Akifer

What Akifer does

Akifer is a Quebec-based engineering consulting firm providing hydrogeological and environmental services across three practice areas: hydrogeology (groundwater research, aquifer management, well inspection, well cleaning and rehabilitation, water vulnerability studies), environment (Phase I/II site assessments, compliance verification, hazardous material sampling, authorization certificate applications, ongoing monitoring), and environmental rehabilitation (excavation, ex situ and in situ treatment, mobile water treatment, soil treatment site design and management). The company has operated for approximately 35 years and has completed more than 7,000 projects across 140+ Quebec municipalities for municipal governments, industrial clients, federal/provincial government agencies, Indigenous communities, and military installations. Its technical backbone rests on specialized field equipment (submersible well cameras, mobile water treatment units capable of a few to several thousand liters per minute, geophysical survey gear) and a core team of three hydrogeologists with over 60 years of combined experience, supported by an in-house scientific R&D and experimental development department.

The company makes money through project-based professional services engagements priced on a quote basis tailored to site-specific requirements, with all three revenue streams classified as professional services. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting municipalities, industries, and government agencies in Quebec, supplemented by a 24/7 emergency environmental hotline (1 866 656-4066) and an inbound information-request form on its corporate website. Akifer operates as a subsidiary of Groupe Conseil UDA inc. following the parent's 2025 acquisition of three environmental businesses, holds an R.B.Q. contractor license (8287-4231-48), and relies on strategic alliances with drilling, excavation, soil treatment, and engineering firms to deliver turnkey remediation projects. The firm has no disclosed AI, software, or recurring-revenue product; competitive advantage derives from accumulated project experience, specialized equipment, regulatory know-how, and embedded municipal relationships in Quebec.

Name

Akifer

Legal name

Akifer

Website

https://akifer.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Akifer is a Quebec-based engineering consultancy that provides groundwater research, environmental site assessment, and contaminated soil and water rehabilitation services to municipalities, industries, government agencies, and Indigenous communities across Quebec.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydrogeology and Environmental Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Remediation Services (562910), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Hazardous Waste Management (4955), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Landfill/Impoundment Hydrogeology (Liners, Leachate, Seepage Studies) (EUAHAFAH), Groundwater Extraction, Treatment & Discharge (Pump-and-Treat, reinjection) (BPALAKAF), Dewatering, Groundwater Control & Construction Hydrogeology (EUAHAFAG), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Hydrogeology consulting
• Environmental site assessment
• Contaminated site remediation
• Groundwater resource management
• Environmental rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hydrogeological Services: Project-based professional services including groundwater research, aquifer management, well inspection, well cleaning and rehabilitation, water vulnerability studies, and hydrogeological studies.
2. Environmental Services: Phase I site evaluation, Phase II site characterization, compliance verification, material inventory and sampling, authorization certificates, and environmental monitoring.
3. Environmental Rehabilitation Services: Complete decontamination services including excavation, ex situ treatment, in situ treatment, water treatment, and contaminated soil treatment site design and management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Akifer provides project-based hydrogeological and environmental consulting services delivered by a specialized team of hydrogeologists. Core work spans groundwater exploration, aquifer management and well inspection/rehabilitation, environmental site characterization (Phase I/II, compliance verification, hazardous material sampling, authorization certificates), and complete contaminated soil and groundwater remediation via excavation, ex situ and in situ treatment, mobile water treatment, and soil treatment site design. The firm supports Quebec municipalities, industries, and government agencies, with a 24/7 emergency environmental response line and an in-house R&D department for complex remediation problems.

