1001fontaines

What 1001fontaines does

1001fontaines is a French non-profit organization (association loi 1901), founded in 2004 and headquartered in Paris, that operates decentralized water treatment and distribution services for vulnerable rural and urban populations lacking reliable safe drinking water. The organization delivers two core product models: the rural Water Kiosk — a micro-enterprise producing affordable safe drinking water through micro-filtration and UV sterilization, packaged in reusable 20-liter bottles and sold door-to-door — and the Hub & Spoke urban model, in which a central production facility supplies multiple urban sales kiosks. A social-program layer called Water in School allocates up to 20% of daily production to free distribution in schools (1,097 schools, ~400,000 children in 2024). Operationally, country programs are run through partner NGOs (Teuk Saat 1001 in Cambodia, Ranontsika in Madagascar, Uttaran in Bangladesh), with active programs in Cambodia, Madagascar, Bangladesh, and a Nepal pilot launched in 2025; Myanmar operations closed in December 2023 and Vietnam was divested to local entrepreneurs in 2025.

Underlying technology relies on solar-powered micro-filtration and UV lamp treatment of local water sources, in-house laboratories for WHO-standard quality control, and a proprietary Entrepreneur Academy curriculum that trains local micro-entrepreneurs on technical, quality, sales, finance, and team-management skills. Each Water Kiosk creates approximately three sustainable local jobs, and 90% of Cambodia's 343 kiosks are reported as profitable. The organization's hybrid revenue model combines commercial water sales (~€5.4M in 2024, priced at ~€0.02/liter) with philanthropic investment from institutional donors and foundations (~€4.5M in 2024); water sales cover ongoing operating costs while philanthropic capital funds initial infrastructure and scaling. Total beneficiaries reached 1.3 million in 2024, up from 1 million in 2023.

The organization's strategic agenda centers on replication of the model in additional low-income geographies, portfolio consolidation around profitable operations, and — via three 2025 thematic funding pools (Fonds Développement et Innovation, Fonds Accélérateur de projets, Fonds Programmes Sociaux) — extending its expertise to peer refillable-bottled-water operators rather than only running direct operations. Governance and operational leadership transitioned in September 2025 when Pierre-André Térisse (formerly Lipton, Coty, Danone; founder of Miya in Senegal) succeeded Julien Ancele as Director General, signaling a phase focused on scaling, efficiency, and possible franchising or licensing of the model.

Name

1001fontaines

Legal name

1001fontaines

Website

https://1001fontaines.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

1001fontaines is a French non-profit (founded 2004) that runs decentralized rural Water Kiosks and urban Hub & Spoke facilities to deliver affordable, WHO-standard safe drinking water in 20-liter reusable bottles to ~1.3 million vulnerable households across Cambodia, Madagascar, Bangladesh, and a Nepal pilot.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Safe Drinking Water Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

WASH & Public Health (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) (BPADAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Safe drinking water
• Water purification services
• Rural water access
• Micro-enterprise water
• Community water kiosks

Headquarters

HQ city

Caluire-et-cuire

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Sales Revenue: Sale of purified water in 20-liter refillable bottles through Water Kiosks and urban sales points. Price point approximately 0.02 euros per liter. Revenue covers operational costs including production, distribution, and local management. Water cost represents less than 3% of household budget for 1.5L per person per day.
2. Philanthropic/Donor Funding: Investment funding from institutional donors, foundations, corporations, and individual donors to fund initial infrastructure construction, equipment, and operational setup. In 2024: 5.4M€ from water sales and 4.5M€ from philanthropic investment.
3. Tax-Deductible Donations: Donations from individuals and organizations in France, Switzerland, Belgium, UK, US, and Hong Kong eligible for tax exemptions. Individual donations receive 66% tax reduction in France; corporate donations receive 60% IS deduction up to 5 per mille of CAHT.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

1001fontaines deploys two service models to deliver affordable safe drinking water to vulnerable populations in developing countries: rural Water Kiosks (micro-enterprises that purify local water through micro-filtration and UV lamps and sell it in reusable 20-liter bottles) and urban Hub & Spokes (central production factory supplying multiple city sales points). The organization also runs the Water in School program, distributing up to 20% of daily production free to schools.

