Water1st International

What Water1st International does

Water1st International is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by Marla Smith-Nilson that designs, funds, and supports the implementation of piped water and sanitation infrastructure for low-income communities in developing countries. Its core offering is the trademarked Bring Water Home™ approach, which delivers household-level piped water connections (metered), safe water-seal toilets, and bathing facilities designed to provide 50 liters per person daily, alongside hygiene education. Projects are implemented through long-tenure local partner NGOs in Bangladesh (DSK), Honduras (COCEPRADIL), Kenya (KWAHO, CABDA), and Ethiopia (Water Action), with a Mozambique program (GSB) suspended due to the Cabo Delgado security crisis; communities contribute 40-100% of capital costs through user fees and independently operate the systems.

The organization claims 99%+ system functionality over decades versus a global 50% failure rate within five years, with 294,000+ people reached, 4,727-5,004 projects completed, and $31 million cumulatively raised since 2005 (87% to water projects, 13% administrative overhead). Water1st monetizes through charitable contributions rather than commercial sales: individual donations from 8,000+ supporters, family foundation grants, and cause-marketing partnerships (notably Water From Wine, which donates $35 per $30 bottle sold). Supporting engagement products include the Youth Advocates program (300+ students), Global Fellows travel program (high school students, $2,500 land fee plus flights, with income-tiered scholarships), Carry5 Walk for Water, the Give Water Give Life Gala, and birthday pledge campaigns.

The team is fewer than 10 employees led by Founder/Executive Director Marla Smith-Nilson (former water.org co-founder, registered professional engineer), with Director of International Programs Kirk Anderson, Deputy Director Susan James, and Director of Individual Giving Kathleen McMullen. Marketing and fundraising are distributed across a Pipe Dreams™ monthly newsletter, full social media stack, events, the wine affiliate channel shipping to 34 states plus DC, and experiential travel offerings.

Name

Water1st International

Legal name

Water First International

Website

https://water1st.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Water1st International is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 that funds and supports piped household water and sanitation projects in Bangladesh, Honduras, Kenya, and Ethiopia through long-term local NGO partners, raising $31M cumulatively from 8,000+ donors to serve 294,000+ people.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development Water and Sanitation Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

WASH & Public Health (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) (BPADAIAG), Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH), WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI)

Keywords

• Clean water nonprofit
• Water and sanitation services
• Household water connections
• Global WASH development
• Community water infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Grassroots funding from individual donors who support the organization's mission. Water1st has over 8,000 supporters. Donations fund piped water systems, safe toilets, and hygiene education projects.
2. Wine Sales Partnership: Water From Wine nonprofit winery donates $35 per $30 bottle purchased to Water1st. Seattle-area deliveries and UPS shipping to 34 states plus DC.
3. Foundation Grants: Funding from family foundations supporting water and sanitation projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Water1st International funds and supports community-scale piped water and sanitation infrastructure in underserved communities in Bangladesh, Honduras, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Through its Bring Water Home™ approach, the organization delivers metered household water connections, water-seal toilets, bathing facilities, and connections to schools and clinics via long-term partnerships with locally led NGOs. Programs also include youth advocacy, donor travel experiences, community fundraising events, and a cause-marketing wine partnership.

Product overview

Water1st International is a nonprofit organization that implements piped water and sanitation projects in developing countries. Rather than a software product company, Water1st's core offerings are its water infrastructure projects and related programs. The main product is the Bring Water Home™ approach—a comprehensive methodology that delivers piped water and safe toilets directly to households through community-scale systems. Supporting programs include Youth Advocates (student advocacy), Global Fellows (travel experiences), Carry5 Walk for Water (annual fundraiser), Pledge Your Birthday (personal campaigns), and the Water From Wine program (cause-marketing partnership). The organization operates projects in Bangladesh, Honduras, and Kenya, with completed projects in Ethiopia and Mozambique.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bring Water Home™: Water1st's signature programmatic approach focused on piped household water connections and safe toilets to end the walk for water.
• Pipe Dreams™
• Water From Wine
• Carry5 Walk for Water
• Global Fellows
• Youth Advocates

