Aqua Research
Aqua Research designs on-site mixed oxidant chlorine generation systems that convert common salt into disinfectant, serving healthcare facilities in developing nations, industrial cooling and process water users, and community water-treatment programs through NGO-mediated distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersAlbuquerque, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Aqua Research does
Aqua Research is a private water-treatment technology company headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that designs and manufactures on-site mixed oxidant chlorine generation systems. Its technology, derived from MIOX, electrolyzes common salt into a mixed-oxidant disinfectant solution at the point of use, eliminating the storage and transport of hazardous biocides. The company serves three primary customer segments: rural and peri-urban healthcare facilities in developing nations, industrial cooling and process water systems, and community-scale water treatment programs in humanitarian settings.
The product portfolio spans the H2gO Purifier for consumer and point-of-use applications, STREAM and SPRING units for healthcare and humanitarian deployments, and the LAKE-AR and HARBOR-K industrial series for larger cooling and process water systems. Independent studies document operating cost reductions of 64-83% versus bleach, bromine, and powdered chlorine, with users reporting 29% lower chlorine costs per liter treated. The technology is backed by PATH research validation, peer-reviewed scientific studies, and WHO recognition, and a new IoT communications interface developed with Envicom Corporation enables remote monitoring of deployed units.
Aqua Research generates revenue through a combination of hardware unit sales, recurring consumables (notably chlorine test strips), and professional services for installation and training. Distribution is largely channel-mediated through NGO partners including PATH, Operation Blessing, Caris Foundation, SWAP, and DINEPA, which facilitate deployments in countries such as Haiti, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Indonesia. The company operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees, has raised modest outside capital via a Regulation CF equity crowdfunding round on Netcapital in April 2023, and was recognized with the 2025 Impact Award at UNC's Technology Innovation Showcase. Its largest single commercial commitment to date is a 400-unit Ghana Ministry of Health purchase requisition announced in 2025-06, with 200 units already shipped.
Aqua Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aqua Research
- Legal name
- Aqua Research, Inc.
- Website
- https://aquaresearch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Aqua Research designs on-site mixed oxidant chlorine generation systems that convert common salt into disinfectant, serving healthcare facilities in developing nations, industrial cooling and process water users, and community water-treatment programs through NGO-mediated distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aqua Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Treatment Equipment
- NAICS
- Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)
- SIC
- Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disinfection & Oxidation (Chlorine/Chloramine, UV, Ozone, AOP) (EUANABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ), Disinfection & Remedial Works (Chlorination, Thermal, Shock Treatments) (BPABAJAF), Biocides & Disinfection Chemicals (Non-Agricultural) (IMAEAJAL)
Keywords
Where Aqua Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Albuquerque
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aqua Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Sale of water treatment and disinfection devices including H2gO Purifier (point-of-use), STREAM, SPRING, LAKE-AR, and HARBOR-K series ranging from family/community size to industrial-scale systems.
- Professional Services: Training, installation, and ongoing support services for deployed systems in healthcare facilities and industrial applications.
- Consumables (Test Strips): Sale of test strips for the H2gO Purifier system as a consumable accessory.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual/Consumer Pricing |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Bulk/Institutional Orders |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Aqua Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aqua Research manufactures and sells on-site electrochemical disinfectant generators that produce a 0.5% free available chlorine (mixed oxidant) solution from common salt, water, and electricity. The product line ranges from the portable H2gO Purifier for family/community use to industrial-scale LAKE-AR and HARBOR-K systems, addressing water treatment and surface sanitation needs for healthcare facilities, industrial cooling systems, and humanitarian deployments in developing nations.
Product overview
Aqua Research's product portfolio is a unified suite of on-site chlorine disinfectant generators ranging from personal/portable point-of-use devices to industrial-scale systems. The core technology uses common salt, water, and electricity to produce a mixed-oxidant chlorine solution on demand, eliminating the need for purchased chlorine supply chains. The consumer/personal line is anchored by the H2gO® Purifier (portable, family-scale use), while the humanitarian and healthcare markets are served by the STREAM® and SPRING® disinfectant generators (portable, 110/220 VAC or 12 VDC/solar-power compatible). Industrial applications are handled by the LAKE®-AR and HARBOR-K Series systems. Test strips provide complementary concentration verification for the H2gO Purifier. All products share the same underlying mixed-oxidant generation technology, with scale and power input being the primary differentiators across the product line.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- H2gO® Purifier: Point-of-use water purification device for family, community, and healthcare treatment that uses common salt to produce a potent chlorine-based solution.
- STREAM® Disinfectant Generator
- SPRING® Disinfectant Generator
- LAKE®-AR Series
- HARBOR-K Series
Products and services
- H2gO® Purifier A portable, point-of-use water purification device that uses common salt to generate a potent chlorine-based disinfectant solution on demand for family and community drinking water treatment and surface sanitation.
- STREAM® Disinfectant Generator A portable disinfectant generator that uses common salt, water, and power (110/220 VAC or 12 VDC from solar panels or car battery) to produce a 0.5% free available chlorine solution on demand for healthcare sanitation and drinking water treatment.
- SPRING® Disinfectant Generator
- LAKE®-AR Series
- HARBOR-K Series
Quantifiable outcome
- 64-83% operating cost savings for health centers and district hospitals using STREAM systems
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Aqua Research
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aqua Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Aqua Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ghana Ministry of HealthcoreFollowing PATH's studies, the Ghana Ministry of Health issued national approval for the STREAM disinfectant generator and issued a purchase requisition for 400 units (200 shipped in first batch, 200 in second). The Ministry is preparing to train recipients and scale deployment across Ghana's healthcare facilities.
