Novafos
Novafos A/S is a Danish municipally-owned water and wastewater utility providing drinking water to 320,000 consumers and wastewater services to 430,000 consumers across nine municipalities in the Greater Copenhagen area, operating under cost-recovery regulation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBirkerød, Denmark
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Novafos does
Novafos A/S is a Danish municipal water and wastewater utility serving nine municipalities in the Greater Copenhagen area (Allerød, Ballerup, Egedal, Frederikssund, Furesø, Gentofte, Gladsaxe, Hørsholm, and Rudersdal). The company provides drinking water to 320,000 consumers and wastewater services to 430,000 consumers through 16 waterworks, 18 treatment plants, 3,600 km of pipeline, and 1,300 pump stations. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Birkerød, Denmark, Novafos is wholly owned by its nine constituent municipalities and operates under Denmark's 'hvile i sig selv' (cost recovery) regulatory framework administered by the Forsyningssekretariatet, with revenue of approximately 1.1 billion DKK and total assets of 18 billion DKK.
Core operations span the full water cycle: groundwater abstraction and drinking water production (17.6 million m³ annually), wastewater collection and treatment (20 million m³ annually), and climate adaptation through stormwater management. Technical infrastructure includes remote-read electronic water meters providing hourly consumption data for leak detection across the consumer base, advanced treatment capabilities for emerging contaminants (PFAS, pharmaceutical residues, pesticide metabolites), and large-scale climate adaptation projects including the Svanemøllen Skybrudstunnel (10 km cloudburst tunnel with 100,000 m³ storage, under construction with 2033 completion), Haraldsminde Rainwater Park (58,000 m³ capacity, 70% phosphorus and 50% nitrogen reduction), and Kagsåparken (reducing overflow events from 50 to 5 per year). The company is replacing 18 aging treatment plants built between 1950-1970 with two new Water Resource Centers that will produce green district heating and biomethane while recovering phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon.
The business model is built on regulated consumption-based tariffs: subscription/recurring water supply fees and wastewater treatment fees are set to recover costs (not generate profit) under oversight by Forsyningssekretariatet, with a separate tiered pricing structure (Trappemodel) administered by Energistyrelsen for commercial customers consuming above 500 m³ annually. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through physical pipeline infrastructure, supplemented by self-service digital channels (Watts On mobile app, Borgerkort GIS portal, SMS notifications) and seven commercial water kiosks serving construction and industrial buyers. Customer segments span 425,000+ residential consumers, commercial and industrial users, and the nine owner-municipalities themselves, which appoint the board and approve major capital decisions.
Novafos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Novafos
- Legal name
- Novafos A/S
- Website
- https://novafos.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Novafos A/S is a Danish municipally-owned water and wastewater utility providing drinking water to 320,000 consumers and wastewater services to 430,000 consumers across nine municipalities in the Greater Copenhagen area, operating under cost-recovery regulation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Novafos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Municipal Water and Wastewater Utility Services
- NAICS
- Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Treatment & Wet-Weather Capacity (EUANADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control & Compliance (Storage, Separation, Treatment) (EUANAEAG), Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL)
Keywords
Where Novafos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birkerød
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
Novafos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Water Supply Tariffs: Revenue from water supply services to residential and commercial consumers. Novafos operates under the 'hvile i sig selv' (cost recovery) principle regulated by Forsyningssekretariatet, meaning prices are set to cover costs without profit generation.
- Wastewater Treatment Fees: Charges for wastewater collection and treatment services, including separate stormwater management fees. Subject to same cost-recovery regulatory framework as water supply.
- Water Kiosk Services: Commercial water sales to businesses through water kiosks in multiple municipalities, enabling construction companies and contractors to access water for large-scale operations.
- Trappemodel (Tiered Pricing for Business): Reduced wastewater fees for commercial customers with annual water consumption above 500 cubic meters, administered through Energistyrelsen.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Residential water and wastewater services billed based on consumption measured by remote-read meters |
| Usage-based | Annual | Commercial customers with consumption above 500 m³/year qualify for tiered wastewater pricing (Trappemodel) |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Water kiosk sales for commercial/construction use |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Novafos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Novafos is a municipal water and wastewater utility that delivers drinking water supply (16 waterworks, 320,000 consumers, 17.6 million m³ annually), wastewater treatment (18 treatment plants, 430,000 consumers, 20 million m³ annually), and climate adaptation services (stormwater management, cloudburst protection, rainwater parks) across nine municipalities in the Copenhagen area. The company operates 3,600 km of pipelines and 1,300 pump stations under Denmark's regulated 'hvile i sig selv' cost-recovery framework, complemented by commercial water kiosk sales and customer-facing digital tools (Watts On app, self-service portal).
