Waterloo Biofilter Systems
Waterloo Biofilter Systems designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains proprietary onsite wastewater treatment systems for residential, commercial, communal, and nutrient-removal applications across North America, distributing through an authorized installer network from its Guelph, Ontario headquarters since 1991.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersGuelph, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Waterloo Biofilter Systems does
Waterloo Biofilter Systems Inc. designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems for sites without access to municipal sewer infrastructure. Founded in 1991 from research at the University of Waterloo and incorporated in 1995, the Guelph, Ontario-based company sells through a trained authorized-installer network spanning Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec (via DBO Expert Inc.), British Columbia, Iowa, and Michigan, with direct project inquiry handling for engineers, developers, and commercial customers. The core product is a proprietary trickle filter using a patented synthetic absorbent foam medium that provides aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic treatment environments without air compressors, delivering tertiary effluent quality at 98%+ BOD5 and TSS removal with up to 85% lower energy consumption than aeration alternatives.
The portfolio is anchored by the Flat Bed Biofilter (world's first at-grade open-bottom unit), Basket Biofilter, WaterTube laminar-flow septic tank, Waterloo EC-P electrochemical phosphorus removal device, WaterNOx-LS nitrogen removal system, and the Waterloo Smart Panel for cellular remote monitoring and control. In July 2024 the company acquired Guelph-based RH2O Inc. to add moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology for high-strength wastewater, extending addressable use cases into higher-flow commercial and industrial applications. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of treatment units and add-on nutrient removal products, supplemented by recurring maintenance contracts (the company is one of Canada's largest maintenance providers for onsite systems), with warranties in jurisdictions such as Ontario conditioning coverage on contracted service. Customers span residential homeowners with challenging sites (cottages, waterfront, high water table, bedrock), commercial establishments (resorts, campgrounds, restaurants), communal subdivisions, and nutrient-sensitive environmental applications including the Thames River Phosphorus Reduction Collaborative and Suffolk County, New York's nitrogen demonstration program.
Waterloo Biofilter Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Waterloo Biofilter Systems
- Legal name
- Waterloo Biofilter Systems Inc.
- Website
- https://waterloo-biofilter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Waterloo Biofilter Systems designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains proprietary onsite wastewater treatment systems for residential, commercial, communal, and nutrient-removal applications across North America, distributing through an authorized installer network from its Guelph, Ontario headquarters since 1991.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Waterloo Biofilter Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
- NAICS
- Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)
- SIC
- Sanitary Services (4950)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decentralized/Package Wastewater Systems (Small/Remote) (EUANADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ), Effluent Polishing & Filtration (MBR/UF/RO/GAC) (EUANADAL)
Keywords
Where Waterloo Biofilter Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guelph
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Waterloo Biofilter Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Wastewater Treatment System Sales: Sale of advanced onsite wastewater treatment units including Flat Bed Biofilters, Basket Biofilters, and associated components. Products sold through authorized installer network and direct project inquiries.
- Maintenance Services: Ongoing maintenance contracts and services for installed systems. Company operates and maintains a number of commercial installations. Maintenance is required for warranty compliance in jurisdictions like Ontario.
- Nutrient Removal Products: Specialized add-on products for nitrogen and phosphorus removal (WaterNOx-LS, Waterloo EC-P) sold as supplements to base treatment systems.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Production Laborer |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Waterloo Biofilter Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Waterloo Biofilter Systems designs, manufactures, and maintains advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems for residential, commercial, communal, and nutrient removal applications. Its core offering is a proprietary trickle filter wastewater treatment system using a patented synthetic foam filter medium developed at the University of Waterloo, providing aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic biological treatment without air compressors. The company sells complete treatment units including Flat Bed Biofilters, Basket Biofilters, WaterTube septic tanks, Waterloo EC-P phosphorus removal devices, WaterNOx-LS nitrogen removal systems, the Waterloo Smart Panel for remote monitoring, and MBBR systems acquired through RH2O Inc., distributed through authorized installers and direct project sales across North America.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Waterloo Biofilter: Primary brand for advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems
- WaterNOx-LS
- Waterloo EC-P
- Waterloo Smart Panel
- Flat Bed Biofilter
- WaterTube
Products and services
- Flat Bed Biofilter At-grade open-bottom advanced wastewater treatment unit with lightweight modular shells installed flush to grade and landscaped into the property. Uses Waterloo Biofilter's proprietary foam filter medium and requires no distribution piping in the disposal bed, resulting in a smaller footprint. Sold to homeowners, commercial customers, and developers through authorized installers.
- Basket Biofilter
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% BOD5 removal, >98% TSS removal, >99% fecal coliform removal per BNQ certification
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Waterloo Biofilter Systems
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Waterloo Biofilter Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Waterloo Biofilter Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- RH2O Inc.coreAcquisition completed July 31, 2024. RH2O Inc. is a Guelph-based specialist in advanced moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology for high-strength wastewater treatment. The acquisition enhances Waterloo Biofilter's technological capacity to address broader customer needs from low concentration influent and small flows to high concentration and high-flow requirements, strengthening market position in North America.
