Be Water

What Be Water does

Be Water S.A. is a Portuguese water management company headquartered in Lisbon, founded in 1991 and operating since 1995 under the current service model. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing Enterprises Water Group (BEWG), a multinational conglomerate that acquired Be Water in 2013 and operates its Portuguese platform as BEWG PT. Be Water delivers integrated urban water cycle services spanning water abstraction, treatment and distribution, wastewater collection, treatment and discharge, active leak detection, water quality monitoring, commercial management (meter reading, billing, customer management), and technical consulting. Its core technology stack includes continuous water quality monitoring systems compliant with ERSAR standards, active leak detection for non-revenue water reduction, and specialized industrial water treatment capabilities. The company operates through long-term municipal concessions (Ourém since 1996, Valongo since 2000), operation and maintenance service contracts with public utilities (Águas do Algarve, EPAL, ADRA, Águas do Norte, EDIA), and industrial outsourcing services for pharmaceutical, food, petrochemical, and chemical sectors.

The company serves approximately 645,000 people across Portugal and has expanded internationally to Angola (2019, technical assistance) and Saudi Arabia (2022, via Be Water for Water subsidiary operating in the Red Sea region). With 360+ employees, Be Water generates revenue through a hybrid model combining multi-decade concession management (with financial risk assumption), performance-based fee-for-service contracts tied to non-revenue water reduction, industrial outsourcing engagements, and technical consulting. The business is anchored by long-cycle government contracts with high switching costs, and was distinguished with the ERSAR Exemplary Water Quality Seal in 2024 for its Ourém and Valongo concessions. Significant multinational capital backing from BEWG provides strategic direction and financial capacity for cross-border expansion, while local management under CEO Frederico Martins Fernandes oversees Portuguese and international operations.

Name

Be Water

Legal name

Be Water S.A.

Website

https://bewater.com.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Be Water is a Portuguese water management company and wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing Enterprises Water Group that operates municipal concessions, O&M services, and industrial water solutions serving 645,000+ people across Portugal, Angola, and Saudi Arabia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Source Development & Conveyance (Intakes, Canals, Pipelines) (AFACAFAH)

Keywords

• Municipal water concessions
• Water utility operations
• Wastewater treatment services
• Water efficiency management
• Industrial water services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisboa

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal Concessions: Long-term concession agreements with municipalities for water supply and wastewater management, taking on financial risk and operational responsibility for public services. Be Water manages concessions in Ourém (since 1996), Valongo (since 2000), and previously Mafra (since 1995) and Paredes (since 2001).
2. Operation and Maintenance Services: Technical services contracts for operating and maintaining water supply and sanitation infrastructure for municipalities and multimunicipal systems. Includes maintenance of drinking water systems, wastewater treatment plants, and network infrastructure.
3. Hydraulic Efficiency Services: Water loss reduction through active leak detection, performance-based contracts with variable remuneration tied to reduction of non-billed water (ANF), long-term savings generation.
4. Industrial Services: Outsourcing solutions for industrial sectors including wastewater treatment, cooling circuits, steam systems, and technical assistance for pharmaceutical, food, petrochemical, and chemical industries.
5. Water Quality Testing and Monitoring: Analytical quality control services for water monitoring across group operations, serving both internal concessions and external clients.
6. Commercial Management Services: Customer management, meter reading services, billing cycle management, water connection services, and debt management for water utilities.
7. Technical Consulting: Strategic consulting, technical assistance, planning of new investments, regulatory compliance studies, and environmental projects in the water sector.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Be Water is a Portuguese water management company — the local platform of Beijing Enterprises Water Group (BEWG) — that holds and operates municipal and multimunicipal water supply and sanitation concessions and provides operation and maintenance (O&M) services for water and wastewater infrastructure. It complements these concessions with water efficiency programs, water quality monitoring, commercial/customer management for utilities, industrial water services, and technical consulting, delivered through subsidiaries such as Águas de Ourém, Águas de Valongo, and Be Water for Water.

