Lake Worth Drainage District

What Lake Worth Drainage District does

Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) is an independent special district of the State of Florida, established on June 15, 1915 under Chapter 6458 of the 1913 General Drainage Laws of Florida, that delivers regional flood control, water-supply protection, and stormwater management across approximately 200 square miles of southeastern Palm Beach County. The district manages a fixed hydraulic infrastructure footprint of roughly 500 miles of canals, 1,000 miles of rights-of-way, and 20 major water control structures (10 of which are automated via a proprietary telemetry system enabling real-time remote operation), serving more than 800,000 residents, all or portions of 13 municipalities, and approximately 10,000 acres of active agricultural land producing 26 major crops. Core operations span canal maintenance (aquatic vegetation management, mowing, encroachment removal), storm-response coordination, permitting for right-of-way use and drainage connections, and a Chancery Case 407 property interest review service. The district is governed by an elected five-member Board of Supervisors and supplements in-person service delivery with an Accela-based Citizen Portal (24/7 online permitting and record search) and an ArcGIS public mapping portal that exposes district boundaries, canal locations, and maintained canal elevations.

LWDD's revenue model is funded exclusively through a statutory non-ad valorem assessment billed at $48.50 per acre (or portion thereof) annually and collected via the Palm Beach County property tax statement, yielding an annual operating budget of approximately $17.3 million for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. The district employs roughly 90 staff including Florida-registered engineers, surveyors, GIS specialists, programmers, finance personnel, heavy equipment operators, and administrative professionals. Go-to-market is direct-to-end-user: services are delivered through the headquarters office in Delray Beach, online citizen portals, public board meetings, and an annual wet-season coordination program with property managers and HOA boards. Primary operational partners include the South Florida Water Management District (joint flood-control coordination and drought response) and the Palm Beach County Tax Collector (assessment collection), with regulatory oversight exercised by the U.S. EPA and Florida Department of Environmental Protection over aquatic vegetation management practices.

Name

Lake Worth Drainage District

Legal name

Lake Worth Drainage District

Website

https://lwdd.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Lake Worth Drainage District is an independent Florida special district providing flood control, water supply protection, and canal maintenance across 200 square miles of southeastern Palm Beach County, serving 800,000+ residents, 13 municipalities, and agricultural landowners via 500 miles of canals and 20 major water control structures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resource Management Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Stormwater Collection & Conveyance (Inlets, Catch Basins, Pipes, Channels) (EUANAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stormwater & Drainage Infrastructure Construction (Sewer, Detention, Outfalls) (IMAFAGAF), Culverts, Bridges & Cross-Drainage Structures (Hydraulic Capacity & Rehabilitation) (EUANAEAC), Detention, Retention & Storage Systems (Ponds, Tanks, Vaults) (EUANAEAD), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Flood control services
• Water resource management
• Stormwater drainage
• Canal maintenance services
• Right-of-way permitting

Headquarters

HQ city

Delray Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Non-Ad Valorem Assessment: The annual operating budget is supported by a non-ad valorem assessment which is assessed at $48.50 per acre or portion thereof. The annual assessment is reflected in the Palm Beach County property tax statements for landowners within the District's jurisdictional boundaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lake Worth Drainage District provides regional flood control, water supply protection, and canal/right-of-way management services across approximately 200 square miles of southeastern Palm Beach County, Florida. The District operates and maintains about 500 miles of canals, 1,000 miles of rights-of-way, and 20 major water control structures serving over 800,000 residents, 13 municipalities, and agricultural landowners through flood control, stormwater management, canal maintenance, and permitting services.

