Watermakers

What Watermakers does

Watermakers, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination systems founded in 1984 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company designs and builds water treatment equipment that converts seawater or brackish water into fresh potable water using semipermeable membrane technology, cross-flow filtration at 800–1,200 PSI, 316 stainless steel high-pressure pumps, and PLC-based control systems. Its product portfolio spans four series: the compact ISL Series (200–700 GPD) for small boats, the modular WMS Series (550–2,200 GPD) and WMSQ Series (550–4,000 GPD) for marine and residential use with quiet-operation and advanced controls, and the commercial-grade WMFQ and WMFE Series (5,500 to 100,000+ GPD) available in container, frame, or modular configurations for industrial, oil & gas, real estate, and municipal applications. The company's hydraulically-driven pump technology operates at 4–8 cycles per minute versus 1,800–3,600 RPM for competitors, delivering roughly 10 dB lower noise and supporting a brand position centered on ruggedness, reliability, and simplicity.

Watermakers serves a diversified, global customer base spanning marine (yacht owners, sportfishers, megayachts, and builders such as Bertram, Hatteras, and Viking), land-based residential and private islands, hospitality (resorts, marinas, and cruise-line private islands such as Musha Cay, Staniel Cay, Lyford Cay, and Princess Cay), commercial and industrial (oil rigs such as Helix ESG's Q4000 MODU), government and military (U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, New Zealand Defense), and research institutions (Smithsonian Tropical Research). The company operates a showroom at its Fort Lauderdale HQ, a dedicated service fleet covering South Florida with a Bahamas-based service manager and field technicians serving the islands, and ships parts worldwide via an e-commerce storefront.

Revenue is generated through three streams: hardware sales of complete watermaker systems (quote-based, not publicly priced), replacement parts and accessories (consumables and post-treatment add-ons such as UV, ozone, and chemical injection), and professional services including installation, maintenance, repair, and on-premise lab diagnostics. GTM is primarily direct sales with a small dedicated team, supported by SEO, industry affiliations (MIASF, ABYC, ABS, NMMA), referrals, and word-of-mouth. No external funding rounds, acquisitions, or public-market events are disclosed; the company appears to be entirely bootstrapped and organically grown across four decades.

Name

Watermakers

Legal name

Watermakers, Inc.

Website

https://watermakers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Watermakers, Inc. is a family-owned Fort Lauderdale manufacturer of reverse osmosis desalination systems (200 to 100,000+ GPD) serving marine, residential, commercial, hospitality, and government customers across 40+ countries via direct sales, parts, and field service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Desalination Equipment

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis (BWRO) Plants & Operations (EUANAFAB), Water Softener, Filtration & Treatment System Installation (HSAOAAAH), Water Systems & Treatment (Pumps/Boilers/Water Heaters/Filtration) (IMAIABAK), Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems (Residential) (CRAJAJAK)

Keywords

• Reverse osmosis desalination
• Marine watermaker systems
• Seawater desalination equipment
• Commercial water treatment
• Fresh water generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Watermaker Systems (Hardware): Sale of reverse osmosis desalination systems ranging from 200 GPD to 100,000 GPD capacity. Systems include WMS series (modular/wall-mounted), WMSQ series (quiet operation), WMFQ series (commercial frame/container), and ISL series (compact for small boats). Sold as complete units with standard and optional features.
2. Parts and Accessories: Sale of replacement parts including pre-filters, carbon filters, high-pressure pump oil, membranes, O-rings, flow restrictors, check valves, pressure gauges, feed and brine seals, and pressure vessels. They stock thousands of watermaker parts for all major brands with worldwide shipping.
3. Accessories and Add-ons: Accessories include cleaning/spare parts kits, ultraviolet post-treatment systems, ozone post-treatment systems, and chemical injection systems. These are optional add-ons for watermaker systems.
4. Service and Maintenance: Service department provides installation, maintenance, repair, and technical support. They offer on-premise lab testing facilities and diagnostic services. Service includes preventative maintenance and troubleshooting. General watermaker service with labor costs between $400-$600.
5. Freight Shipping: Freight shipping services for large marine equipment with coordination directly with customers, delivery appointments, and additional charges for liftgate service or residential delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Watermakers, Inc. manufactures reverse osmosis desalination systems that convert seawater or brackish water into fresh potable water. The company designs, builds, and tests custom watermaker systems ranging from 200 GPD to over 100,000 GPD for marine vessels, residential/private island, and commercial/industrial applications, along with replacement parts, accessories, and installation/maintenance services.

