What DIGDEEP does

DigDeep is a U.S. nonprofit human rights organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Los Angeles that delivers water and sanitation infrastructure to underserved American households lacking running water or indoor plumbing. The organization operates three regional field programs: the Navajo Water Project serving the Navajo Nation across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah; the Appalachia Water Project serving McDowell and Wyoming Counties in West Virginia; and the Colonias Water Project serving six named Texas border communities. Service delivery consists of solar-powered off-grid Home Water Systems deployable in approximately 24 hours, municipal piped water connections, septic system installations, and bathroom upgrades, supported by a water truck fleet and a centralized data platform (mWater) used for field surveys, donor reporting, and regulatory submissions.

The organization's underlying technology is hardware- and civil-engineering-led rather than software-led: solar-powered tanks connected to household plumbing, rainwater harvesting pilots, and advanced septic systems developed with the IWSH Foundation. Supporting capabilities include the mWater data platform (over 4,500 paper surveys digitized), the Water is Life Fund grantmaking vehicle, and the Vessel Collective coalition co-founded in 2023 to coordinate the broader U.S. WASH sector. DigDeep also produces sector-defining research, including the Draining economic impact report quantifying an $8.58 billion annual U.S. cost from the water access gap and the Close the Water Gap national study.

DigDeep is funded entirely through donations, corporate and foundation grants, and cause-marketing partnerships; beneficiaries receive services at no charge. Revenue streams include individual one-time and recurring monthly donations, a tiered corporate partner program (Creek $50K+ through Delta Circle $1M+), cause-marketing integrations, and merchandise sales. Notable corporate and foundation partners include BlueTriton Brands, Primo Brands, Coca-Cola Foundation, Liquid I.V., Caterpillar Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Pentair Foundation, and Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation. The organization reported total expenditure of $15.66 million in 2024 (across programs, operations, and fundraising) and $16.78 million in 2023 (including fixed assets), with 75 staff members nationwide at year-end 2024.

Name

DIGDEEP

Legal name

The DigDeep Right to Water Project

Website

http://www.digdeep.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DigDeep is a U.S. nonprofit founded in 2012 that installs solar-powered off-grid Home Water Systems, piped water connections, and septic systems for households without running water across the Navajo Nation, Appalachia, and Texas Colonias, funded by donations and corporate grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Sanitation Access Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Water access programs
• Rural water infrastructure
• Community water projects
• Off-grid water systems
• Water sanitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Charitable donations from individuals supporting water access programs. 100% of donations go directly to programs due to donors covering operating costs.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Grants: Corporate and foundation grants supporting specific programs, events, and initiatives including permanent off-grid Home Water System installation, piped water connections, septic systems, and skilled job creation.
3. Cause Marketing: Partnerships where companies donate a portion of product sales or offer donations at checkout to support DigDeep's mission.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including gift cards, water bottles, and apparel through the DigDeep shop.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DigDeep is a human rights nonprofit that delivers water and sanitation access directly to underserved U.S. households through three regional field projects: the Navajo Water Project (Navajo Nation), Appalachia Water Project (West Virginia), and Colonias Water Project (Texas border). Field teams install off-grid solar-powered Home Water Systems, connect households to municipal piped water, and install septic systems, while a Water is Life Fund grantmaking program and the Vessel Collective coalition extend impact to community-led and sector-wide initiatives.

Product overview

DigDeep is a human rights nonprofit organization operating a portfolio of water access programs rather than a traditional product company. The core offerings include three regional water projects (Navajo Water Project, Appalachia Water Project, and Colonias Water Project) that deliver on-the-ground water and sanitation services to underserved communities. These programs install Home Water Systems, connect households to municipal water lines, and provide septic system services. Supporting the direct service work, DigDeep produces research reports (Draining and Close the Water Gap) that quantify the water access crisis and propose policy solutions. The organization also operates the Water is Life Fund grant program for community-led projects and co-founded the Vessel Collective coalition to strengthen the broader US WASH sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Navajo Water Project Community-led initiative that installs off-grid solar-powered Home Water Systems and connects households to municipal water on the Navajo Nation across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Expanded to 10 new communities in 2023, installed over 170 off-grid Home Water Systems and connected more than 350 households to clean water.
• Appalachia Water Project Initiative bringing clean, running water and proper sanitation to rural communities in West Virginia, connecting households to municipal water supplies, installing septic systems, and completing centralized sewer projects including the Coalwood sewage treatment plant serving over 90 families.
• Colonias Water Project Project bringing clean running water and sanitation to Texas colonias (unincorporated communities along the US-Mexico border). Started with Cochran and expanded to five additional colonias including Hillcrest, Tierra de Oro, Laura E. Mundy, Serene Acres, and Turf Estates, with services including piped water connections and septic system installations.
• Water is Life Fund Grantmaking program supporting small to medium-scale locally-led water and sanitation projects across the United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.2 million+ Americans without water access
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IWSH) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on plumbing training program at Navajo Technical University; partnership for advanced septic systems technology.
• A.Y.U.D.A.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal community development organization critical to Cochran colonia success; helped families access state housing grants after water connections.
• University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Colonias Water Project region for research and community engagement.
• McDowell County Public Service DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeamed up to open Coalwood sewage treatment plant serving over 90 families with first-ever proper wastewater treatment.
• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigDeep serves as key advisor to EPA's Office of Wastewater through the Decentralized Wastewater Partnership; helped expand pilot program to 150 communities.
• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy advisory role; WAIC roundtable meeting presented policy recommendations to USDA officials.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• WaterAid: Global WASH nonprofit operating across multiple continents; comparable in mission (clean water access) and donor-supported nonprofit model, but works internationally rather than domestically.
• Sierra Club Foundation: Large environmental nonprofit with advocacy and grantmaking; comparable in scale, federal-policy influence, and donor-supported operating model, with overlapping climate/water policy interests.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Major environmental advocacy organization with deep federal policy engagement; comparable in policy-advocacy model and water/environmental focus, but operates across many issues beyond WASH.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Large nonprofit providing housing infrastructure to low-income families; comparable in scale, donor-supported model, and community-led construction approach, though focused on housing rather than water.

Direct peers

• charity: water: Water-focused nonprofit with a similar donation-driven model, strong brand storytelling, and 100%-to-programs pledge; comparable in funding approach and cause-marketing activations, though it primarily funds overseas projects.
• Water.org: Pioneer in water and sanitation access through market-based financing; comparable WASH mission and high-profile celebrity/founder-led brand, though focused on international water access.
• US Water Alliance: National nonprofit coalition advancing sustainable water policy and equity; directly comparable in convening role and US WASH sector leadership, complementing DigDeep's Vessel Collective work.
• Engineers Without Borders USA: Nonprofit deploying engineering solutions to deliver water/sanitation infrastructure to underserved communities; comparable in service-delivery model, volunteer-driven field operations, and WASH mission.
• Global Water Challenge: Coalition of corporations, NGOs, and governments working on global WASH solutions; directly comparable as a multi-stakeholder convening organization and current DigDeep partner.

Others

• DigDeep Navajo Water Project (internal): DigDeep's own Navajo Nation program; included as an internal peer for benchmarking regional operating models and unit economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/reel/ChVQtT8DkHj/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Xx.com/digdeeph2o
• Facebookfacebook.com/digdeepwater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digdeep

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

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 DIGDEEP