What Aquaya does

Aquaya (legally The Aquaya Institute) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and consulting organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Anselmo, California, with regional offices in Accra, Ghana and Nairobi, Kenya. The organization delivers data-driven intelligence to support water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) policy, program, and financing decisions, with primary client segments including national and district government agencies, international development organizations (USAID, World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, Gates Foundation), utilities, and community-based service providers across sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America.

Aquaya's core technical capabilities span water quality monitoring and laboratory testing (E. coli detection, physicochemical parameters such as pH and free chlorine residual, heavy metals including arsenic, lead, and fluoride, and antimicrobial resistance surveillance), household surveys, discrete choice experiments for willingness-to-pay assessment, Monte Carlo cost-effectiveness analyses of monitoring approaches, and longitudinal program evaluation. Its research outputs include peer-reviewed publications in journals such as PLOS Water and Environmental Science & Technology, open datasets published via GitHub, and framework-level contributions such as the proposed 'proximate access' level on the JMP water service ladder. Flagship programs include WaterTRACS (longitudinal water quality monitoring in Ghana and Uganda), the USAID-funded Rural Evidence and Learning for Water (REAL-Water) program (2021-2026), and the Economics of Rural Water Supply study.

Aquaya's business model is grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams include USAID cooperative agreements, foundation grants (principally the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), and tax-deductible charitable contributions. The organization does not sell commercial products or services; instead, it delivers research outputs, datasets, and technical assistance through project-based engagements and cooperative agreements with donors and governments. Go-to-market is relationship-driven, leveraging institutional credibility built through two decades of peer-reviewed WASH research and embedded partnerships with ministries, utilities, and multilateral organizations.

Name

Aquaya

Legal name

The Aquaya Institute

Website

https://aquaya.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aquaya is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and consulting organization that delivers data-driven water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) intelligence to governments, international agencies, and foundations across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Central America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Sanitation Research & Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI), Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

Keywords

• WASH research services
• Water quality monitoring
• Sanitation consulting
• Rural water systems
• Willingness-to-pay research

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID: 20-2977578), Aquaya relies primarily on tax-deductible donations and charitable contributions from foundations and individuals to fund its research activities.
2. USAID Cooperative Agreement - REAL-Water Program: USAID-funded Rural Evidence and Learning for Water (REAL-Water) program (2021-2026) providing funding for identifying ways to expand water access and safety in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries.
3. Foundation Grants: Project-based grants from foundations including Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for WaterTRACS water quality monitoring programs and other WASH research initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aquaya is a nonprofit research and consulting organization that delivers data-driven intelligence for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) decisions in low- and middle-income countries. It conducts longitudinal water quality monitoring (WaterTRACS), measures impacts of WASH programs, evaluates markets for WASH products and services, calculates financial requirements for improving services, and delivers technical and programmatic innovations such as the REAL-Water program funded by USAID.

Product overview

Aquaya is a nonprofit research and consulting organization dedicated to advancing global health through universal access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The organization does not offer traditional software products; rather, it provides research services, water quality monitoring programs (such as WaterTRACS), and publishes scientific studies and reports. Aquaya delivers data-driven intelligence including impact measurement of WASH programs, market evaluations, financial requirement calculations, and technical innovations to strengthen water and sanitation service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WaterTRACS: Water and Sanitation Transformation for Rural Africa, a program coordinating longitudinal water quality monitoring in target districts.
• REAL-Water
• Economics of Rural Water Supply