Product overview
Novafos is a water and wastewater utility company serving nine municipalities in the Copenhagen area (Allerød, Ballerup, Egedal, Frederikssund, Furesø, Gentofte, Gladsaxe, Hørsholm, and Rudersdal). The company operates a unified infrastructure providing three core services: drinking water supply (Drikkevand) through 16 waterworks serving 320,000 consumers; wastewater treatment (Spildevand) through 18 treatment plants serving 430,000 consumers; and climate adaptation (Klimatilpasning) including stormwater management and flood protection. Customer-facing digital tools include the Watts On app for consumption monitoring and a GIS citizen portal for infrastructure mapping. Business services include water kiosks for commercial customers. Major infrastructure projects include the Svanemøllen Skybrudstunnel (10km stormwater tunnel), Haraldsminde stormwater park, and Kagsåparken stormwater project, all part of the Harrestrup Å collaboration involving ten municipalities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Watts On: Mobile app for tracking water consumption
Products and services
- Drikkevand (Drinking Water Supply)
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces cloudburst overflow to Utterslev Mose by 97% and to Øresund by 87% (Svanemøllen Skybrudstunnel)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Novafos
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Novafos technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Novafos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HOFORcoreHOFOR (Greater Copenhagen Utility) is a strategic partner in the Svanemøllen Skybrudstunnel project, one of Denmark's largest climate adaptation initiatives. The 10 km cloudburst tunnel is co-developed and co-funded by Novafos and HOFOR, along with Frederiksberg Forsyning. The collaboration also extends to other climate adaptation projects in the Greater Copenhagen area.
- Frederiksberg ForsyningcoreStrategic partner in the Svanemøllen Skybrudstunnel project alongside Novafos and HOFOR. The three utilities share responsibility for building and operating the 10 km tunnel protecting the northern Copenhagen area from cloudburst flooding.
- Herlev Municipality and Gladsaxe MunicipalitycoreJoint partners with Novafos in the Kagsåparken Rainwater Project, a climate adaptation initiative transforming the park into a rainwater retention facility with 100,000 m³ capacity to reduce overflow events from 50 to 5 per year.
- Harrestrup Å Collaboration (10 municipalities and 4 utilities)coreMulti-stakeholder collaboration including 10 municipalities (Ballerup, Herlev, Gladsaxe, Glostrup, Albertslund, Rødovre, Brøndby, Hvidovre, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen) and 4 utilities (HOFOR, Novafos, Frederiksberg Forsyning, Glostrup Forsyning) for a 1.1 billion DKK climate adaptation project spanning 40 sub-projects over 20 years to protect the 80 km² Harrestrup Å catchment area from flooding.
- Ballerup MunicipalitycoreOwner municipality and partner in water infrastructure projects including the new waterworks under construction in Lautrupvang, Ballerup, part of a tri-municipality project replacing aging waterworks in Ballerup, Egedal, and Frederikssund municipalities.
- Egedal MunicipalitycoreOwner municipality collaborating on climate adaptation including citizen assembly for future climate solutions and water infrastructure projects.
- Frederikssund MunicipalitycoreOwner municipality and location for Sillebro Ådal rainwater management and the planned Water Resource Center. Also partner in Vinge development with new detention basin called Solsikkesøen.
- InSa-Drikkevand (Innovation Partnership)minorInnovation collaboration between Denmark's largest water utilities to test new treatment technologies, develop methods for understanding future chemicals in water, and research groundwater protection approaches.
- Den Grønne Trepart (The Green Triple Partnership)minorParticipation in the national green tripartite agreement contributing to groundwater protection efforts to ensure clean drinking water for future generations.
- Royal Danish Academy (Design School)minorCollaboration with visual design students who developed 20 concrete proposals for implementing Novafos' strategy through new, creative approaches during an innovation workshop conducted with change agency Operate.
- Museum North Zealand (Museum Nordsjælland)minorConducting archaeological trial excavations at Nattergaleengen in Hørsholm before Novafos begins climate adaptation construction work to ensure no prehistoric findings are disturbed.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Novafos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Frederiksberg Forsyning: Frederiksberg Forsyning is the municipal utility for Frederiksberg municipality, providing water, wastewater, heating, and waste services. Direct partner with Novafos on the Svanemøllen Skybrudstunnel and Harrestrup Å collaboration; comparable Danish municipal utility under the same cost-recovery regulation.
