Water Infrastructure · Project Finance · Resource Development

Building the water infrastructure of tomorrow

WaterMark Resource Development specializes in developing, acquiring, owning, operating, and financing water infrastructure assets — with a disciplined focus on new water resources, supply-side management, and stormwater and wastewater recycle/reuse opportunities.

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$5B+
Projects Executed
10+
Years Experience
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A specialized infrastructure development company

WaterMark Resource Development, Inc. is a specialized project development and finance company focused on the full lifecycle of water infrastructure — with capabilities including construction, operations, and long-term asset management.

Founded by two long-time business associates, WaterMark brings together deep sector expertise with a proven track record of originating, planning, and executing complex infrastructure projects valued in excess of $5 billion over the past ten years.

We operate at the intersection of engineering, finance, and policy — identifying opportunities where innovative approaches to water resource development can create lasting value for communities, investors, and the environment alike.

01

Water & Wastewater Markets

Extensive experience across municipal and industrial water and wastewater sectors, from source to treatment to discharge.

02

Renewable Energy Integration

Proven ability to integrate renewable energy solutions with water infrastructure for sustainable, cost-effective operations.

03

Complex Project Finance

Structuring and executing sophisticated project finance solutions for capital-intensive infrastructure assets.

04

Regulatory & Policy Navigation

Deep relationships and expertise navigating water rights, permitting, and regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions.

Full-spectrum water infrastructure services

Project Development

End-to-end origination and development of water infrastructure projects — beginning with initial feasibility and environmental review leading to permitting, design, and financial close.

Build · Acquire · Originate

Project Finance

Structuring and arranging debt, equity, and hybrid capital solutions tailored to the unique characteristics of water infrastructure assets and their long-term, stable cash flows.

Finance · Structure · Capital

Asset Ownership & Operations

Long-term ownership and professional management of water infrastructure assets, optimizing operational performance, regulatory compliance, and financial returns.

Own · Operate · Optimize

Supply-Side Resource Management

Identifying, developing, and managing new water supply resources — including groundwater, surface water, recycled water, and water rights acquisition and optimization.

Resources · Supply · Reliability

Stormwater Management

Developing innovative stormwater capture, treatment, and beneficial reuse systems that address regulatory requirements while generating valuable new water supply.

Capture · Treat · Reuse

Wastewater Recycle & Reuse

Transforming wastewater streams into valuable resources through advanced treatment, indirect potable reuse, industrial supply, and agricultural irrigation applications.

Recycle · Reclaim · Restore

Disciplined execution of complex projects

WaterMark's founders bring a successful track record of originating, planning, and executing complex infrastructure projects across the water, wastewater, and renewable energy markets.

Our integrated approach combines technical expertise, financial structuring capability, and deep market relationships to move projects from concept to completion with precision.

01

Origination & Opportunity Identification

We identify compelling infrastructure opportunities through our deep market relationships, technical expertise, and ongoing monitoring of regulatory, demographic, and supply/demand dynamics in water markets.

02

Feasibility & Structuring

We evaluate engineering options, regulatory pathways, market conditions, and capital structures to optimize project viability and risk-adjusted returns.

03

Permitting & Development

We navigate complex regulatory frameworks — water rights, environmental review, construction permits — drawing on decades of experience with state and federal agencies to advance projects efficiently.

04

Finance & Capital Markets

Leveraging established relationships with infrastructure lenders, private equity sponsors, and institutional investors, we arrange and structure capital solutions that optimize project economics and long-term ownership.

05

Construction & Commissioning

We oversee construction with disciplined project management, ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to specification — with a focus on long-term operational performance from day one.

06

Long-Term Ownership & Operations

WaterMark is a long-term owner-operator. We manage assets to maximize operational performance, maintain regulatory compliance, and generate stable, long-duration cash flows for project stakeholders.

Where water scarcity meets infrastructure opportunity

WaterMark concentrates its expertise on the most pressing challenges in water resource management — areas where innovative infrastructure solutions deliver the greatest impact and long-term value.

New Water Resources

Developing alternative water supplies — desalination, aquifer storage and recovery, water banking, and advanced purified water — to address growing scarcity and supply reliability challenges.

Supply-Side Management

Optimizing existing water supply infrastructure through operational improvements, system integration, and demand management programs that defer costly capital expansion.