Product overview

Be Water is a water management company offering an integrated portfolio of services for the urban water cycle. The core offerings include Concessões (municipal water and sanitation concessions), Operação e Manutenção (operation and maintenance), Eficiência Hídrica (water efficiency and leak detection), Qualidade da Água (water quality monitoring), Gestão Comercial (commercial management), Serviços Industriais (industrial water services), and Consultoria Técnica (technical consulting). The company operates through subsidiaries Águas de Ourém and Águas de Valongo for municipal concessions, and Be Water for Water for international operations in Saudi Arabia. The service model combines concession-based management with fee-for-service contracts, serving both public municipalities and industrial clients across Portugal and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Concessões (Water and Sanitation Concessions)

Quantifiable outcome

• Water quality compliance with legal parameters for human consumption
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Águas do Algarve, S.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership since 2006 where Be Water provides operation and maintenance services for multimunicipal sanitation and water supply systems in Algarve. Be Water manages systems serving the region's tourist population and permanent residents, with approximately 200 professionals dedicated to this partnership.
• EDIA - Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestruturas do AlquevaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaintenance services for primary infrastructure network of the Alqueva Multipurpose Development project (EFMA), one of Europe's largest irrigation infrastructure projects.
• EPAL - Empresa Portuguesa das Águas LivresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerService contract for water meter reading and associated services in Lisbon municipality since 2023.
• APDA - Associação Portuguesa de Distribuição e Drenagem de ÁguasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for water distribution and drainage. Be Water sponsors and actively participates in APDA events including SENAG seminars and H2OFF movement for water awareness.
• Município de OurémcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term concession since 1996 for water supply, treatment and distribution system management in Ourém municipality.
• Município de ValongocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term concession since 2000 for water supply and wastewater collection, treatment and discharge systems in Valongo municipality.
• Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for knowledge sharing at the 17th Hydraulics, Water Resources and Environment Conference. Be Water presents its vision for wastewater treatment plant operations.
• Universidade do AlgarveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer fair participation to attract talent and showcase career opportunities in the water sector. Partnership strengthens company's presence in Algarve region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SAUR: French water and wastewater services company operating municipal concessions and outsourced O&M contracts across Europe and internationally. Comparable mid-sized concession operator with similar mix of public-sector concessions and outsourced services.
• Aqualia: Spanish water utility operator managing municipal water supply and wastewater concessions across Spain and internationally. Highly comparable to Be Water in business model, focusing on end-to-end urban water cycle management under municipal contracts for small and mid-sized municipalities.
• Acciona Agua: Spanish water treatment and desalination specialist operating water infrastructure concessions globally. Comparable in providing water treatment plant O&M, industrial water services, and municipal concession management under long-term contracts.
• Sacyr Agua: Spanish water infrastructure concession operator managing municipal water and wastewater systems in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. Directly comparable in concession management, water treatment operations, and international expansion strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Environment: Global leader in water and wastewater services with municipal water concessions across Europe, MENA, and beyond. Operates in overlapping customer segments (municipalities, industrial clients) with similar concession and O&M service models, but at vastly greater scale.
• Beijing Enterprises Water Group (BEWG): Be Water's parent company and one of the largest water treatment operators in China with a global footprint spanning municipal concessions, BOT projects, and water services. Comparable in any standalone valuation analysis of Be Water, as the parent's international division serves as the strategic platform for Be Water's growth.
• Suez SA: French multinational operating water and wastewater utilities worldwide through municipal concessions and service contracts. Directly competes with Be Water in concession-based water utility operations across European and MENA markets.
• Águas de Portugal (AdP): Portuguese national water utility holding company managing multimunicipal water supply and sanitation systems across Portugal. A direct competitor in Portuguese public tenders and a key client (Águas do Algarve, ADRA, Águas do Norte are all AdP subsidiaries that contract with Be Water).

Regional players

• Severn Trent: UK water utility operating water supply and wastewater services for millions of customers. Comparable regulated water utility operator with similar operational scope, but different geography and ownership structure (publicly listed).
• Northumbrian Water: UK water and wastewater company operating regulated water services in North East England. Similar mid-sized regional water utility operator with comparable service mix (water supply, wastewater treatment, customer management).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apda-pt/posts/?feedView=all

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Be Water