Freshwater Solutions

What Freshwater Solutions does

Freshwater Solutions is a private, Michigan-based environmental science LLC focused on freshwater ecosystem monitoring with an emphasis on swimmer's itch prevention and water hazard assessment. Founded on Ron Reimink's schistosome research begun in 1977 and formalized as a business entity, the firm offers eDNA-based analysis using both metabarcoding and custom qPCR assays, complemented by SCUBA-based underwater inspections and drone-based shoreline and hazard mapping delivered through a partnership with Zero Gravity Aerial. Its service portfolio also extends to broader freshwater assessments including fecal pollution source tracking.

The company sells professional-services engagements to lake associations (e.g., Leelanau, Lime Lake, Little Traverse), waterfront property owners, and government clients, primarily in Michigan with active projects in Wisconsin, Maine, and Alberta, Canada. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting, sampling campaigns, and watershed management planning, with the firm approved by the State of Michigan under a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for watershed work.

Scientific authority is supported by a steady cadence of peer-reviewed publications (PLoS One, Parasitology, International Journal of Parasitology, EcoHealth) and consulting relationships with academic parasitologists Dr. Rex Lowe and Dr. Patrick Hanington; Lab Director Kelsey Froelich (MSc, University of Alberta) and field staff round out a small team of 1–10 employees. Operations remain self-funded with no disclosed external capital.

Name

Freshwater Solutions

Legal name

Freshwater Solutions, LLC

Website

https://freshwatersol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Freshwater Solutions is a Michigan-based environmental consulting firm that provides eDNA analysis, swimmer's itch prevention, and freshwater ecosystem monitoring services to lake associations, property owners, and government clients across Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine, and Alberta.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Quality Assessment Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUAHAHAB

Aquatic Ecology & Fisheries Assessments

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Ecology, Biodiversity & Natural Resource Assessments

SECONDARYEUANAAAG

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Water & Wastewater Utilities/Drinking Water Supply & Distribution

SECONDARYEUANAJAH

Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Water & Wastewater Utilities/Water Quality Testing, Compliance & Reporting

Keywords

• Water quality assessment
• Environmental DNA testing
• Swimmer's itch prevention
• QPCR molecular analysis
• Aquatic ecosystem consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Environmental DNA Testing Services: eDNA water sample analysis using metabarcoding for biodiversity assessment and qPCR for species-specific detection of invasive species, parasites, and other targets of interest.
2. Swimmer's Itch Assessment and Prevention Services: Comprehensive assessment of itch-causing parasite communities including snail community structure analysis, qPCR-based severity and species composition assessment, and implementation of prevention strategies.
3. Enteric Bacteria Assessment: qPCR-based monitoring services to detect and track septic system contributions and human enteric bacteria in waterways.
4. Shoreline Survey Analysis: Drone footage analysis of lake shorelines to assess and set goals for shoreline improvement, working with Zero Gravity Aerial, LLC.
5. Lake Biologist Training and Consultation: Training, consultation, and collaboration services for lake associations and local biologists to connect them with the broader scientific community.
6. Aquatic Plant and Phytoplankton Surveys: Comprehensive surveys of aquatic plant communities and phytoplankton using aerial drone videography, SCUBA, and underwater videography.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Freshwater Solutions provides professional freshwater ecosystem assessment and consulting services to lake associations, riparian property owners, and government agencies. Core offerings include environmental DNA (eDNA) testing using qPCR and metabarcoding, swimmer's itch parasite assessment and prevention, enteric bacteria and septic system impact monitoring, drone-based shoreline surveys, SCUBA and phytoplankton surveys, and lake biologist training and consultation. Services are delivered on a quote-based direct consulting engagement model.