Stormwater Reuse

Capturing and treating urban stormwater runoff for beneficial reuse — turning a regulatory compliance challenge into a valuable water supply asset for communities and industries.

Wastewater Recycling

Advanced wastewater treatment and indirect/direct potable reuse projects that close the water cycle and provide reliable, drought-resistant supplies regardless of climatic conditions.

Leadership built on proven experience

WaterMark was founded by two long-time business associates whose combined career spans water, wastewater, renewable energy, and infrastructure finance — with a track record measured in landmark projects and institutional relationships built over decades.

ML
ML

Mark Lambert

Founder & Managing Partner

40 Years in the Water Industry
Founded WaterMark in 2016
Previously CEO of IDE Americas
Desalination & Water Reuse Expert

Education

MBA, Finance

Golden Gate University

BS, Chemical Engineering

University of California, Berkeley

With more than four decades of leadership in the water, wastewater, desalination, and environmental services sectors, Mark has built a distinguished career developing, financing, delivering, and operating critical infrastructure projects across North and South America. As Founder and Managing Partner of WaterMark Resource Development, he advises public and private clients on project development, financing, risk management, and execution while investing in and developing water infrastructure assets.

His executive experience includes serving as CEO of IDE Americas, where he established the company as the leading desalination developer in the Americas and led the award of landmark projects including the 50 MGD Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Plant — the largest in the Western Hemisphere. He has also held senior leadership positions with Kiewit Infrastructure, Inframark, TestAmerica, American Water, U.S. Filter (Siemens), and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), managing large-scale business development, operations, and P&L responsibilities.

Throughout his career, he has been recognized for successfully delivering complex water and wastewater projects through innovative procurement and delivery models, including Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, CMAR, CMGC, BOO, BOOT, and DBO structures. His expertise spans desalination, water reuse, treatment technologies, contract operations, infrastructure finance, and strategic growth, making him one of the industry's most experienced leaders in water resource development and management.

JC
JC

Jim Crabtree

Project Director / EVP Finance

Water Infrastructure Finance
Regulated Utilities & Asset Management
Private Equity & Structured Finance
30+ Years Experience

Education

MBA

Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University

BA

University of California, Berkeley

Jim is a seasoned executive with more than 30 years of experience spanning water and wastewater utilities, infrastructure development, technology, private equity, and investment banking. His career uniquely combines deep operational leadership with extensive expertise in corporate finance, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and utility regulation.

Currently serving as President and CFO of Makai Water Services, Jim leads one of Hawaii's largest private wastewater utilities, overseeing strategic growth, regulatory affairs, capital investment, and financial performance. He previously served as CFO of SmartCover Systems, where he helped scale the wastewater collection optimization technology company from approximately $3 million in revenue to more than $40 million, culminating in a $185 million acquisition by Badger Meter.

Throughout his career, Jim has advised and led organizations involved in water infrastructure, desalination, utility ownership, and public-private partnerships. His experience includes serving as advisor and interim CFO to water infrastructure companies, consulting on major public development projects for the San Diego Unified Port District, and helping structure utility ownership and investment strategies for water and wastewater assets throughout North America and beyond.

Prior to his work in the water sector, Jim held senior investment and finance positions with WallerSutton 2000, a $170 million private equity fund, GE Capital's Structured Finance Group, and J.P. Morgan Chase Investment Banking. Across these roles, he participated in more than $1 billion of investments and financings in infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and technology sectors, developing expertise in acquisitions, leveraged finance, valuation, risk management, and operational turnarounds.

His unique blend of utility operations, infrastructure development, technology commercialization, private equity investing, and institutional finance positions him as a highly experienced leader in the development, acquisition, financing, and management of essential infrastructure businesses.

"Together, Mark and Jim have originated, planned, and executed complex infrastructure projects valued in excess of $5 billion over the past twenty years."

$5B+

Projects Executed

70+

Years Collective Experience

2

Cal Berkeley Alumni

Work With Us

Ready to develop your water infrastructure opportunity?

We partner with municipalities, developers, investors, and industrial water users to bring complex water projects to life.

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Get in touch

Whether you have a specific project in mind, are seeking a development or finance partner, or simply want to learn more about WaterMark's capabilities, we'd like to hear from you.

Email jcrabtree@watermarkrd.com · mlambert@watermarkrd.com
Phone +1 (XXX) XXX-XXXX
Office United States