Product overview

Akifer is a hydrogeology and environmental consulting firm that has operated for 35 years, providing professional services organized into three main practice areas. Hydrogéology Services (over 60 years of combined team experience) encompasses groundwater research, aquifer management, well inspection and rehabilitation, and hydrogeological studies. Environmental Services (active for 25+ years) includes Phase I/II site assessments, compliance verification, hazardous material sampling, and authorization certificates. Environmental Rehabilitation Services (20+ years) offers contaminated soil and groundwater remediation through excavation, ex situ treatment, in situ treatment, mobile water treatment, and permanent soil treatment site design. The firm has completed over 7,000 projects and operates a 24/7 emergency environmental service line.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hydrogéologie Services Professional hydrogeological and geophysical studies including groundwater research, aquifer management, well inspection by camera, well cleaning and rehabilitation, water vulnerability analysis, and hydrogeological studies. The team has over 60 years of combined experience and has worked in over 140 cities and municipalities.
• Environmental Services Environmental consulting including Phase I site evaluation, Phase II site characterization, environmental compliance verification, hazardous material inventory and sampling (asbestos, lead, mold), authorization certificate applications, and ongoing environmental site monitoring.
• Environmental Rehabilitation Services Complete contaminated soil and groundwater remediation including excavation, ex situ treatment (bio-pile), in situ treatment (chemical oxidation, bioventing, bioaugmentation, leaching, thermal treatment), mobile water treatment units, and design and management of permanent soil treatment sites.
• Groundwater Research Targeting optimal locations for groundwater extraction projects to supply municipal or private water systems, institutional buildings, and industries. Services include preliminary hydrogeological studies, geophysical surveys, exploratory drilling campaigns, pumping tests, capture structure design, and final well commissioning.
• Aquifer Management and Potable Water Well Monitoring Quantitative and qualitative management of aquifers and monitoring of water supply well performance to minimize operation and maintenance costs and prevent temporary or permanent interruption of potable water supply.
• Well Camera Inspection Underwater camera inspection of wells to examine internal components (casing, screen, slide, driving shoe) and determine if corrections are needed for optimal operation. Available for all types of capture structures including municipal wells, private wells, screened wells, rock wells, collector wells, and drains.
• Well Cleaning and Rehabilitation Restoration of well capture performance through mechanical brushing of components with or without dissolving acid, followed by development procedures, addressing deterioration from bacterial or chemical contamination or misuse.
• Water Vulnerability Studies Establishment of protection areas around groundwater and surface water withdrawals to protect water integrity, required for authorization to operate potable water supply systems, including inventory of activities that may affect water quality and quantity.
• Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Environmental risk assessment establishing risk levels associated with a property by examining current and past activities and installations on-site and neighboring sites, critical for real estate transactions and required by financial institutions for financing.
• Phase II Environmental Site Characterization Verification of presence or absence of contaminants in soil and groundwater through sampling, laboratory analysis, data interpretation, and rehabilitation cost estimation.
• Environmental Compliance Verification Determination of enterprise compliance levels relative to environmental codes, regulations, and laws, establishing an activity portrait to help improve environmental management.
• Hazardous Material Inventory and Sampling Characterization of hazardous materials including asbestos, lead, and mold, typically required for demolition or renovation of older buildings to meet legal and health/safety requirements.
• Authorization Certificate Application Assistance with authorization certificate applications to the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change (MDDELCC) required for opening sandpits or quarries, conducting work near waterways, and in situ environmental rehabilitations.
• Environmental Site Monitoring Ongoing monitoring of groundwater, surface water, air, soil, or sediments to verify contaminant evolution after rehabilitation, assess environmental impacts, verify effectiveness of mitigation measures, and confirm rehabilitation objectives.
• Excavation-based Remediation Most commonly used remediation method in Quebec, involving excavation of contaminated soil and transport to authorized treatment sites, followed by replacement with clean soil, including groundwater pumping and treatment operations.
• Ex Situ Treatment Contaminated soil excavation and placement in bio-pile on temporary treatment platform on-site, with treated soil reused for backfilling, offering substantial cost savings for large quantities of contaminated soil.
• In Situ Treatment Contaminated soil and groundwater treatment without excavation or prior pumping using techniques such as chemical oxidation, bioventing, bioaugmentation, leaching, and thermal treatment, particularly suited for contaminated soils under infrastructure or at depth.
• Mobile Water Treatment Units Mobile treatment units enabling on-site water treatment directly from excavations, handling flow rates from a few liters per minute to several thousand liters per minute, with methods approved by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change.
• Soil Treatment Site Design and Management Turnkey service including environmental studies, authorization certificate applications, construction specifications, construction planning and management, environmental monitoring, and site operation for permanent contaminated soil treatment facilities.

Named customers14 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Specialized Drilling CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkifer creates strategic alliances with specialized drilling companies for well installation and exploration projects.
• Excavation CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnerships with excavation companies for contaminated site rehabilitation projects including soil excavation and removal.
• Contaminated Soil Treatment CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliances with specialized companies for treatment of contaminated soils using various remediation technologies.
• Building Foundation and Structure CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with building foundation specialists for projects requiring structural considerations during environmental rehabilitation.
• Surveying CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations with surveying companies for land measurement and boundary determination in environmental projects.
• Sanitary Engineering CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with sanitary engineering specialists for water and wastewater-related environmental projects.
• Environmental Impact Study FirmsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborations with environmental impact assessment firms for comprehensive project evaluations.
• Land Evaluation FirmsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnerships with land evaluation specialists for property assessment in environmental transactions.
• Wetland Study SpecialistsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliances with wetland environmental specialists for comprehensive environmental site assessments.
• Groupe Conseil UDA inc.coreOthersAkifer is a subsidiary of Groupe Conseil UDA inc., providing consolidated environmental consulting services. Groupe Conseil UDA acquired three companies including Akifer to strengthen its environmental position.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP Global: One of the world's largest engineering and environmental consulting firms with deep Canadian roots, offering hydrogeology, site assessment, and remediation services that directly overlap Akifer's Quebec practice — competing for the same municipal and industrial mandates at greater scale.
• Stantec: Global engineering consultancy with substantial environmental services practice in Quebec, providing site assessment, hydrogeology, and contaminated site remediation that competes directly with Akifer for municipal and industrial clients.
• AECOM: Large multinational infrastructure and environmental consulting firm operating across Canada, with an environmental services practice covering site assessment, hydrogeology, and remediation that competes with Akifer for enterprise and government contracts.
• Arcadis: Global design and environmental consulting firm with a Canadian presence offering site assessment, contaminated land remediation, and water resource consulting comparable to Akifer's service pillars.
• Tetra Tech: International consulting and engineering firm with a strong environmental services practice covering water resources, hydrogeology, site assessment, and remediation — directly comparable to Akifer's offerings across municipal, industrial, and government clients.
• GHD: Global engineering, environmental, and construction services firm with Canadian offices providing hydrogeology, environmental site assessment, and remediation work that competes with Akifer for similar municipal and industrial clients.
• AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin): Major Canadian-headquartered engineering services firm with environmental consulting capabilities including site assessment, hydrogeology, and remediation competing for Quebec municipal, energy, and infrastructure contracts alongside Akifer.

Direct peers

• SLR Consulting: Mid-sized environmental and advisory consultancy with strong Canadian operations including Quebec-based hydrogeology, environmental site assessment, and contaminated land remediation services that are directly comparable to Akifer's practice areas.
• BluMetric Environmental: Canadian environmental services and cleantech company focused on water resource management, site assessment, and remediation — comparable in scale and service mix to Akifer and serving similar municipal and industrial buyers across Canada.

Others

• Groupe Conseil UDA inc. Akifer's parent company and a diversified Quebec-based consulting group that integrates environmental, agri-environment, and forestry consulting services — relevant as the acquiring platform that shares Akifer's end markets and could enable service expansion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Akifer