- Vandcenter Syd: Vandcenter Syd is a Danish municipal water utility serving Odense and surrounding municipalities under the cost-recovery principle. Comparable to Novafos in regulatory framework, service scope (drinking water + wastewater), and ownership structure.
- Aarhus Vand: Aarhus Vand A/S is a major Danish municipal water and wastewater utility serving Aarhus municipality, operating under the same cost-recovery regulation. Comparable in scale and operating model, making it a strong functional peer for benchmarking operational and capex practices.
- HOFOR: HOFOR (Greater Copenhagen Utility) is the largest water and wastewater utility in the Copenhagen region, serving multiple municipalities. Direct peer and explicit strategic partner to Novafos on the Svanemøllen Skybrudstunnel and Harrestrup Å projects, with overlapping service area in northern Copenhagen.
- Glostrup Forsyning: Glostrup Forsyning is a Danish municipal utility providing water, wastewater, heating, and waste services in Glostrup. Direct participant with Novafos in the multi-municipality Harrestrup Å climate adaptation collaboration, with comparable service offerings and regulatory regime.
Broad incumbents
- Veolia Water Technologies: Veolia operates water and wastewater services globally, including in Denmark through municipal contracts. As a broad incumbent with extensive technology, treatment process, and operations expertise, Veolia is a relevant technology and operating-model reference for Novafos, though not a direct utility peer.
- Suez Water Technologies & Solutions: Suez is a global water and waste management operator with technology, services, and operations across municipal water and wastewater. Comparable to Veolia as a broad incumbent offering treatment technology and operating services relevant to Novafos' modernization program.
Others
- DHI (now part of Atlas Copco): DHI is a Danish-based water and environment technology and consulting firm providing modeling, monitoring, and digital solutions for water utilities globally. Comparable to Novafos as a Denmark-based water-sector ecosystem participant focused on water quality and modeling, but as a supplier rather than utility.
Regional players
- Kalundborg Forsyning: Kalundborg Forsyning is a multi-utility (water, wastewater, heating, waste) serving the Kalundborg area in western Zealand, Denmark. Comparable operating model (municipal, multi-service utility under cost recovery) but geographically distinct from Novafos' North Zealand territory.
Emerging players
- NTS Analytica: NTS Analytica is a Danish spinout offering advanced non-target chemical screening for drinking water. First customer relationship with Novafos for contamination risk assessment near groundwater abstractions, representing a niche emerging player with adjacent water-quality expertise.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Novafos social profiles
Digital presenceNovafos compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Novafos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Novafos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Novafos subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Novafos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Novafos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Novafos
What does Novafos do?
Novafos is a municipal water and wastewater utility that delivers drinking water supply (16 waterworks, 320,000 consumers, 17.6 million m³ annually), wastewater treatment (18 treatment plants, 430,000 consumers, 20 million m³ annually), and climate adaptation services (stormwater management, cloudburst protection, rainwater parks) across nine municipalities in the Copenhagen area. The company operates 3,600 km of pipelines and 1,300 pump stations under Denmark's regulated 'hvile i sig selv' cost-recovery framework, complemented by commercial water kiosk sales and customer-facing digital tools (Watts On app, self-service portal).
Is Novafos a public or private company?
Novafos is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Novafos founded?
Novafos was founded in 2016. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Novafos based?
Novafos is headquartered in Birkerød, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Novafos make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Water Supply Tariffs are the primary driver. The others are wastewater Treatment Fees, water Kiosk Services and trappemodel (Tiered Pricing for Business).
Who are Novafos's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Frederiksberg Forsyning, Vandcenter Syd, Aarhus Vand, HOFOR and Glostrup Forsyning. Broad incumbents are Veolia Water Technologies and Suez Water Technologies & Solutions. DHI (now part of Atlas Copco) is listed as an others. Kalundborg Forsyning is listed as a regional player. NTS Analytica is listed as an emerging player.
Does Novafos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Novafos.
What industry is Novafos in?
Novafos's product category is Municipal Water and Wastewater Utility Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUANADAF, Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Treatment & Wet-Weather Capacity, with a secondary code of EUANAEAG, Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control & Compliance (Storage, Separation, Treatment). Its NAICS code is 221310 and its SIC code is 4941.