- DBO Expert Inc.corePartnership created in 2016 as part of expansion of Waterloo Biofilter's distribution network across North America. DBO Expert is a well-established Quebec company distributing Advanced Enviro-Septic, BIOSOR, and Waterloo Biofilter technologies. Their distribution network provides market penetration in Quebec province.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Waterloo Biofilter Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Orenco Systems: Orenco Systems is a leading US manufacturer of decentralized residential and commercial wastewater treatment systems using proprietary processes. It directly competes with Waterloo Biofilter across onsite/decentralized applications in North America, including the same advanced-treatment, low-maintenance value proposition for sites without municipal sewer access.
- Norweco: Norweco manufactures Singulair and other aerobic treatment units for decentralized wastewater applications. It directly competes with Waterloo Biofilter in the onsite residential and commercial wastewater treatment market across North America.
- Bio-Microbics: Bio-Microbics manufactures decentralized wastewater treatment systems including MBR and fixed-film technologies for residential, commercial, and community applications. It is a direct peer to Waterloo Biofilter in the onsite/decentralized treatment category with comparable third-party certified performance and similar small-footprint, advanced-treatment positioning.
- Premier Tech Water & Environment: Premier Tech's Water & Environment group manufactures decentralized wastewater systems, including Ecoflo and Ecofix biofilter products. It is a direct peer to Waterloo Biofilter, particularly in the Canadian market, competing on similar residential and communal onsite treatment applications with comparable passive biofilter technology.
- Jet, Inc. Jet, Inc. produces packaged aerobic wastewater treatment plants for residential, commercial, and communal applications. It is a direct peer to Waterloo Biofilter in the decentralized/package wastewater treatment space with overlapping customer segments.
- Conder Treatment Systems (by Premier Tech): Conder offers packaged wastewater treatment plants for residential and commercial decentralized applications, providing an overlap with Waterloo Biofilter's commercial and communal treatment product lines.
- Fuji Clean USA: Fuji Clean manufactures compact onsite wastewater treatment systems for residential and small commercial applications using Japanese-rooted treatment technology. It directly competes with Waterloo Biofilter in the North American decentralized/onsite wastewater treatment market, including certified residential systems.
- ClearStream Environmental Technologies: ClearStream designs and manufactures decentralized wastewater treatment systems for residential, commercial, and industrial applications, including treatment processes for nutrient removal. It is a direct peer to Waterloo Biofilter across the onsite/decentralized treatment market.
Broad incumbents
- Infiltrator Water Technologies: Infiltrator is a major US manufacturer of septic tanks, chambers, and decentralized wastewater system components. While broader in product scope and primarily focused on the disposal-side components of onsite systems rather than biological treatment, it is highly comparable as a North American decentralized wastewater incumbent.
Regional players
- Anua (formerly Bord na Móna Water Solutions): Anua manufactures and operates decentralized and packaged wastewater treatment systems primarily serving the US, UK, and Irish markets. It is a regional peer to Waterloo Biofilter in the onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment category, with limited direct overlap in core Canadian/Northern US geographies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights3 records
Customer concentration
Waterloo Biofilter Systems social profiles
Digital presenceWaterloo Biofilter Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Waterloo Biofilter Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Waterloo Biofilter Systems subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Waterloo Biofilter Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Waterloo Biofilter Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Waterloo Biofilter Systems
What does Waterloo Biofilter Systems do?
Waterloo Biofilter Systems designs, manufactures, and maintains advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems for residential, commercial, communal, and nutrient removal applications. Its core offering is a proprietary trickle filter wastewater treatment system using a patented synthetic foam filter medium developed at the University of Waterloo, providing aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic biological treatment without air compressors. The company sells complete treatment units including Flat Bed Biofilters, Basket Biofilters, WaterTube septic tanks, Waterloo EC-P phosphorus removal devices, WaterNOx-LS nitrogen removal systems, the Waterloo Smart Panel for remote monitoring, and MBBR systems acquired through RH2O Inc., distributed through authorized installers and direct project sales across North America.
Is Waterloo Biofilter Systems a public or private company?
Waterloo Biofilter Systems is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Waterloo Biofilter Systems founded?
Waterloo Biofilter Systems was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Waterloo Biofilter Systems based?
Waterloo Biofilter Systems is headquartered in Guelph, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Waterloo Biofilter Systems make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Wastewater Treatment System Sales are the primary driver. The others are maintenance Services and nutrient Removal Products.
Who are Waterloo Biofilter Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Orenco Systems, Norweco, Bio-Microbics, Premier Tech Water & Environment, Jet, Inc., Conder Treatment Systems (by Premier Tech), Fuji Clean USA and ClearStream Environmental Technologies. Infiltrator Water Technologies is listed as a broad incumbent. Anua (formerly Bord na Móna Water Solutions) is listed as a regional player.
Does Waterloo Biofilter Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Waterloo Biofilter Systems.
What industry is Waterloo Biofilter Systems in?
Waterloo Biofilter Systems's product category is Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUANADAE, Decentralized/Package Wastewater Systems (Small/Remote), with a secondary code of IMAHAEAJ, Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems). Its NAICS code is 22132 and its SIC code is 4950.