CatarmanWater District was created on May 25, 1988, by virtue of Council Resolution No. 88-18(04) approved by the Municipality of Catarman, Province of Northern Samar. The water district started its operation in 1995 pursuant to PD 198, otherwise known as the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973 as amended by Presidential Decree No. 768 and 1479. The decree authorized the formation of local water districts and provided for their government and administration to facilitate improvement of local water utilities and granted said administration such powers as are necessary to optimize public service from water utility operations and for other purposes. Currently, it is serving twenty (23) barangays of the Municipality of Catarman, Northern Samar with 2,465 concessionaires.

Since 1992, by virtue of the Supreme Court en banc decision, G.R. No. 95237-38 (Davao City Water District, et. al. Vs. CSC, et. Al.), water districts were declared Government Owned and/or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) with original charter and as such under the jurisdiction of the public respondents Civil Service Commission and Commission on Audit.

At the beginning of the year, CWD was categorized as Small Water District but on April 2004, the water district was recategorized to Average Water District, and again, was recategorized on April 2008 to Medium Water District. CWD is composed of  eleven (11) permanent and One (4) casual employees under the leadership of Mr Guido A. Mollejon, General Manager. The water district is managed through policies formulated by its Board of Directors in accordance with regulations of LWUA, National Government and other regulatory bodies.

The Oversight Committee on Local Water Districts composed of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the  Philippine Association of Water Districts (PAWD) has proposed the revision of the Manual to streamline and rationalize the categorization.  The Catarman Water District at present  distinguish as Category D that the number of service connections becomes a significant factor in line with the LWD’s  key service objective of reaching as may clients as possible.

The Catarman Water District has established a 3-year Human Resource Development Plan.  The CWD must show its financial growth and stability, a performance review in order to ensure its financial viability and long-term sustainability in upgrading to higher category.  Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern (OSSP) is modified following the new set of category.