Rogers Water Utilities

What Rogers Water Utilities does

Rogers Water Utilities (RWU) is a non-profit, municipally-owned water and wastewater utility established in 1881 and governed by the Rogers Waterworks and Sewer Commission, a five-member board appointed by the Mayor of Rogers, Arkansas and confirmed by the City Council. The utility serves approximately 77,000 residents as well as commercial, industrial, and developer customers within its certified service territory, delivering drinking water sourced from Beaver Lake via the Beaver Water District (one of four distribution utilities in the BWD system) and providing wastewater collection and treatment through the Rogers Pollution Control Facility, which is currently undergoing a Phase II expansion that adds thermal biosolids drying for marketable fertilizer production. RWU operates and maintains over 83 miles of underground distribution pipe and deploys 1,800 Itron acoustic leak sensors integrated with its automatic meter reading (AMR) infrastructure, an investment that has reduced non-revenue water from 18% to under 5% in the eastern district and saved over $200,000 and 150 million gallons annually.

RWU's revenue model is entirely rate-supported with no tax revenue, structured around recurring water service fees (tiered consumption, e.g., $11.42/month for first 1,500 gallons inside city, with senior discounts and irrigation-specific pricing), sewer service fees (flat $18.52/month plus volume charges), fixed monthly meter charges scaled to meter size, one-time development impact fees (up to $121,200 water and $201,500 sewer for a 6-inch meter), and a consolidated residential trash billing line through GFL Environmental at $19.97/month. The utility operates with 51-100 employees across four internal sections — Customer Service, Field Operations, Engineering, and the Pollution Control Facility — and distributes services through a direct-to-customer GTM motion combining in-person service, phone support (24/7 line at 479-621-1142), online account management via the Municipal Online Payments portal, automated phone payments through Paymentus IVR, and mail. Notable operational strengths include maintaining water tower pressure above 42 psi versus a 20 psi regulatory minimum, locating tornado-related leaks within 4-5 hours in May 2024, and supplying emergency water to Bentonville's 55,000 residents during 2021 and 2024 main breaks, all of which underscore operational reliability within a regulated-monopoly franchise model.

Name

Rogers Water Utilities

Legal name

Rogers Water Utilities

Website

https://rogerswaterar.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rogers Water Utilities is a non-profit municipal water and wastewater utility established in 1881, serving approximately 77,000 residents and businesses in Rogers, Arkansas through 83+ miles of distribution pipe under rate-supported governance by the Rogers Waterworks and Sewer Commission.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utilities

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Drinking Water Distribution Network Operations (Mains, Valves, Hydrants, Service Lines) (EUANAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Municipal water utility
• Wastewater treatment services
• Drinking water distribution
• Sewer collection services
• Utility infrastructure management

Headquarters

HQ city

Rogers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Service Fees: Recurring water service charges based on consumption tiers (inside city: first 1,500 gallons at $11.42, senior discount $5.71; outside city: $14.85). Additional volume tiers from $4.85 to $3.66 per thousand gallons. Irrigation usage $5.00 per thousand gallons.
2. Sewer Service Fees: Sewer charges calculated at 100% of water usage with flat rate of $18.52 per month plus volume rates ($6.44 per thousand gallons up to 100,000 gallons, $6.36 over 100,000).
3. Monthly Meter Charges: Fixed monthly charges based on meter size: 5/8 inch no charge, 1 inch $10.25, 1.5 inch $20.50, 2 inch $32.80, 3 inch $61.50, 4 inch $102.50, 6 inch $205.00.
4. Development Impact Fees: One-time impact fees for new development based on meter size: 5/8 inch $2,400 water/$4,000 sewer; 1 inch $3,400/$5,600; 2 inch $19,400/$32,200; 4 inch $60,600/$100,700; 6 inch $121,200/$201,500.
5. Large Water Pipe Tap Costs: Fees for water pipe taps: 1 inch $200, 2 inch $225, 4 inch $275, 6 inch $275, 8 inch $325, 12 inch $425.
6. Trash Service Billing: Trash fee of $19.97 per month (included in combined bill with GFL Environmental/LRS). Applies to residents inside city limits only.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rogers Water Utilities is a municipally owned water and sewer utility that delivers drinking water and provides wastewater collection and treatment to the City of Rogers, Arkansas. Drinking water is purchased wholesale from the Beaver Water District (sourced from Beaver Lake) and distributed through more than 83 miles of underground pipes; wastewater is collected and treated at the Rogers Pollution Control Facility, including Phase II thermal biosolids processing.

