Water Research Australia

What Water Research Australia does

Water Research Australia (WaterRA) is a membership-based collaborative research organization founded in 1995 and operating from Adelaide, South Australia. It convenes 84 member organizations—spanning water utilities, government health and environment departments, universities, and industry consultants—to produce applied research on emerging Australian water sector challenges including PFAS contamination, microbial risk management, water reuse, catchment health, and treatment validation. The organization's intellectual core is the WaterVal framework, a nationally-developed water treatment validation system built around nine Protocol Elements and five Validation Protocols, transferred to WaterRA in 2018. Complementing WaterVal are the HealthStream technical publication (Australia's water and public health journal, running since 1996 under the CRC for Water Quality and Treatment), the Research Leadership Program for PhD/Masters/Honours students (reporting 95% sector retention), an extensive portfolio of multi-stakeholder research projects, and a member directory.

WaterRA's revenue model centers on tiered membership subscriptions from utilities, regulators, and research institutions, supplemented by event ticketing for webinars and conferences (Ozwater, Singapore International Water Week, Know Your Neighbour regional events), individual digital subscriptions to HealthStream at $120 AUD annually, and collaborative research project funding. Go-to-market is relationship-driven and sales-led, anchored on direct engagement with water utilities and government departments, knowledge dissemination through publications and conferences, and ecosystem-building programs. The organization holds the WaterVal trademark, has published internationally in venues including the Water Reuse journal (in collaboration with California's CalVal), and maintains alliances with the Global Water Research Coalition, Water Services Association of Australia, Australian Water Association, and state regulators across Australia. Leadership includes CEO David Bergmann, Senior Research Manager Dr. Marty Hancock, and HealthStream Editors Dr. Daniel Deere and Prof. Nicholas Ashbolt.

Name

Water Research Australia

Legal name

Water Research Australia Limited

Website

https://waterra.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Water Research Australia is a membership-based collaborative research organization serving 84 Australian water utilities, government departments, universities, and industry partners through the WaterVal validation framework, HealthStream publication, Research Leadership Program, and applied water sector research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Research and Treatment Validation Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Water research
• Water treatment validation
• Collaborative research services
• Water sector publications
• Membership research programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: WaterRA operates as a membership organization with water utilities, research institutions, government agencies, and industry partners as members. Members receive access to research projects, publications, events, and networking opportunities. The member directory shows at least 84 member organizations including water utilities, councils, universities, and government departments.
2. Digital Subscriptions: Digital subscription service for online magazines and publications (including HealthStream). Subscription Period is 365 calendar days. Annual individual subscription for Australian subscribers is $120 plus GST; Overseas subscription is $120AUD. Subscribers receive three issues per year and access to all previous issues.
3. Event Ticketing: Revenue from sale of tickets to WaterRA events including webinars, workshops, conferences, and networking events. Some events are free for members while others may have registration fees.
4. Research Project Funding: Collaborative research projects funded by member contributions and partnerships. Projects address shared challenges in the water sector through evidence-based research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Water Research Australia is a member-based collaborative research organisation that delivers applied water sector research, the WaterVal standardised validation framework for water treatment processes, the HealthStream technical publication for water and public health professionals, and the Research Leadership Program for PhD/Masters/Honours students. It also runs events, webinars, networking forums, and a member directory serving Australia's water utilities, regulators, researchers, and industry partners.

Product overview

Water Research Australia operates as a collaborative research organization offering a portfolio of products and services centered around water research, validation, and professional development. The core offerings include the WaterVal Framework for water treatment validation, HealthStream publication for water and public health professionals, the Research Leadership Program for student development, and an extensive research projects library. These products are complemented by events/webinars, publications, and a member directory serving Australia's water sector utilities, researchers, regulators, and industry professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WaterVal: A nationally-developed framework for water treatment processes validation, providing standardized and streamlined approach for ensuring safety and effectiveness of water treatment processes. Originally established as NatVal in 2011 through the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence.

