while Ohio EPA handles program guidelines and approvals.
• Ohio Public Works CommissionminorOthersRelated state agency for Ohio public infrastructure.
• United States Department of Agriculture (Rural Development)minorOthersUSDA Rural Development provides loan advance programs in conjunction with OWDA financing.
• Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP)minorOthersRCAP provides seminars and training for rural communities on water infrastructure matters.
• State Government of OhiocoreOthersOWDA is a state authority established under Ohio legislation (ORC 6121) serving Ohio communities since 1968.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Texas Water Development Board (TWDB): State agency providing financial assistance for water and wastewater infrastructure across Texas. Comparable in scale and function, operating multiple loan programs for municipal water projects.
• Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PennVEST): Pennsylvania's state infrastructure investment authority providing low-interest loans for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater projects. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and customer base to OWDA.
• Massachusetts Clean Water Trust: State authority that issues bonds and manages Massachusetts' SRF programs for water and wastewater infrastructure. Directly comparable financing model and customer base.
• Indiana Finance Authority - Environmental Programs: Indiana's state financing authority administering SRF and other environmental infrastructure loan programs. Closely parallels OWDA's role financing municipal water infrastructure through state-level bonds.
• Illinois Environmental Protection Agency - Public Water Supply Loan Program: Administers Illinois' Public Water Supply Loan Program and Water Pollution Control Loan Program. Comparable state-administered water infrastructure financing programs.
• California State Water Resources Control Board - SRF Division: Administers California's Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, providing low-interest financing to municipalities for water infrastructure. Direct functional peer to OWDA at a larger scale.
• New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (NYSEFC): State authority that administers the NY Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, financing municipal water infrastructure with subsidized rates. Directly comparable program and structure to OWDA's WPCLF and DWAF.
• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) - SRF: Administers Michigan's Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF loan programs financing municipal water infrastructure. Comparable state-level financing authority mission.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Rural Development - Water & Environmental Programs: Federal agency providing loans, grants, and loan advances for rural water and wastewater infrastructure. Directly comparable to OWDA's USDA-RD Loan Advance Program and broader rural water lending mandate.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Clean Water & Drinking Water SRF Programs: Federal program that capitalizes state SRFs, including the funds OWDA administers (WPCLF and DWAF). Comparable in mission and program structure, but operating at the federal capitalization tier rather than as a state lender.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/owda

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 Ohio Water Development Authority