Product overview

Lake Worth Drainage District provides comprehensive water management services as a single unified offering rather than a modular platform. The core services include flood control operations (managing 500 miles of canals and 20 major water control structures), water supply protection, canal maintenance (vegetation control, mowing, encroachment removal), and right-of-way permitting. The District supplements these services with a Citizen Portal (Accela-based) for online permit applications and record searches, and a public ArcGIS mapping portal for geospatial access to district data. The Telemetry and Automated Water Control System enables remote monitoring and operation of water control infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flood Control Services Comprehensive regional flood protection and stormwater management across approximately 200 square miles of southeastern Palm Beach County. Operates and maintains roughly 500 miles of canals and 20 major water control structures to deliver flood control and drainage outcomes for over 800,000 residents, 13 municipalities, and adjacent agricultural lands.
• Water Supply Management Water resource management that maintains canal water levels to prevent saltwater intrusion into freshwater wells and supports municipal water utilities and groundwater recharge for the District's service area in southeastern Palm Beach County.
• Canal Maintenance Services Routine maintenance of the District's 500+ miles of canals and rights-of-way, including aquatic vegetation management compliant with EPA and Florida DEP regulations, canal bank mowing, encroachment removal, and capital improvement projects that sustain flood control infrastructure.
• Right-of-Way Permitting Permit issuance and management for construction activities adjacent to or connecting to District canals, including drainage connection permits, canal crossing permits, and encroachment permits for boat docks, signs, and gates. Applications and status searches are available 24/7 through the Citizen Portal.
• Property Interest Review (Chancery Case 407) Review service for property interests related to Chancery Case 407 rights-of-way, determining property boundaries and encroachments within the District's jurisdictional canal corridors. Requests are submitted via the Citizen Portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves approximately 800,000 residents
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLWDD works closely with the South Florida Water Management District before, during and after rainfall events to provide flood control for the residents of Palm Beach County. SFWMD provides primary flood control and oversees water conservation measures, water use permits, and regional water management. LWDD staff coordinates with SFWMD for water supply, drought conditions, and emergency response. LWDD is also subject to SFWMD's Year-Round Landscape Irrigation Conservation Measures Rule.
• Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife RefugeminorOthersThe district is bordered on the west by the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. This adjacent federal wildlife refuge defines the western boundary of the district's 200-square-mile service area.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)minorOthersLWDD strictly adheres to the regulations of the EPA for the application of various herbicides associated with aquatic vegetation management.
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)minorOthersLWDD strictly adheres to the regulations of FDEP for the application of various herbicides associated with aquatic vegetation management. LWDD employees responsible for the treatment of aquatic vegetation are trained and certified annually.
• Palm Beach County Tax CollectorminorOthersThe annual non-ad valorem assessment of $48.50 per acre is reflected in Palm Beach County property tax statements for landowners within the district's jurisdictional boundaries. Questions about property tax statements and payment schedules are directed to PBC Tax Collector.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• South Florida Water Management District: The regional Florida water management district with which LWDD directly coordinates flood control, water supply, and drought response across Palm Beach County. Operates the same core categories of stormwater conveyance, water control structures, and regional flood control for a 16-county region and is LWDD's most immediate operational peer and partner.

Regional players

• St. Johns River Water Management District: One of Florida's five regional water management districts, serving an 18-county area in northeast and central Florida. Operates similar drainage canals, water control structures, and flood control/water supply protection functions as LWDD but in a different geography.
• Southwest Florida Water Management District: Regional Florida water management district covering 16 counties in west-central Florida. Performs comparable flood control, water supply, and water resource protection functions through a similar canal and water control structure infrastructure model.
• Suwannee River Water Management District: Florida regional water management district covering 15 counties in north-central Florida. Engages in similar flood control, water supply protection, and resource management functions with comparable canal and structural infrastructure.
• Hillsborough County (FL) Water Resources: County-level stormwater and water resource authority operating flood control infrastructure across a large Florida urban/suburban jurisdiction. Comparable in service scope (stormwater management, permitting, drainage maintenance) though administered at the county level rather than as an independent special district.
• Northwest Florida Water Management District: Florida's westernmost regional water management district, covering 16 counties. Conducts analogous flood protection, water supply, and surface water management activities through a similar special district governance model.
• Broward County Water and Wastewater Services: County-level water, wastewater, and stormwater utility adjacent to LWDD's jurisdiction in South Florida. Performs comparable water supply protection, flood control coordination, and canal/infrastructure management under a similar climate and regulatory regime.

Broad incumbents

• Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department: Largest water and wastewater utility in Florida, serving over 2.3 million customers. While broader in scope (water/wastewater plus stormwater coordination), it operates overlapping flood control and water supply protection functions for a coastal Florida jurisdiction facing similar climate and saltwater intrusion risks as LWDD.
• Veolia North America: One of the largest private operators of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure in North America. Comparable as a scaled operator of municipal water and drainage systems, though it operates as a private outsourced services provider rather than a special district.
• American Water Works Company: Largest publicly traded US water and wastewater utility, serving over 14 million people across 14 states. Comparable as a regulated, rate-base utility providing water and wastewater services, though with a broader geographic footprint and different governance model than LWDD's special district structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/myLWDD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEzPla6Y1HE5-sRGYhbI81Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/LakeWorthDrainageDistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lake-worth-drainage-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Lake Worth Drainage District