Aquacert

What Aquacert does

Aquacert is a French non-profit association (declared July 4, 2017, registered in Gironde) that owns and operates an international certification standard exclusively specialized in water quality and safety. The standard is managed internationally by the NGO "Aquacert International" across five continents and is issued through independent, accredited certification organizations. Aquacert was co-developed with the French Ministry of Health and is built on HACCP risk-management methodology combined with ISO 22000 standards, with category-specific audit criteria tailored to thermal medicine, drinking water, and recreational water applications.

The certification portfolio spans three core streams — Water and Health Care (thermal medicine, hospital balneotherapy, thalassotherapy), Drinking Water (public networks, bottled spring, natural mineral water), and Relaxing and Recreational Water (spas, swimming pools, water parks, natural swimming areas) — plus sub-brands such as the Public Water Service Excellence Label and Swimming Water Management Certification. Annual audits are conducted by accredited independent organizations and reviewed by an independent scientific committee; the organization reports approximately 75,000 water analyses, 1,200 professional evaluations, and 350 audit-days per year. William Terry is the Director of Publication.

The commercial model is B2B subscription/recurring: certified enterprises — including Evian Thermes, Nongfu Spring, La Roche-Posay, Vichy, Avène, Gervais Mont Blanc, Casteljaloux, Purra, and Singha Corporation — pay certification, follow-up, and renewal audit fees. Go-to-market is sales-led through professional portals, with strong endorsement from public health authorities driving voluntary adoption. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Aquacert

Legal name

Aquacert

Website

https://aquacert-certification.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aquacert is a French non-profit association that owns an international water-quality and safety certification standard, managed through the NGO Aquacert International on five continents and used by bottled-water, thermal-spa, and public-water operators worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Services: Aquacert generates revenue through certification fees for auditing and certifying water-related facilities and products. The process includes initial certification audits, follow-up audits, and renewal audits conducted annually by independent certification organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Aquacert is a French non-profit association that issues international certifications for water quality and safety. Its services cover three certification programs: Water and Health Care (thermal medicine, hospital balneotherapy, thalassotherapy), Drinking Water (tap, spring, and natural mineral bottled water), and Wellness and Recreation (spas, swimming areas, pools, water parks). Certifications are delivered using a methodology based on HACCP and ISO 22000 standards.

Product overview

Aquacert is a unique international certification developed by French scientists, exclusively specialized for water quality and safety. Managed by NGO Aquacert International on 5 continents, the certification operates on a voluntary basis encouraged by public health authorities. The core offering consists of three main certification streams: Water and Health Care certification (covering thermal medicine, hospital balneotherapy, and thalassotherapy), Drinking Water certification (covering public water networks, bottled spring water, and natural mineral water), and Relaxing and Recreational Water certification (covering wellness spas, natural swimming areas, and public aquatic facilities). Annual audits are conducted by independent, officially accredited organizations, with certification decisions made by an independent scientific committee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Public Water Service Excellence Label: Certification for public water services committed to continuous improvement, transparency, performance, and innovation serving public interest.
• Aquacert Thermal Medicine
• Swimming Water Management Certification

Products and services

• Water and Health Care Certification
• Drinking Water Certification
• Wellness and Recreation Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• 75000 water analyses evaluated at certified facilities annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• French Ministry of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe French Ministry of Health collaborated in the development of Aquacert certification, providing governmental backing and regulatory alignment. The certification is strongly encouraged by public health authorities.
• Université de BordeauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing scientific expertise to the development of Aquacert certification standards and water auditing procedures.
• HAS (Haute Autorité de Santé)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench Haute Autorité de Santé (Health Authority) providing endorsement and alignment with healthcare quality standards.
• Médecine ThermalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThermal medicine professionals and experts who contributed to the development of certification criteria for thermal water applications.
• SNMT (Syndicat National de la Médecine Thermale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational thermal medicine union providing industry expertise and professional alignment for certification standards.
• Institut ThermalismecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThermal institute contributing scientific and technical knowledge to water auditing procedures and reference document development.
• Consumer AdvocatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsumer representatives participated in the development of Aquacert certification to ensure consumer protection and transparency objectives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: SGS is the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with extensive food safety and water quality audit offerings. Comparable to Aquacert as both perform third-party audits and certifications using HACCP/ISO frameworks for water, beverage, and health-related customers.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is one of the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) firms, offering ISO 22000, HACCP, and water-related audits globally. Comparable to Aquacert as both issue HACCP/ISO-based certifications touching water, food and health, though Bureau Veritas serves a much broader industry scope.
• TÜV Rheinland: TÜV Rheinland is a global testing and certification organization offering food safety, water, and environmental services including ISO 22000 audits. Comparable to Aquacert as both perform HACCP-based third-party audits across water, health, and consumer-facing industries.
• Eurofins: Eurofins is a global leader in food, environmental, and pharmaceutical product testing including water quality analysis and related certification services. Comparable to Aquacert as both perform water-related testing and certification services at scale for consumer-facing and regulated industries.
• Intertek: Intertek is a global quality assurance and testing company providing water quality, food safety, and environmental certifications. Comparable to Aquacert as both conduct third-party audits of facilities across multiple industries with overlapping water and health sector exposure.
• Kiwa: Kiwa is a European TIC leader with a dedicated Kiwa Watertec unit certifying water products and systems. Comparable to Aquacert as both certify water-related products and facilities, with overlapping European geographies and standards-based approaches.
• DEKRA: DEKRA is a leading global certification and testing organization offering food safety, environmental and water-related audits. Comparable to Aquacert as both deliver independent third-party certification services rooted in recognized international standards across multiple industries.

Direct peers

• NSF International: NSF International is a major global public health organization that certifies drinking water treatment units, bottled water, and water-related products, including the widely recognized NSF mark. Directly comparable to Aquacert as both operate water-specific certification programs with global reach and public-health-driven standards.
• AFNOR Certification: AFNOR Certification is the French national certification body offering ISO, HACCP, and sector-specific certifications including water and food categories. Highly comparable to Aquacert as a French-rooted certification body issuing ISO 22000 and HACCP-based programs, though AFNOR is broader in scope.

Emerging players

• GlobalG.A.P. GlobalG.A.P. is a global nonprofit standards organization for agricultural and aquaculture production, including water-use and sustainability criteria. Comparable to Aquacert as a nonprofit, sector-specific certification body with international reach and a water-adjacent sustainability mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquacert-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Aquacert