What Water Research Foundation does

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is a nonprofit cooperative research organization headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with a regional office in Alexandria, Virginia. Founded originally in 1966 and reorganized in its current form through a 2018 merger of three legacy water research bodies, WRF manages a cumulative applied research portfolio exceeding $700 million across more than 2,500 completed projects and roughly 300 ongoing studies covering the full water cycle — drinking water, wastewater, reuse, stormwater, resource recovery, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS.

WRF's core deliverables fall into two buckets: (1) research programs that allocate funding to utilities, academic institutions, and consultants — the Research Priority Program (60% of budget), Tailored Collaboration Program (20%), Unsolicited Research Program (10%), and Emerging Opportunities Program (10%) — and (2) approximately 15+ proprietary web-based tools including CLASIC (stormwater lifecycle cost analysis), the BMP Database (700+ studies), WSCER (climate emissions reporting), Path to Nutrient Optimization, an ESG framework, and the Residential End Uses of Water Dashboard. The organization also administers the Paul L. Busch Award ($100K annual research prize) and co-runs the Intelligent Water Systems Challenge with the Water Environment Federation.

WRF's revenue is generated through tiered annual subscriptions from water utilities (priced via the 2023 One Water Rate based on utility revenue and population served), consulting firms ($2,696–$72,030 per year), and manufacturers ($1,107–$72,030 per year), supplemented by grants from federal agencies (EPA, DOE, DOD, Bureau of Reclamation) and state entities (California State Water Board, NYSERDA, California Energy Commission). Customer segments span municipal and private water utilities, engineering consultancies, equipment manufacturers, research institutions, and nonprofit partners. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward AI-enabled water research (Generative AI and Agentic AI grants), ESG frameworks (with Jacobs), and global smart-metering guidance (with SWAN).

Name

Water Research Foundation

Legal name

The Water Research Foundation

Website

https://waterrf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Water Research Foundation is a nonprofit cooperative research organization that funds and conducts applied water-sector R&D for subscribing utilities, consultants, and manufacturers across North America, with a $700M+ portfolio of 2,500+ projects and proprietary web tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Utility Subscriptions: Water utilities pay annual subscription fees based on a One Water Rate calculated from revenue and population served. This is the primary revenue stream supporting WRF's research agenda.
2. Consultant Subscriptions: Consulting firms pay tiered annual subscriptions based on water-related billings, ranging from $2,696 to $72,030 annually.
3. Manufacturer Subscriptions: Manufacturing companies pay tiered annual subscriptions based on water-related billings, ranging from $1,107 to $72,030 annually.
4. Government Grants: WRF receives grants from federal and state agencies including EPA, DOE, DOD, Bureau of Reclamation, California State Water Board, California Energy Commission, and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
5. Foundation Grants: WRF partners with foundations including Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research (FFAR) on research projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Water Research Foundation is a nonprofit cooperative research organization that plans, funds, and delivers applied water-sector research on behalf of its utility, consulting, and manufacturer members. Its offerings include subscription-based Research Priority, Unsolicited, Tailored Collaboration, Emerging Opportunities, and Facilitated Research programs, member access to a 50-plus-year research report catalog, and a portfolio of web-based decision-support tools (e.g., CLASIC, BMP Database, LCAMER, WSCER, Path to Nutrient Optimization, Reuse 101).

Product overview

The Water Research Foundation operates a portfolio of research programs, web-based technology tools, and innovation resources rather than a single product. Its core offerings include five research funding programs (Research Priority, Unsolicited Research, Tailored Collaboration, Emerging Opportunities, and Facilitated Research) that collectively manage over $700M in applied water research. The technology deliverables include approximately 15+ web tools such as CLASIC (stormwater lifecycle cost analysis), the BMP Database, LCAMER (energy recovery assessment), Reuse 101, Path to Nutrient Optimization, WSCER (climate emissions reporting), ESG framework tools, and various decision support tools. Innovation resources encompass the SEE IT scholarship program, IWS Challenge competition, Tech Trends technology intelligence, and a Pilot Project Program. The organization publishes its research through project reports, case studies, and webcasts, serving utility subscribers, research institutions, and water sector professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paul L. Busch Award: A $100,000 research award presented to advance water quality treatment and wastewater resource recovery.
• LIFT (Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology)

