What Zip Water does

Zip Water, founded in Sydney in 1947 and now operating as Zip Heaters (Aust) Pty Ltd, manufactures instant boiling, chilled and sparkling water filtration systems, primarily under the HydroTap brand. The company is a subsidiary of Culligan International Group following the August 2017 acquisition from Quadrant Private Equity and founder Michael Crouch AO. Manufacturing is concentrated at the company's western Sydney facility, with regional offices in the UK and US, country-specific websites across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China, South Africa and the UAE, and an international distributor network reaching 80+ countries. Zip serves seven primary customer verticals: Residential and Commercial/Business are flagged as the principal segments, with additional focus on Healthcare, Government, Hospitality, Sports & Leisure and Industrial/Institutions.

The core technology stack centres on proprietary MicroPurity 8-in-1 filtration, certified to NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53, which uses a triple-action combination of 5+ micron pleated membrane, 0.2-micron fiberdyne-treated carbon block and scale inhibitor to reduce microplastics, PFAS, lead, asbestos, sediment, chlorine, bacteria and cysts. Generation-five HydroTap platforms (G5, 2021, with eco-friendly variant in 2024) add 100% water-efficient air-cooled refrigeration and R290 refrigerant delivering a 95% reduction in Global Warming Potential. The product portfolio extends to on-wall boiling systems (Hydroboil, Autoboil, Econoboil), commercial high-capacity dispensers (HydroChill, ChillMaster, SiteMaster), the Zip Micro compact unit, the UltraCare multi-barrier system for Legionella control in healthcare, and the Touch-Free Wave infrared contactless solution developed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The revenue model combines one-time hardware sales (residential HydroTap configurations from $3,295 to $9,045+ RRP, with commercial systems quoted), recurring consumables revenue (MicroPurity filter cartridges with a 12-month replacement cycle and CO2 canisters), tiered HydroCare service plans (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum), commercial rental/lease agreements and certified installation services backed by a 12-month warranty. Distribution is multi-channel: 1,000+ showrooms and resellers in Australia plus direct e-commerce handle residential demand, while a dedicated commercial field sales force with product specialists serves enterprise healthcare, government, hospitality, retail and industrial accounts. The service network of 130+ directly employed technicians and 350+ service providers, reporting a >90% first-time fix rate and a 72-hour onsite target, underpins the recurring service revenue stream.

Name

Zip Water

Legal name

Zip Heaters (Aust) Pty Ltd

Website

https://zipwater.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Zip Water is a Sydney-based manufacturer of instant boiling, chilled and sparkling water filtration systems, primarily under the HydroTap brand, using proprietary MicroPurity filtration. It serves residential, commercial, healthcare, government and hospitality customers across 80+ countries as a subsidiary of Culligan International Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drinking Water Appliances

NAICS

Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Under-Sink Water Filtration Systems (CRAJAJAD)

Keywords

• Instant hot water taps
• Filtered water dispensers
• Boiling water systems
• Sparkling water appliances
• Commercial water dispensers

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales (HydroTap Systems): One-time purchase of under-sink command centre units and taps. Products include residential HydroTap (Classic, Arc, Cube, Elite Plus, Celsius ranges) and commercial systems. Available from $3,295 to $9,045+ RRP.
2. Consumables (Filters & CO2): Recurring revenue from MicroPurity filter replacements (12-month lifespan) and CO2 cartridges for sparkling water. Filters use triple-action technology; CO2 canisters available in 1.0kg residential and 2.6kg commercial sizes.
3. Service Plans (HydroCare): Preventative maintenance plans (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum tiers) providing scheduled filter changes, inspections, repairs, and sanitization. Covers commercial and residential products.
4. Commercial Rental Plans: Lease agreements for commercial customers providing equipment plus maintenance services on ongoing basis. Alternative to outright purchase for businesses.
5. Installation Services: Certified installation services including stone cutting for tap installations, provided by 100+ factory-trained engineers across Australia. Backed by 12-month installation warranty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zip Water manufactures and sells under-sink instant filtered water systems (HydroTap, currently G5 generation) delivering boiling, chilled, and sparkling water from a single tap, alongside on-wall commercial boiling units (Hydroboil, Autoboil, Econoboil), high-capacity commercial chilled and sparkling dispensers (HydroChill, ChillMaster, SiteMaster, Chill Fountain), touch-free washroom products (AquaSense), the compact Zip Micro unit, and the healthcare-grade HydroTap UltraCare. The company also supplies MicroPurity filter cartridges and CO2 canisters as consumables, and operates HydroCare preventative maintenance service plans (Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum plus healthcare-specialised Gold+) and certified installation services through its own engineers and authorised network across 80+ countries.

