# The York Water Company > Clarifo company profile — qualitative business description generated from > the company's filings. Financial statements, charts and ratios are > available on Clarifo (https://www.clarifo.com/en/companies/The York Water Company). ## Overview York Water Co. is a Pennsylvania-regulated water and wastewater utility that has operated continuously since 1816. It impounds, treats, and distributes drinking water through its own network and also owns wastewater collection and treatment systems within a franchised service territory in south-central Pennsylvania. ## Products & services • Drinking water impoundment, treatment, and distribution • Wastewater collection systems • Wastewater collection and treatment services • Municipal billing and collection services • Bulk water supply contracts • Service line protection program - **Regulated water service** (64%) — Retail potable water service delivered through the company's owned distribution and supply system. - **Regulated commercial and industrial water service** (29%) — Water service sold to non-residential customers within the franchised territory. - **Other water and wastewater-related income** (7%) — Fire service, wastewater-related income, and other utility service charges. - Drinking water impoundment, treatment, and distribution - Wastewater collection systems - Wastewater collection and treatment services - Municipal billing and collection services - Bulk water supply contracts - Service line protection program ## Customers York Water serves a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial customers within its franchised Pennsylvania territory. It also provides services to municipalities through billing and collection arrangements, and it can supply bulk water or service-line protection programs where offered. - **Residential customers** (primary) — Households buying regulated water service for everyday use; the largest revenue base and a key driver of consumption. - **Commercial and industrial customers** (primary) — Businesses and industrial facilities buying water service for operations, fire protection, and utility needs. - **Municipal billing and collection clients** (secondary) — Municipalities outsourcing billing and collections to the company to improve administrative efficiency. - **Wastewater customers** (secondary) — Customers connected to the company's wastewater collection and treatment systems. - **Service line protection subscribers** (emerging) — Customers paying a fixed fee for repair or replacement coverage on damaged service lines. - Residential households served by the local distribution network - Commercial customers needing reliable municipal water service - Industrial users in the service territory with continuous demand - Municipalities using billing and collection services - Customers buying optional service line protection coverage ## Geography York Water operates entirely within a franchised territory in south-central Pennsylvania, covering portions of 58 municipalities across four counties. Its core water sources, reservoirs, wells, and treatment assets are concentrated in York, Adams, Franklin, and Lancaster counties, so local weather, population growth, and regulation directly affect operations. - **South-central Pennsylvania franchised territory** (100%) — All regulated water and wastewater operations are within this Pennsylvania service area. - Operations are concentrated in south-central Pennsylvania - Franchised territory covers portions of 58 municipalities - Service area spans four counties: York, Adams, Franklin, Lancaster - Water sources and reservoirs are local to the service territory - Single-region footprint increases exposure to local weather and regulation ## Strategy The company focuses on growing its customer base and distribution footprint through acquisitions, organic expansion, and infrastructure investment. It also seeks timely rate relief, uses regulated charges such as DSIC to recover qualified infrastructure replacement costs, and adds complementary services like billing and collection to diversify revenue. - **Grow the regulated customer base** (medium-term) — More customers and connections increase recurring utility revenue and spread fixed costs over a larger base. - **Recover infrastructure investment through rates** (short-term) — Timely rate relief and DSIC help fund replacement and expansion while preserving regulated returns. - **Diversify beyond core retail water sales** (medium-term) — Municipal billing, collection, and service-line programs add fee-based revenue streams. - **Maintain reliable supply and system capacity** (long-term) — Reservoirs, wells, and interconnections support service reliability and future growth. - Expand customer count through acquisitions and organic growth - Invest in mains, reservoirs, wells, and treatment infrastructure - Use rate filings and DSIC to recover capital replacement costs - Add municipal billing and collection services to diversify income - Maintain a strong capital structure to support regulated growth ## Risks York Water is exposed to weather-driven demand swings, drought restrictions, and the regulatory process that governs rates, service territory, and capital recovery. As a single-region regulated utility, it also faces local population, infrastructure, financing, and cybersecurity risks that can affect service reliability and earnings stability. - **Weather-driven demand volatility** [high] — Water usage rises in hot, dry periods and falls when precipitation is normal or restrictions are imposed. - **Regulatory and rate-setting dependence** [high] — Revenue growth depends on timely approval of rate increases and recovery of infrastructure costs. - **Local concentration** [medium] — Operations are concentrated in one regional service territory, limiting diversification across markets. - **Infrastructure and capital intensity** [high] — Water and wastewater systems require ongoing replacement and expansion to maintain service quality. - **Physical and cyber security** [medium] — Utility assets and operating systems can be targeted or disrupted, affecting continuity of service. - Weather and precipitation affect summer water usage and revenue - Drought watches or restrictions can reduce customer consumption - Rate case timing affects recovery of capital and operating costs - Single-territory footprint limits geographic diversification - Utility infrastructure and cyber threats can disrupt service ## Accounting Key accounting judgments center on regulated utility accounting, including regulatory assets and liabilities, revenue recognition, pension assumptions, and income taxes. The company also uses an interest rate swap, so derivative valuation and hedge accounting can affect reported results, while seasonality and weather can make quarterly revenue comparisons uneven. - **Regulatory assets and liabilities** — Utility rate recovery and balance sheet presentation - **Revenue recognition and DSIC** — Operating revenue and quarterly comparability - **Pension accounting** — Operating expenses and other comprehensive income - **Income taxes and deferred tax liabilities** — Tax expense and balance sheet liabilities - **Interest rate swap derivative** — Non-operating income and risk management disclosures - Regulatory assets and liabilities affect timing of cost recovery - Revenue recognition reflects utility billing, usage, and DSIC charges - Pension assumptions influence expense and funded status - Interest rate swap accounting affects non-operating results - Seasonality and weather can distort quarterly comparability --- *Last updated: 2026-04-29T05:11:14.655021+00:00*