Products and services

• Research Priority Program An annual, member-funded research program in which WRF member utilities collectively identify and commission applied research projects addressing industry-prioritized drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, reuse, and water-energy topics.
• Unsolicited Research Program A member-submitted research solicitation pathway allowing WRF utility members to propose and fund specific applied research projects outside the annual priority-setting cycle.
• Tailored Collaboration Program A custom research collaboration track in which WRF partners with individual utilities, agencies, or industry partners to scope and deliver bespoke applied research projects.
• Emerging Opportunities Program A WRF research program that funds early-stage exploration of emerging issues facing the water sector, allowing rapid response to new science, contaminants, or technologies.
• Facilitated Research Program A member-facilitated research track that enables groups of WRF members to jointly propose and deliver targeted research with WRF oversight.
• CLASIC Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Tool A web-based life-cycle cost analysis tool that enables water utilities to model capital and operating costs of alternative treatment and infrastructure decisions.
• BMP Database A curated online database of performance studies on stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs), used by utilities and regulators to assess green infrastructure and stormwater control effectiveness.
• LCAMER Greenhouse Gas Emissions Estimator A web-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions estimator that helps drinking water and wastewater utilities quantify process and energy-related GHG emissions for inventory and reporting purposes.
• Reuse 101 An online training resource providing introductory education on water reuse principles, regulations, and technologies for water utility professionals and the public.
• Path to Nutrient Optimization A self-assessment web application that guides wastewater utilities through a structured path to optimize nutrient removal processes and meet nutrient discharge objectives.
• WSCER Source Control Cost Estimator A web-based cost estimator designed to help drinking water and wastewater utilities evaluate costs and savings of source control programs for contaminants of emerging concern.
• ESG Technology Deliverable An applied research deliverable, resulting from WRF's Tailored Collaboration Program, that helps water utilities define, assess, and report on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.
• Paul L. Busch Award A long-running WRF-administered award recognizing outstanding innovation and leadership in applied water research, providing prize funding and visibility to the recipient.
• Smart Metering Playbook A practical playbook produced by WRF to help water utilities plan, deploy, and manage AMI/smart metering programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• AI-enabled planning could reduce the U.S. water infrastructure funding gap by 20-30%
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026SWAN partnered with WRF to develop a Smart Metering Playbook to assist water utilities worldwide in implementing smart water metering. The playbook is based on expertise from over 50 utilities across 22 countries and aims to guide utilities in navigating the evolving smart metering landscape.
• JacobscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2025Jacobs, a professional services firm, developed an ESG framework and interactive web-based roadmap for water utilities in partnership with WRF (Project 5206). The tool references UN Sustainable Development Goals and Global Reporting Initiative standards, offering customized action plans for six utility subtypes. Jacobs will present findings at WEFTEC 2025.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEF co-sponsors the Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) program with WRF, which holds the Intelligent Water Systems Challenge - a competition to demonstrate the value of intelligent water systems to utilities and foster adoption of smart water technologies.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Water Environment Federation (WEF): WEF is a directly comparable water sector nonprofit that co-sponsors WRF's LIFT program and Intelligent Water Systems Challenge; both serve the same water utility audience with research, events, and technical content.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): AWWA is a peer nonprofit serving drinking water utilities with standards, conferences, and research — the predecessor AWWARF organization was one of the three legacy entities that merged to form WRF in 2018.
• WaterReuse Association: WaterReuse Association is a mission-aligned nonprofit focused on water recycling research and policy, directly overlapping with WRF's Reuse 101 tool and California State Water Board-funded reuse research portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Jacobs Engineering: Jacobs is a major engineering consulting firm that partnered with WRF on the ESG framework (Project 5206) and serves overlapping water utility clients, but operates at much larger scale across multiple sectors.
• Arcadis: Arcadis is a global design and consultancy firm with a substantial water practice, comparable to WRF in serving utility clients but with direct service delivery rather than research-only mission.
• Stantec: Stantec is a global engineering consultancy with deep water sector expertise, often serving as a WRF subscriber and consultant-segment partner while also delivering implementation projects.
• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is a consulting and engineering services firm focused on water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure, comparable to WRF in serving utility subscribers but with consulting and project delivery rather than research-only focus.

Emerging players

• US Water Alliance: US Water Alliance is a nonprofit focused on One Water policy and equitable water management, overlapping with WRF's Integrated Planning topic area but with stronger policy advocacy and a smaller research footprint.
• Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN): SWAN partnered with WRF on the Smart Metering Playbook and is a global nonprofit advancing smart water technology adoption, with comparable subscriber base but narrower scope on digital/IoT topics.
• WaterISAC: WaterISAC is a water sector information sharing and analysis center focused on cybersecurity and threat intelligence, comparable as a utility-serving nonprofit but with a much narrower security-focused mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WaterResearch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfvzfNtMkLT_4kvTg6kEmlA
• Facebookfacebook.com/WaterResearchFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterresearch
• Instagraminstagram.com/water_research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Water Research Foundation