Product overview

Zip Water is a manufacturer of instant boiling, chilled, and sparkling water filtration systems, primarily under the HydroTap brand. The product portfolio includes under-sink water dispensers (HydroTap in G3-G5 generations with variants including Classic, Arc, Cube, Elite, and Celsius lines), on-wall boiling water systems (Hydroboil, Autoboil, Econoboil), commercial chilled water solutions (ChillMaster, SiteMaster, EconoMaster, HydroChill, Chill Fountain), touch-free washroom products (AquaSense taps, flushing systems, hand dryers), instantaneous hot water heaters, and the compact Micro system. The HydroTap All-In-One models combine filtered water with mixer tap functionality. The company also offers consumables (filters, CO2 canisters), service/maintenance plans (HydroCare Bronze through Platinum), and certified installation services. Manufacturing is based in western Sydney, Australia, with distribution to over 80 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HydroTap: Award-winning flagship product line delivering instant filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water
• HydroChill
• Hydroboil
• Autoboil
• Econoboil
• Zip Micro
• ChillMaster
• SiteMaster
• UltraCare
• Celsius Plus
• ChillTap
• Touch-Free Wave
• AquaSense

Products and services

• Zip HydroTap (Resid Flagship under-sink instant filtered water system delivering boiling, chilled, and sparkling water from a single tap. Multiple design variants (Classic, Arc, Cube, Elite, Celsius Arc, Celsius All-In-One Arc, Celsius Plus All-In-One, Celsius Plus All-In-One Pull-Out) and the latest G5 generation are available for residential kitchens.
• Zip HydroTap Commercial Commercial-grade HydroTap system delivering instant filtered boiling, chilled, and sparkling water at scale for offices, conference rooms, break rooms, and commercial kitchens.
• HydroTap G5 (5th Generation) Current fifth-generation HydroTap platform featuring optimised aerator, enhanced energy efficiency, and underlying technology for Classic Plus and UltraCare variants.
• Zip Micro Smallest drinking water system in the Zip range, delivering boiling and chilled filtered water for small workplaces of up to 10 people.
• Zip Hydroboil On-wall instant boiling water heater with power-saving features, designed for busy workplaces and commercial kitchens.
• Zip Autoboil On-wall instant boiling water heater with thermostatic temperature control, two-way tap, and self on/off capability up to 5 times daily, ideal for canteens and cafes.
• Zip Econoboil Cost-effective on-wall instant boiling water solution for site sheds and short-term tenancies, with thermostatic temperature control.
• Zip HydroChill High-capacity filtered drinking water system delivering 90–200 litres per hour of chilled, ambient, or sparkling water for commercial settings, designed to replace bottled water at scale.
• HydroTap UltraCare Healthcare-grade HydroTap with multi-barrier filtration delivering 99.9% reduction in Legionella for health and aged-care facilities, compliant with enHealth guidelines.
• Zip Chill Fountain Wall-mounted drinking fountain with UV-C LED disinfection and MicroPurity filtration, featuring hands-free bottle filling. Available in single and double configurations.
• Zip ChillMaster Freestanding stainless steel chilled water dispenser offering a stylish, cost-effective, heavy-duty solution for commercial settings.
• Zip SiteMaster Heavy-duty IP23-rated chilled water cooler engineered for industrial sites and building sites, with anti-vandal tapware and adjustable feet.
• Zip EconoMaster Cost-effective chilled water unit for factories, worksites, and site sheds, available in bubbler-only or bubbler with carafe filler configurations in a white powder-coated case.
• Zip Instantaneous Hot Water (IHW) Point-of-use electric hot water heaters in M Series (single basin), C Series (medium flow), and D Series (high flow), heating water at point of use on demand for commercial applications.