Product overview

Freshwater Solutions offers a portfolio of interconnected water quality assessment and management services for lakes and freshwater ecosystems. The core offerings include Environmental DNA (eDNA) Testing using metabarcoding and qPCR technologies for species detection; Swimmer's Itch Assessment and Prevention combining parasite community analysis with prevention strategies; Enteric Bacteria Assessment for septic system impact monitoring; Shoreline Survey Analysis using drone technology; and comprehensive aquatic ecosystem surveys (Phytoplankton Assessment, Aquatic Plant Surveys, SCUBA Diving Services). The company also provides Lake Biologist Training and Consultation to help lake associations implement scientific standards. Together, these services enable complete lake ecosystem health monitoring, from genetic testing to field surveys, with peer-reviewed scientific methodologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental DNA (eDNA) Testing Water testing service that analyzes eDNA samples using metabarcoding or Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) to assess biodiversity, detect invasive species (Eurasian watermilfoil, crayfish, invasive mollusks), and monitor fish populations. Targeted at lake associations, private waterfront owners, and watershed management agencies.
• Swimmer's Itch Assessment and Prevention Comprehensive assessment of itch-causing parasite communities using conventional snail community surveys, qPCR for severity and species composition assessment, and miracidia DNA sequencing from waterfowl excrement to determine definitive host infection levels, enabling implementation of appropriate prevention strategies. Served to lake associations and waterfront property owners.
• Enteric Bacteria Assessment Water quality testing service using qPCR technologies to detect and monitor human enteric bacteria and excess nutrients from outdated or overused septic systems that contribute to eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. Provided to lake associations, property owners, and watershed agencies.
• Shoreline Survey Analysis Drone-based shoreline assessment service conducted in partnership with Zero Gravity Aerial, LLC that provides user-friendly data and files for lake associations to assess and set goals for shoreline improvement. Methods approved by the State of Michigan for Approved Watershed Management Plans.
• Lake Biologist Training, Consultation, and Collaboration Professional development and advisory service connecting local lake association biologists with the greater scientific community through training, consultation, and collaboration to direct water quality projects at peer-review standards. Targeted at lake associations.
• SCUBA Diving Services Underwater assessment and survey service for aquatic invasive species assessment, eradication, and control, combining aerial drone technologies with underwater diving and videography. Provided to lake associations and watershed agencies.
• Phytoplankton Assessment Freshwater ecosystem analysis service conducting comprehensive surveys of phytoplankton communities to monitor water quality and detect disruptions in algal balance that indicate negative environmental factors. Provided to lake associations and watershed agencies.
• Aquatic Plant Surveys Assessment service for aquatic vascular plants and macro-algae using aerial drone videography, SCUBA, and underwater videography to evaluate invasive species disruption and provide archivable comparative data. Provided to lake associations and watershed agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Developed standardized water collection protocol that became the industry standard for assessing itch-causing parasites
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zero Gravity Aerial, LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for drone-based shoreline assessment services. Zero Gravity Aerial provides aerial drone footage of entire lake shorelines which Freshwater Solutions analyzes to create user-friendly data and files for lake associations to assess and set goals for shoreline improvement. This combined approach integrates aerial and professional analysis capabilities.
• University of Alberta, School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing research collaboration with Dr. Patrick Hanington's laboratory. FWS team members including Kelsey Froelich have completed graduate degrees through this partnership. The collaboration focuses on qPCR-based methodologies for quantifying biological hazards in recreational waters. Dr. Hanington maintains a swimmer's itch-focused website and supports integration of advanced monitoring tools with community education.
• Hope CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic connection where founder Ron Reimink began working on swimmer's itch parasites as an undergraduate. FWS continues to mentor college students through Hope College Campus Ministries Team.
• Lake Leelanau Lake AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLake association partnership for ongoing swimmer's itch research and water quality monitoring. The company presents annual State of the Lake reports and conducts assessment work on Lake Leelanau.
• Lime Lake AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLake association partnership for annual swimmer's itch assessments and water quality monitoring. The company presents State of the Lake reports at the association's annual meeting.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Spygen: France-based pioneer in environmental DNA analysis for species detection in freshwater and marine environments, offering commercial services for biodiversity monitoring. Comparable as a global commercial eDNA provider with strong scientific pedigree and published methodology.
• Smith-Root: US manufacturer and service provider of environmental DNA sampling equipment and laboratory analysis, including fisheries and aquatic species detection. Comparable through its dual role as eDNA technology provider and service provider in freshwater monitoring applications.
• Jonah Ventures: US-based eDNA services company specializing in aquatic biodiversity monitoring, invasive species detection, and qPCR-based assessments for lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Most directly comparable US peer given shared focus on freshwater ecosystems and lake association clientele.
• NatureMetrics: UK-based commercial eDNA laboratory offering metabarcoding and qPCR-based biodiversity and species detection services across freshwater, terrestrial, and marine environments. Direct competitor in commercial eDNA-based environmental monitoring with overlapping customer types including conservation organizations and government agencies.

Emerging players

• Wilderlab: New Zealand-based eDNA laboratory offering commercial biodiversity and biosecurity monitoring services using metabarcoding and qPCR. Comparable methodology and customer value proposition, but smaller scale and operating primarily in the Australasian market.

Broad incumbents

• Anchor QEA: US environmental consulting firm providing water resources, ecological, and regulatory compliance services to public and private clients. Comparable through overlapping water quality and ecosystem assessment capabilities, though Anchor QEA serves a broader environmental market beyond lake-specific niches.
• LimnoTech: US-based environmental and water resources consulting firm providing water quality assessment, modeling, and monitoring services to government and industry clients. Overlaps with Freshwater Solutions on freshwater quality monitoring but operates at much larger scale with broader scope.

Regional players

• Great Lakes Environmental Center (GLEC): Michigan-based environmental testing and consulting laboratory providing water quality, ecotoxicology, and biological assessment services. Direct regional overlap with Freshwater Solutions in the Great Lakes market with comparable water quality testing capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Freshwater Solutions