Products and services

• WaterVal Framework Nationally-developed framework for water treatment process validation in Australia, providing standardised and streamlined Validation Protocols built on nine Protocol Elements to ensure safety and effectiveness of water treatment processes. Used by water utilities, regulators, technology suppliers, and consultants across Australia and internationally.
• HealthStream Publication Australia's go-to technical publication for water and public health professionals since 1996, published three times per year, providing trusted evidence-based insights on emerging risks, regulatory changes, and public health protections across the global water sector.
• Research Leadership Program (RLP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% retention rate within the water sector for RLP student program participants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• WaterVal Partners (WVP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018WaterVal Partners include utilities, regulators, industry service providers/consultants/associations, technology providers and researchers. Partners include Seq Water, Hunter Water, SA Health, Carollo, NSW Health, South East Water, ROUS County Council, Water Corporation, EPA Victoria, Melbourne Water, Coliban Water, Tasmanian Government, SA Water, WA Health, Victoria State Government. The program coordinates treatment process validation protocols nationally.
• Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational coalition of water research organizations. WaterRA participates in GWRC-facilitated workshops and research initiatives including the nitrous oxide emissions protocol development with Professor Liu Ye from University of Queensland.
• Australian Water SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterRA operates the Australian Water School, providing education and training in the water sector.
• Alluvium Group ConsultingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Project 1140 Catchment Health Metrics. Alluvium developed Python toolbox for catchment health assessment. Joint workshop delivered at Ozwater'26.
• Australian Water Association (AWA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration at Ozwater'26 including joint sessions on purified recycled water. WaterRA researchers presented at AWA events and AWA President spoke at Ozwater.
• Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed US Water Reuse Tour in March 2026 with WaterRA participation. Collaboration on Water in Transition report. Joint webinars and study tours.
• CalVal (California)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between WaterVal (Australia) and CalVal (California, USA) to develop universal validation guidance for potable reuse. Joint article published in Water Reuse journal (IWA Publishing). Both frameworks aim to harmonize validation protocols internationally.
• Australian Water Quality Centre (AWQC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at Level 2, 250 Victoria Square, Adelaide SA 5000. Member organization and research collaborator.
• Water Quality Research Australia (WQRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPredecessor organization that continued HealthStream publication from 2008 to 2013. WaterRA has committed to ongoing production of HealthStream.
• Co-operative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment (CRCWQT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPredecessor organization that established HealthStream in 1996. WaterRA inherited and continued this publication legacy.
• GHDmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommissioned by WaterRA to undertake review of key water-related policy instruments in Australia. Report reviewed 22 relevant policy instruments and produced gap analysis and key recommendations.
• University of QueenslandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Liu Ye from UQ provided background study for GWRC nitrous oxide emissions protocol. Research collaboration on wastewater treatment emissions.
• Barwon Water and TaswatermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterRA collaborating with Barwon Water and Taswater on low-grade heat recovery from sewer water research.
• State RegulatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState and territory regulators participate in WaterVal framework through WaterVal Partners. MDBA (Murray-Darling Basin Authority) and various state health/environment departments engaged in WaterRA research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Water Environment Federation (WEF): US-based international nonprofit for water-quality professionals, with extensive publication, certification, and standards programs. A broad incumbent offering overlapping research and technical content channels to WaterRA's membership-style audience.
• Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC): International coalition of water research organisations. WaterRA is itself a GWRC member; comparable peer because it operates the collaborative applied-research mandate that WaterRA delivers for Australia.
• International Water Association (IWA): Global membership-based organisation covering the full water cycle with publishing, specialist groups, and conferences (including SIWW). Broad incumbent that WaterRA engages with around validation frameworks and conference programming.

Direct peers

• UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR): UK collaborative research body funded by water companies to deliver strategic, applied, and regulatory research. Highly comparable model: water-utility membership, evidence-based outputs, and central role in national water standards.
• Water Reuse Association / WateReuse: US-based nonprofit advancing safe water reuse, the operational counterpart to WaterVal's recycled-water validation protocols. Their California affiliate underpins the CalVal framework that WaterRA is actively harmonising with.
• Alluvium Group: Australian water and catchment consulting firm collaborating with WaterRA on Project 1140 Catchment Health Metrics. Comparable niche consulting/research provider serving the same Australian utility and regulator customer base.
• Water Research Foundation: US-based subscription-funded collaborative research organisation for the water sector. Closest functional analogue to WaterRA: produces applied research reports, validation guidance, and member-driven programs for North American utilities.

Regional players

• Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA): Australian peak industry body representing urban water utilities. WaterRA collaborates with WSAA on the US Water Reuse Tour and joint webinars; serves overlapping audiences but focused on policy/advocacy rather than collaborative research.
• GHD: Major Australian engineering consultancy commissioned by WaterRA for water-policy reviews. Comparable because it competes for the same utility and government advisory spend, particularly around water-quality standards and compliance.
• Australian Water Association: Australia's largest water-sector member network running Ozwater, awards, and policy engagement. Peer to WaterRA in audience but commercial/membership oriented rather than research-output focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WaterRA_updates
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5RygoyAnI7gVwrlb5yMsMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/WaterResearchAustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterresearchaustralia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Water Research Australia