Product overview

Rogers Water Utilities operates as a municipally-owned water and sewer utility providing core water distribution and wastewater treatment services to the City of Rogers, Arkansas. The utility functions as two integrated accounting entities (Water Department and Sewer Department) governed by the Rogers Waterworks and Sewer Commission. The core offerings include potable water delivery sourced from Beaver Water District through 83+ miles of distribution pipes, and wastewater treatment via the Rogers Pollution Control Facility. Add-on services include consolidated trash billing through GFL Environmental, online account management and payment portals, public GIS mapping, construction/development permits, cross-connection control compliance programs, and water quality reporting. All services are rate-supported with no tax revenue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Distribution Services Municipal drinking water delivery serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the City of Rogers, AR. RWU purchases wholesale water from the Beaver Water District (sourced from Beaver Lake) and distributes through more than 83 miles of underground pipes, with tiered inside-city and outside-city rates and senior discounts available.
• Sewer and Wastewater Treatment Services Wastewater collection and treatment for Rogers, AR customers. Sewer charges are calculated at 100% of water usage with a flat rate plus volume tiers. Treatment and biosolids processing occur at the Rogers Pollution Control Facility.
• Trash and Recycling Collection Billing Consolidated residential trash and recycling collection billing service for in-city customers, provided through a partnership with GFL Environmental (formerly Lakeshore Recycling Systems) at a $19.97/month fee included on the combined utility bill.
• Construction and Development Services Utility extension permits, new service/meter installation requests, bore permits, fire hydrant meter applications, facilities extension contracts, inspection requests, and plan review for new development projects within Rogers, AR. Impact fees range from $2,400 to $201,500 depending on meter size.
• Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention Program Compliance program requiring commercial, industrial, and residential irrigation customers to install and maintain approved backflow prevention devices. RWU coordinates approved device testing and tracks compliance per Arkansas Department of Health requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced non-revenue water from 18% to less than 5% in eastern district
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Beaver Water District (BWD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBWD is the water wholesaler for RWU, sourcing water from Beaver Lake and providing wholesale water to Rogers, Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Springdale. BWD sets the wholesale water rate at $1.82 per thousand gallons. BWD also provides water quality information including PFAS testing and annual reports. RWU is one of four distribution utilities in the BWD system.
• ItroncoreTechnology or IntegrationItron provides acoustic leak detection sensors and automatic meter reading (AMR) technology to RWU. RWU uses Itron's water modules for mobile meter reading with integrated acoustic leak sensors (1,800 total) throughout the distribution network. The sensors listen at night and transmit data during routine truck rolls.
• GFL Environmental / Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party trash and recycling service provider contracted to pick up trash and recycling for residential customers inside city limits. RWU assists in billing and collection of trash funds but does not provide trash removal services. Contact: (479) 878-1384.
• Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program administered jointly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and State of Arkansas to finance construction of upgrades and improvements to the Rogers Pollution Control Facility, including the Phase II Solids Handling Facility for thermally dried biosolids processing.
• Rogers Waterworks and Sewer CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoverning body of RWU consisting of five commissioners (Kathy McClure, Derek Morgan, Jerry Carmichael, Paige Sultemeier, Jené Huffman-Gilreath as Chair) appointed by the Mayor of Rogers and confirmed by City Council. Meets monthly, typically on the third Monday. Commission has authority to raise rates and borrow money.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• North Little Rock Electric & Water: Municipal electric and water utility in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Similar customer base size and Arkansas regulatory environment, with a comparable rate-supported municipal structure.
• Fayetteville Water & Sewer: Municipal water and wastewater utility in Fayetteville, AR, co-served by Beaver Water District. Directly comparable in scale, regulatory environment, and wholesale supply relationship.
• Conway Corporation: Arkansas municipal utility providing water, wastewater, electric, and cable services. Comparable as a municipally-owned multi-service utility with a non-profit, rate-supported operating model.
• Springdale Water Utilities: Municipal water and wastewater utility in Springdale, AR, also supplied by Beaver Water District. Highly comparable in customer mix, geography, and regulatory framework.
• Fort Smith Water Utilities: Municipal water and wastewater utility serving Fort Smith, AR. Comparable in scale, Arkansas operating environment, and municipal rate-supported model.
• Bentonville Water Utilities: Neighboring municipal water utility in Bentonville, Arkansas, serving a comparable Northwest Arkansas customer base. RWU has already provided emergency mutual aid to Bentonville, evidencing direct operational comparability.

Broad incumbents

• California Water Service Group: Investor-owned water utility operating regulated water systems in California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Texas. Comparable as a regulated rate-supported water utility operator with similar revenue mechanics.
• Middlesex Water Company: Investor-owned water and wastewater utility serving New Jersey and Delaware. Comparable regulated water utility with similar tariff-based revenue model, though publicly traded and larger than RWU.
• American Water Works: Largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility, serving over 14 million people. Comparable business model in regulated water/wastewater operations, though much larger and geographically diversified versus RWU's single-city footprint.
• Artesian Resources: Investor-owned water and wastewater utility serving Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Comparable small-cap regulated water utility with rate-base revenue mechanics analogous to RWU's municipal rate model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Rogers Water Utilities