• AquaSense Touch-Free Washroom Solutions Comprehensive touch-free washroom range including infrared sensor taps (six-star WELS rating), automatic touch-free flushing systems for urinals and toilets, and automatic hand dryers.
• MicroPurity Filter Cartridges Replacement water filter cartridges (models 93701–93706) certified to NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53, providing 12-month lifespan with annual replacement recommended.
• CO2 Canisters Refillable CO2 cylinders for sparkling water production, available in residential 1.0kg and commercial 2.6kg sizes.
• HydroCare Service Plans Subscription-based preventative maintenance plans in four tiers — Bronze (scheduled filter replacement), Silver (full maintenance cover), Gold (maintenance plus filters), and Platinum (total cover including CO2 refills), plus a healthcare-specialised Gold+ plan with in-field UltraCare cleaning and asset lifecycle forecasting. Billed annually in advance.
• Zip Certified Installation Professional installation service delivered by 100+ factory-trained engineers across Australia, including stone cutting for tap and font installs, backed by a 12-month installation warranty. Add-on available at zipwater.com checkout.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% fewer emissions than a kettle over one year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pentair: Large-cap global water solutions company with point-of-use and point-of-entry filtration, including consumer brands; competes broadly with Zip in residential filtration and commercial water treatment.
• BWT (Best Water Technology): European water-treatment incumbent offering point-of-use filtration, mineralization, and reverse-osmosis systems that overlap with Zip's residential and hospitality propositions; much broader product portfolio than Zip.
• EcoWater Systems: Global water-treatment manufacturer and dealer network (owned by Marmon Water, Berkshire Hathaway); competes with Zip in commercial and residential water treatment, with broader filtration categories.
• Watts Water Technologies: US-listed manufacturer of water treatment, plumbing, and flow-control products, including point-of-use filtration under brands like Watts Premier; broad incumbent with overlapping commercial hydration specifications.
• Brita: Iconic consumer water filtration brand (Clorox-owned in NA, part of Brita/SodaStream globally) with pitcher and under-sink filters; serves overlapping consumer hydration needs with Zip from a different price/format angle.

Direct peers

• Billi: Australian direct competitor specializing in under-sink boiling, chilled, and sparkling water systems for residential and commercial customers; the most cited alternative to HydroTap in the Australian marketplace.
• Quooker: Direct Dutch-headquartered peer that pioneered the instant boiling water tap in its modern form; competes head-to-head with Zip HydroTap on premium under-sink boiling/chilled/sparkling dispensers in Australia, UK, and Europe.

Emerging players

• Coway: Korean home-wellness appliance leader with water ionizers and point-of-use dispensers; increasingly competitive in APAC premium home hydration adjacent to HydroTap and an emerging threat in Asian markets where Zip is expanding via Culligan.

Others

• Culligan International: Zip's parent company and largest adjacent peer; global leader in residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment operating in the same end markets (offices, healthcare, hospitality, light commercial) with overlapping distribution.
• 3M Purification: Industrial and consumer filtration arm of 3M; provides filter media and point-of-use filtration products that compete indirectly with MicroPurity across OEM and replacement-filter channels relevant to Zip's consumables business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ZipIndustries
• Facebookfacebook.com/zipwaterr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zipwater
• Instagraminstagram.com/zipwater_
• Xx.com/ZipWater_

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zip Water