Product overview

1001fontaines is a non-profit organization offering safe drinking water solutions through two main product models: Water Kiosks (rural micro-enterprises producing and distributing water via reusable 20-liter bottles) and Hub & Spokes (urban centralized production with distributed retail). The portfolio includes regional water brands (O-we in Cambodia, Ranontsika in Madagascar, Uttaran Paani in Bangladesh, O-We in Vietnam) and the Water in School social program. The company was founded in 2004 and operates in six countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Kiosks (rural micro-enterprises) Rural micro-enterprises that treat local water sources using micro-filters and UV lamps and distribute purified water in reusable 20-liter bottles door-to-door. Each Water Kiosk serves approximately 3,000 direct beneficiaries and creates 3 sustainable local jobs.
• Hub & Spokes (urban water model) Urban water solution where a central production facility (factory with well/water source) supplies multiple retail points across a city, distributing safe drinking water in reusable 20-liter bottles and smaller containers to urban populations.
• Water in School program Social program allocating up to 20% of daily water production to schools for free distribution, providing safe drinking water to schoolchildren and reducing school absenteeism by up to 75%. Cost: 2€ per child per year.
• O-we (Cambodia regional brand) Regional safe drinking water brand sold in Cambodia through the Water Kiosk network, serving rural Cambodian households and schools.
• Ranontsika (Madagascar regional brand) Regional safe drinking water brand (meaning 'Our Water' in Malagasy) serving urban Tamatave populations in Madagascar through the Hub & Spokes urban distribution model.
• Uttaran Paani (Bangladesh regional brand) Regional safe drinking water brand serving southwest Bangladesh households, addressing arsenic contamination and salinity in Tala and Debhata regions through 2 operational factories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40-60% reduction in waterborne diseases
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, minor and flagship.

• UttarancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Bangladeshi NGO with 40 years' experience in development projects. Uttaran Paani brand serves southwest Bangladesh. Partnership formalized March 2024. 17,631 beneficiaries as of late 2024. Target: 8,000 households across 3 factories.
• La Petite GourdesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021French company donating 1€ per gourde sold to 1001fontaines, equivalent to 6 months of safe water for a Cambodian schoolchild.
• Culligan FrancesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Water treatment company committing 2€ per product installed to 1001fontaines, funding 1 year of water for a schoolchild in Cambodia.
• IRC WASHsupportingOthers · 1 January 2020International think tank conducting independent evaluation of 1001fontaines Cambodia model. Validated approach as viable alternative for rural safe drinking water access. Published case study in 2023.
• Network Activities Group (NAG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Myanmar local partner for Water Kiosk pilot project (2019-2023). 4 operational kiosks serving 9,700 beneficiaries. Project closed December 2023 due to security concerns. Kiosks transferred to local communities.
• OWE VietnamminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Vietnamese social enterprise producing safe drinking water in Ho Chi Minh City. 38,000 beneficiaries served. Transferred to local Vietnamese entrepreneurs (coffee franchise owners) in 2025 to achieve financial sustainability while maintaining social mission.
• Teuk Saat 1001flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Local partner organization in Cambodia ('Drinking water' in Khmer). Manages 343 Water Kiosks across 5 regional platforms. Led by Amandine Chaussinand. 20-year collaboration with Ministry of Rural Development. Creates 1,100+ local jobs.
• Sulabh International (India)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Indian NGO partnership to transfer 1001fontaines' know-how and expertise in bottled water solutions. Part of replication strategy.
• RanontsikacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Local NGO in Madagascar ('Our Water' in Malagasy). Implements Hub & Spoke urban water model in Tamatave. Founded by Luke Barrett. Achieved financial equilibrium in 2023. Serves 53,000+ beneficiaries.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WaterAid: International non-profit focused on providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to communities in developing countries. Directly comparable as a global WASH-focused NGO operating in similar geographies with comparable mission and beneficiary segments.
• charity: water: US-based non-profit funding clean water projects in developing countries, primarily through hardware installations (wells, filters). Highly comparable mission focus on safe drinking water access with similar donor-driven funding model.
• DelAgua: Social enterprise providing water testing and treatment products for households and communities in developing countries. Comparable as a WASH-focused organization with similar geographic footprint and beneficiary targeting.
• Water Mission: Christian engineering non-profit providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene solutions in developing countries. Directly comparable decentralized safe water delivery model with similar focus on rural and underserved communities.
• Water.org: Global non-profit providing access to safe water and sanitation through affordable financing (WaterCredit). Comparable as a water-access-focused NGO working in similar developing markets with a hybrid financial sustainability approach.

Broad incumbents

• P&G Children's Safe Drinking Water Program: Procter & Gamble program distributing water purification packets to provide clean drinking water in developing countries. Comparable as a large-scale safe water initiative targeting similar beneficiary populations, though using household treatment packets rather than community infrastructure.
• LifeStraw: Manufacturer of personal and household water filtration products marketed globally including developing markets. Comparable as a clean water technology provider serving similar beneficiaries with point-of-use filtration, though distributed via retail rather than micro-enterprise networks.

Emerging players

• Ecofiltro: Social enterprise producing ceramic water filters for rural households in Guatemala and Central America. Comparable as a decentralized safe water business with hybrid social-commercial model targeting low-income households.
• Safi Water: Social enterprise providing household water purification systems in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Comparable as a safe water social enterprise operating in overlapping geography with similar refill/subscription business models.
• Sustainable Water Energy (SWE): Uganda-based social enterprise operating decentralized safe water distribution through refillable water ATMs. Comparable business model serving similar low-income beneficiary segments with pay-per-liter pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZQSu_a2rddoOZ7rh_Cc7oA/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/1001fontaines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1001fontaines
• Instagraminstagram.com/1001fontaines/?hl=fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 1001fontaines