Products and services

• Bring Water Home™ Approach

Quantifiable outcome

• 99%+ systems functioning
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DSK-ChattogramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK) partner implementing water and sanitation projects in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Multiple DSK teams (Chattogram, Khulna, Keraniganj, Savar, Tarabo, Dhaka HQ) work across Bangladesh's urban informal settlements.
• COCEPRADILcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative of communities helping families in remote Lempira region of Honduras bring water home and keep systems working for the long term.
• KWAHOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenya Water and Health Organization (KWAHO) implementing piped water projects in western Kenya communities including Kokelo and Nyatigo.
• CABDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based development organization implementing Emukoye piped water project and other systems in Kenya.
• Water ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEthiopia partner organization working since 2005 in Oromia region, implementing integrated water, sanitation, hygiene, and watershed protection programs.
• GSB (Grupo de Saneamento de Bilibiza)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMozambique partner that completed 1 piped water system serving 1,600 people. Program suspended due to ongoing security crisis in Cabo Delgado region.
• Water From WinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit winery in Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, that donates $35 per $30 bottle purchased to Water1st. Award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon produced by winemaker Charlie Hoppes.
• Susan DavisminorOthersStrategic Communications consultant providing communications support.
• Steve DeemminorOthersInternational Programs Consultant, civil engineer with 25+ years experience in water and sanitation, evaluates partner organizations and reviews project-funding requests.
• Fox WilmarminorOthersFilm and photo documentation services.
• Oxford CenterminorOthersProfessional translators and interpreters for Honduras operations.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• water.org: Global WASH nonprofit co-founded by Water1st founder Marla Smith-Nilson (now led by Matt Damon and Gary White). It is the most direct comparable: household-level water and sanitation financing in developing countries via local partner financial institutions.
• charity: water: Leading U.S.-based WASH nonprofit funding clean water projects in developing countries, with a similar donor-centric fundraising model, brand storytelling approach, and focus on transparency and sustainability metrics.
• WaterAid: Major international WASH NGO operating across Africa, Asia, and Latin America with a comparable mission of sustainable household water access and sanitation, though at significantly larger scale and with government advocacy as a core lever.
• Water For People: U.S.-based international WASH nonprofit implementing lasting water and sanitation services in developing countries through local partnerships, with a strong Everyone Forever model that closely parallels Water1st's community-financed household approach.
• Lifewater International: Christian WASH nonprofit focused on household-level water access, sanitation, and hygiene in rural communities, sharing Water1st's faith-informed community partnership model and emphasis on long-term system sustainability.
• DIGDEEP: WASH nonprofit operating both domestically (Navajo Nation) and internationally with a household water access focus; comparable in size, donor-driven model, and emphasis on right-to-water framing and household-level impact metrics.
• Planet Water Foundation: WASH nonprofit deploying clean water filtration systems and hygiene education in schools and rural communities across Asia and Latin America, with a similar donor-sponsored, community-implemented operating model.
• Splash: WASH nonprofit focused on providing clean water to children in urban schools and orphanages in developing countries (notably India and Ethiopia), with comparable donor-funded infrastructure projects and monitoring rigor.
• WaterAid America: U.S. affiliate of WaterAid raising funds from American donors to support household-level WASH programs in Africa and Asia; closely comparable in mission and partner-implemented delivery model.

Emerging players

• Engineers Without Borders USA: Engineering-focused international development nonprofit whose water and sanitation project portfolio overlaps with Water1st's community infrastructure work, though it operates more broadly across infrastructure categories and mobilizes volunteer engineers rather than donor-funded implementation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Water1st
• Facebookfacebook.com/water1st
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water-1st-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/water1st
• Xx.com/water1st

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Water1st International