Products and services

• WaterTRACS (Water and Sanitation Transformation for Rural Africa) Water and Sanitation Transformation for Rural Africa is a longitudinal water quality monitoring program that tests E. coli and other parameters in household water samples and at waterpoints across multiple survey rounds in Ghana and Uganda, serving governments, donors, and researchers.
• REAL-Water (Rural Evidence and Learning for Water) Rural Evidence and Learning for Water is a USAID-funded research program that generates evidence to support scaling of rural water services, including scoping studies, evaluations of service delivery models, and financial analyses for governments and development partners.
• Economics of Rural Water Supply Study A study examining the economics of rural water supply, providing annual financial and service delivery performance indicators across 39 publicly managed rural piped water systems in Ghana, with an open dataset available to researchers and practitioners.
• WASH Research and Consulting Services Project-based research and consulting services covering impact measurement of WASH programs, market evaluations for WASH products and services, financial requirements analysis, and technical and programmatic innovations to strengthen public and private service delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Households collecting water within 30 minutes had 3× higher odds of satisfaction than those traveling further
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Water4coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration to evaluate Water4's NuPump inline erosion handpump chlorinator technology in Ghana, assessing technical performance, water safety impacts, and business case for deployment at scale.
• Global CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner for the Economics of Rural Water Supply study, supporting data collection and analysis of rural piped water systems in Ghana.
• UNICEFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Aquaya on water and sanitation research programs and data initiatives.
• WHOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on water quality standards, monitoring methodologies, and WASH research initiatives.
• Tetra TechminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternational development consulting firm engaged in WASH projects that may collaborate with Aquaya on research.
• IRCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational water and sanitation expert organization collaborating on rural water services research.
• Water.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational nonprofit focused on water and sanitation finance that may collaborate on research initiatives.
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution in Ghana collaborating on water research and training.
• Makerere University (Uganda)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Ugandan university collaborating on water quality research.
• Water for PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational nonprofit working on sustainable water and sanitation services that collaborates on research.
• World VisionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian organization engaged in WASH programs that may partner on research.
• Water MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian engineering nonprofit implementing water solutions that collaborates on WASH research.
• Cova AguaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational nonprofit supporting community-based management of rural water systems in Central America, partnering with Aquaya on REAL-Water scoping studies for circuit rider-supported passive chlorination in El Salvador and Guatemala.
• LEAD (India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndian research organization collaborating on water and sustainability research.
• WELL Labs (India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organization in India focused on water and environmental research.
• Akros (Zambia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZambian organization working on disease surveillance and environmental health.
• iDE (Cambodia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization working on rural development and WASH in Cambodia.
• Safe Water NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working to provide sustainable safe water solutions in developing countries.
• Evidence ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization scaling evidence-based interventions, including water quality testing programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Water.org: International nonprofit combining WASH program implementation with water and sanitation finance innovation. Comparable to Aquaya in targeting underserved populations, partnering with utilities, and pursuing data-driven approaches; however Water.org is significantly larger and more commercially oriented.
• Evidence Action: Nonprofit that scales evidence-based WASH and other development interventions, including water quality testing programs. Direct peer to Aquaya given overlapping funder base (Gates, USAID, GiveWell), WASH focus, and emphasis on rigorous monitoring and evaluation methodology.
• Water for People: International nonprofit working on sustainable WASH services in developing countries. Aquaya is a listed partner; both share a focus on rural water system sustainability and benchmarking service delivery performance in low-income contexts.
• WaterAid: Global nonprofit focused exclusively on WASH access and policy in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable to Aquaya in mission, donor base, and developing-country operating model, though WaterAid is a much larger direct-implementation organization rather than a research specialist.
• Water Mission: Christian engineering nonprofit implementing safe water solutions in developing countries; listed Aquaya partner in Kenya. Comparable in rural WASH implementation and developing-country operating footprint.
• IRC (International Rescue Committee) WASH: Major humanitarian NGO with a substantial WASH program serving crisis and developing-country contexts. Aquaya is explicitly listed as an IRC partner; both organizations overlap in donor base, geographies served, and WASH research-to-implementation pipeline.
• iDE: International development organization working on WASH and rural livelihoods, listed as an Aquaya partner in Cambodia. Comparable in market-based WASH approach and focus on rural and peri-urban water services in developing countries.
• Global Communities: International development NGO and core implementing partner on Aquaya's Economics of Rural Water Supply study in Ghana. Direct peer in rural water research, WASH programming, and donor-funded field operations across overlapping geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Tetra Tech (International Development): Large engineering and international development consulting firm with a WASH practice; listed Aquaya partner. Broader incumbent offering engineering, infrastructure design, and program management across many sectors, including WASH consulting that competes for similar USAID and donor contracts.
• World Vision WASH: Large humanitarian organization with a global WASH program; listed Aquaya partner. Broad incumbent operating across many sectors globally, with WASH as one of several large program verticals rather than a specialized focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/Aquaya-Institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Aquaya