CAWST

Name

CAWST

Legal name

Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology

Website

https://cawst.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Training and Consulting

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Safety Plans, Training & Documentation (Logbooks, SOPs) (BPABAJAL), Environmental Public Health (Food Safety, Water Quality, Sanitation) (BPAIAJAE), Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG)

Keywords

• WASH training services
• Water treatment consulting
• Sanitation capacity building
• Humanitarian engineering
• Household water filtration

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: CAWST operates as a Canadian registered charity (Charity No. 863 751 616 RR0001) and relies on donations from individuals, organizations, and government partners. They offer various donation options including one-time donations, monthly giving (Water Circle members), securities donations, planned giving, and legacy gifts.
2. USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance Grant: $1.2M USD grant from USAID BHA to support in-person, hybrid and online learning for local WASH practitioners around the world. Grant spans until August 2025.
3. WASH Capacity Accelerator Commitment: $3M commitment over three years to launch the WASH Capacity Accelerator initiative, which increases availability of local expertise. CAWST is seeking investors to co-invest in this commitment.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling CAWST merchandise including books, resources, and promotional items. Proceeds support training and empower people around the world.
5. Professional Consulting Services: As a licensed professional engineering firm (APEGA No. P-8757), CAWST provides consulting services to organizations implementing water, sanitation and hygiene solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CAWST delivers capacity-building services for the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector in low- and middle-income countries, including two-to-five-day training workshops on practical household water treatment and safe storage, technical consulting through APEGA-licensed engineers, and open-access multilingual educational resources. Core technology emphasis is on household-level solutions such as the biosand filter, ceramic pot filters, chlorination, and solar water treatment. Distribution is via a global Training Partners Network, an online training platform, and the HWTS Network knowledge base.

Product overview

CAWST (Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology) is a Canadian charity and licensed professional engineering consultancy that does not sell a software product but rather delivers a service-based model comprising training workshops, consulting services, and open-access educational resources. The core offerings are: Training Workshops (delivered via caWst.training, 2–5 day practical WASH workshops), Consulting Services (technical advisory for organizations implementing water/sanitation solutions), and the WASH Resources Library (a free online repository of training materials, games, and guidance in multiple languages). Supporting offerings include the HWTS Knowledge Base (hwts.info, a database of household water treatment technologies and policies), the Water Circle monthly giving program, a merchandise store, and a Legacy Giving program. CAWST's model focuses on building the capacity of local training partners and organizations so they can independently deliver water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions within their own communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Training Workshops Two-to-five-day facilitated workshops on practical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions that participants can implement immediately, covering the full range of household water treatment, sanitation and hygiene topics for NGOs, community organizations, and WASH practitioners.
• Consulting Services Technical consulting delivered through CAWST's APEGA-licensed professional engineering firm (APEGA No. P-8757) to help organizations and communities design and implement WASH project solutions, delivered in-person, hybrid or online.
• WASH Resources Library An open-access online catalogue of practical WASH educational resources including training manuals, games and activities, implementation guides, presentation materials, and topic briefs in multiple languages, freely available to practitioners worldwide.
• HWTS Knowledge Base (hwts.info) An online knowledge base on Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) hosting product and technology information, implementation approaches, project updates, and country-specific water policies and regulations, serving a global community of practice.
• Water Circle Monthly Giving Program A monthly giving membership program through which donors commit recurring contributions to support CAWST's mission of helping people access safe water, sanitation and hygiene globally.
• CAWST Store (Merchandise) An online storefront selling CAWST-branded books, training resources, and promotional merchandise, with proceeds directed toward providing training and empowering communities to solve their water challenges.
• Legacy Giving Program Estate and planned giving program offering donors options to leave gifts of life insurance, RRSPs or RRIFs, publicly traded securities, charitable remainder trusts, or bequests to support CAWST's mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22 million people reached with better water, sanitation or hygiene in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, regional, academic, local, strategic and media.