- DINEPA (Haiti)coreHaiti's National Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA, equivalent to USEPA) asked Aqua Research to work together to evaluate the technology across Haiti. Interest based on prior successes with large-scale equipment supporting the USAID Santé project in 168 healthcare facilities.
- PATHcorePATH, a global public health organization, has conducted multi-year research on Aqua Research's STREAM disinfectant generators in Ghana, Uganda, and Ethiopia. PATH's research validated significant cost savings, elimination of chlorine stockouts, and high reliability. PATH facilitated the partnership with Ghana Ministry of Health leading to national approval and purchase requisition for 400 STREAM units.
- Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) - KenyaminorSWAP in Kenya collaborated with Aqua Research to present scientific confirmation that the on-site disinfectant has adequate shelf life for developing world applications. Presented scientific poster at UNC Water & Health Conference 2022.
- Caris Foundation / USAID Project SantécoreCaris Foundation's USAID-funded Project Santé used STREAM systems to produce chlorine for 168 healthcare facilities across Haiti during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project supported the Ministry of Health's infection prevention efforts and distributed disinfection to hospitals nationwide.
- Operation Blessing InternationalcoreOperation Blessing International used H2gO Purifiers for disaster relief in Nepal following the 2015 earthquake, chartering helicopters to reach remote mountain villages. The organization continues to deploy Aqua Research technology in hard-to-reach areas for disaster response and ongoing humanitarian operations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aqua Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- De Nora (MIOX): Global leader in on-site electrochlorination and mixed-oxidant generation systems via its MIOX platform; competes head-to-head with Aqua Research's STREAM and SPRING product lines in both industrial cooling and humanitarian healthcare disinfection.
- ProMinent: Manufacturer of chlorine dioxide, hypochlorite, and electrochlorination dosing systems for industrial and municipal disinfection; overlaps directly with STREAM in on-site chlorine generation and with LAKE-AR/HARBOR-K in process water treatment.
- LifeStraw (Vestergaard): Leading consumer/institutional point-of-use water purification brand with deep humanitarian distribution (H2gO competitor); competing for the same NGO and ministry-of-health tenders and donor budgets as Aqua Research.
- Katadyn: Swiss manufacturer of portable and household water purification devices (filters, chlorine drops, Micropur) for outdoor and humanitarian markets; competes with the H2gO Purifier and SPRING platforms in disaster-relief and household-use cases.
- Medentech (Aquatabs): Producer of Aquatabs sodium dichloroisocyanurate water purification tablets widely used in UNICEF, WHO, and NGO disinfection programs; competes with Aqua Research's humanitarian deployments on cost, logistics, and shelf-stability.
Broad incumbents
- Evoqua Water Technologies (now part of Xylem): Major water-treatment platform offering ClorTec on-site hypochlorite generators and a broad disinfection portfolio; competes with Aqua Research in industrial/municipal water disinfection but from a much larger installed base.
- Xylem: Global water technology major whose portfolio (including acquired Evoqua) spans pumps, disinfection, and metering; competes with Aqua Research in industrial cooling and municipal water treatment with vastly deeper engineering and service capabilities.
- Grundfos: Global pump and water-treatment systems manufacturer with dosing/disinfection product lines (Grundfos Alldos); competes with Aqua Research in industrial water treatment via a much broader global sales and service network.
Emerging players
- Pure Aqua: Mid-market water-treatment systems integrator offering RO, filtration and chlorination packages to industrial and humanitarian buyers; relevant as a smaller, similarly positioned systems provider competing for industrial disinfection deals.
Others
- HaloSource (HaloPure): Water-treatment chemistry and materials supplier whose antimicrobial and chlorine-based chemistries provide an alternative/complementary disinfection approach for industrial and point-of-use water treatment markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aqua Research social profiles
Digital presenceAqua Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aqua Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Aqua Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aqua Research 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 Aqua Research
What does Aqua Research do?
Aqua Research manufactures and sells on-site electrochemical disinfectant generators that produce a 0.5% free available chlorine (mixed oxidant) solution from common salt, water, and electricity. The product line ranges from the portable H2gO Purifier for family/community use to industrial-scale LAKE-AR and HARBOR-K systems, addressing water treatment and surface sanitation needs for healthcare facilities, industrial cooling systems, and humanitarian deployments in developing nations.
Is Aqua Research a public or private company?
Aqua Research is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aqua Research founded?
Aqua Research was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Aqua Research based?
Aqua Research is headquartered in Albuquerque, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aqua Research make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are professional Services and consumables (Test Strips).
Who are Aqua Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are De Nora (MIOX), ProMinent, LifeStraw (Vestergaard), Katadyn and Medentech (Aquatabs). Broad incumbents are Evoqua Water Technologies (now part of Xylem), Xylem and Grundfos. Pure Aqua is listed as an emerging player. HaloSource (HaloPure) is listed as an others.
Does Aqua Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aqua Research.
What industry is Aqua Research in?
Aqua Research's product category is Water Treatment Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUANABAD, Disinfection & Oxidation (Chlorine/Chloramine, UV, Ozone, AOP), with a secondary code of IMAHAEAJ, Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems). Its NAICS code is 333914 and its SIC code is 2842.