Product overview

Watermakers, Inc. manufactures reverse osmosis desalination systems for converting seawater and brackish water into fresh potable water. The product portfolio consists of three main watermaker series: the commercial-grade WMFQ Series (5,500-50,000+ GPD in container/frame/modular configurations) for oil rigs, real estate, municipalities, and shipping; the WMSQ Series with advanced PLC controls and TEFC motors (550-4,000 GPD wall-mounted modular); the standard WMS Series with 316ss components (550-2,200 GPD); and the compact Islander (ISL) Series for small boats (200-700 GPD). Accessories include UV and ozone post-treatment systems, chemical injection, and cleaning kits. Optional features include remote operation and automatic rinse capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WMFQ Series: Commercial watermaker systems available with ABS and CE compliance upgrades, ranging from 5,500 to 50,000 GPD capacity.
• WMS Series
• WMSQ Series
• ISL Series

Products and services

• WMFQ Series Commercial Watermakers Industrial-grade commercial reverse osmosis watermaker systems in container, frame, or modular configurations for oil rigs, real estate developments, municipalities, and shipping vessels with capacities from 5,500 to 50,000+ GPD.
• WMSQ Series Watermakers Modular wall-mounted reverse osmosis desalination systems with advanced PLC controls, TEFC motors, LED salinity monitoring, auto diverter, and multi-tank control for marine and land-based use at 550 to 4,000 GPD.
• WMS Series Watermakers Modular wall-mounted reverse osmosis desalination systems with 316ss direct-drive high-pressure pump and high-pressure plumbing, available in capacities from 550 to 2,200 GPD.
• ISL Series (Islander) Watermakers Compact watermaker series designed for small boats with corrosion-resistant aluminum frame, 316ss high-pressure pump, and capacities from 200 to 700 GPD.
• Cleaning/Spare Parts Kit Maintenance starter kit containing complete filter change (seawater and charcoal), oil change, chlorine test kit, filter wrench, and spare O-rings for filter canisters.
• UV Post-Treatment System Germicidal ultraviolet light system for killing bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms in storage cisterns, available for flows of 2 gallons/minute and greater.
• Ozone Post-Treatment System Ozone-based sterilization system for eliminating microorganisms and removing color, taste, and odor, capable of ozonating storage tanks up to 10,000 gallons.
• Chemical Injection Systems Systems for injecting antiscalants and pH adjusting chemicals into feed water to prolong membrane operation and lifespan, typically used in land-based applications.
• Replacement Parts Store Sale of replacement parts including pre-filters, carbon filters, high-pressure pump oil, membranes, O-rings, flow restrictors, check valves, pressure gauges, feed and brine seals, and pressure vessels stocked for all major brands.
• Installation, Service and Maintenance Installation, maintenance, repair, and technical support services for watermaker systems with on-premise lab testing facilities and diagnostic services; field service fleet covers South Florida and the Bahamas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reliable fresh water production ranging from 200 GPD to 100,000+ GPD capacity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Source Global: Emerging atmospheric water generation company producing premium drinking water from humidity using renewable energy. Tangentially competitive with Watermakers in the high-end residential, resort, and island water security segments where customers seek off-grid, sustainable alternatives.

Direct peers

• Village Marine Tech (Wm. R. Hurst): Manufacturer of watermaker systems for marine and offshore use, including the legacy Village Marine and Hurricane brands. Comparable product range from small-boat to commercial-scale RO units serving yacht, military, and offshore customers.
• Spectra Watermakers: Manufacturer of energy-efficient reverse osmosis watermakers for marine and offshore use, known for low-energy consumption designs. Comparable end market (yachts, military, offshore) with differentiated efficiency-focused technology.
• Schenker Watermakers: Italian manufacturer of RO desalination systems for marine and land-based applications. Direct competitor offering modular and frame-mounted systems across comparable capacities, with overlap in yacht and Mediterranean resort/island markets.
• Sea Recovery: Long-established manufacturer of reverse osmosis watermaker systems for marine and offshore applications. Direct competitor in marine desalination with overlapping product line (compact to commercial capacities) and similar yacht/military customer base.
• HRO Systems (Horizon Reverse Osmosis): Designer and manufacturer of marine and offshore desalination systems using RO technology. Directly comparable product portfolio, energy-recovery focus, and customer overlap in superyacht and commercial marine markets.
• FCI Watermakers: U.S.-based manufacturer of reverse osmosis desalination systems for marine, residential, and commercial applications. Directly comparable product family and customer segmentation across the same capacity ranges.

Broad incumbents

• Pentair (now part of nVent / standalone filtration): Large diversified water treatment and filtration company with residential, commercial, and industrial RO product lines. Broad incumbent across membrane-based water treatment with greater scale and channel reach than Watermakers.
• Eco-Systems (Desalitech / IDE Technologies): Established industrial-scale desalination plant builder serving municipal and industrial water customers globally. Represents a scaled incumbent in the broader desalination space against which Watermakers' commercial/industrial offering competes for larger projects.
• Katadyn (Group): Swiss manufacturer of portable and stationary water treatment systems including marine and expedition-grade desalination. Comparable marine/yacht and expedition customer overlap but broader portfolio spanning filters and outdoor products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Watermakers