• WASH SDO (WASH Skills Development Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCambodian local organization committed to enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. CAWST and WASH SDO provide HWTS training programs in communities in Thpong District, Cambodia, working toward universal clean water access by 2025.
• FUNDAINIL (Fundación de Atención Integral Juvenil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-led non-profit in Venezuela with 36+ years in social development. CAWST provides HWTS training, technical guidance and resources; FUNDAINIL adapts knowledge to Venezuelan context and strengthens local delivery.
• Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church Humanitarian Aid Development Commission (EKHCDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with CAWST to strengthen ability to deliver practical water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions in Ethiopian communities. Women-led WASH for Healthy Homes initiative trains women in soap production and hygiene promotion.
• Aqua Clara Kenya (ACK)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCAWST training partner in Kenya. CEO John Nyagwencha is part of CAWST's global network. ACK implements water and sanitation solutions locally with CAWST support.
• Biosand Filter Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (BiFEAN)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 42 entrepreneurs building businesses that manufacture, sell and service biosand filters across Nepal's Tarai region. CAWST provides training, technical expertise and practical tools supporting local market development.
• Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAWST hosts this global network connecting hundreds of organizations worldwide including academic institutions, international development agencies, governments and grassroots organizations. Network has 1,400+ members from 70+ countries.
• World Health Organization (WHO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO is a member of the HWTS Network secretariat and administers an international scheme to evaluate HWTS products. CAWST collaborates with WHO on household water treatment guidance.
• UNICEFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF has a regional WASH and environment advisor as part of the HWTS Network. Emphasizes significance of HWTS in regions where self-supply is common.
• Ghana Standards AuthorityregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhana was one of the first countries to develop policies and protocols to certify HWTS products. CAWST connects this expertise through the HWTS Network.
• Tufts UniversityacademicStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Daniele Lantagne from Tufts University is a global HWTS expert in the network. Works in 40+ countries understanding local contexts for household water treatment.
• Africa Learning Exchange (Africa LEX)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaboration for learning exchanges in Africa, supporting shared learning and implementation of household water treatment and safe storage.
• Calgary Airport AuthoritylocalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting water management expertise. YYC Calgary International Airport shares water stewardship practices and supports CAWST's mission.
• SanergystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted a free five-part webinar series with CAWST and Pan-African Association of Sanitation Actors exploring how to work more effectively with manual pit toilet emptiers.
• Pan-African Association of Sanitation ActorsstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CAWST and Sanergy to host webinar series on manual pit emptiers, providing a forum for marginalized workers to discuss their trade.
• RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)mediaGTM or Marketing PartnerRBC featured CAWST CEO Shauna Curry on their Discover & Learn Blog for International Women's Day celebrations, highlighting women leaders in WASH.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WaterAid: Global non-profit focused on providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries, with a strong emphasis on local capacity building, advocacy, and partnership with implementing organizations — directly comparable to CAWST's WASH training and consulting mandate across low- and middle-income countries.
• IRC (International Water and Sanitation Centre): Knowledge-focused WASH organization that builds capacity of local actors, governments and practitioners through research, learning resources, and training — closely aligned with CAWST's capacity-strengthening model and HWTS Network knowledge base.
• Water.org: Global non-profit co-founded by Gary White and Matt Damon that finances household water and sanitation access in developing countries via microfinance partnerships — overlapping with CAWST on household-level WASH solutions but using market-based rather than training-led distribution.
• charity: water: US-based non-profit funding clean water projects in developing countries, with strong brand recognition and donor mobilization capability — competes for the same donor pool as CAWST and shares its mission of household and community water access.
• iDE (International Development Enterprises): International development organization that uses market-based and entrepreneur-driven approaches to deliver WASH and agricultural products in developing countries — closely comparable to CAWST's BiFEAN biosand filter entrepreneur model in Nepal.
• Practical Action: International non-profit working on technology-based poverty reduction including water, sanitation and energy in developing countries — comparable to CAWST on its emphasis on practical, low-cost household technologies and partner capacity building.
• Tearfund: Christian international relief and development agency with substantial WASH programming in fragile contexts — overlaps with CAWST on community-level household water treatment and local partner capacity strengthening.

Regional players

• WaterCan/Eau Vive: Canadian WASH-focused non-profit working on safe water, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries, with similar donor base and policy engagement — a Canadian geographic peer to CAWST headquartered in Calgary.

Broad incumbents

• World Vision (WASH programs): Large international humanitarian organization running WASH programs as part of a broader portfolio of child welfare, health and emergency response work — significantly larger than CAWST but overlapping on WASH training and community implementation in developing countries.
• PATH (WASH programs): Global health non-profit whose work includes household water treatment and safe storage technologies — overlapping with CAWST's HWTS specialization but operating as a broader health-focused organization rather than a WASH-only specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cawst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/613226
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjQ5cS4eBmOQyjBmYJKwXSA
• Xx.com/cawst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 CAWST