The Water Tower

What The Water Tower does

The Water Tower is a nonprofit water innovation hub headquartered at 2500 Clean Water Court in Buford, Georgia (Gwinnett County). It operates through two affiliated entities: The Water Tower at Gwinnett, a 501(c)(4) responsible for campus development and operations, and The Water Tower Institute, a 501(c)(3) responsible for solutions, instruction, and engagement programming. The organization's campus functions as a living laboratory with access to real water flows from the adjacent F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, enabling applied research, technology demonstration, and pilot programs for water utilities, technology vendors, and academic partners. Its programming is organized around four pillars: Applied Research, Technology Innovation, Workforce Development, and Industry Engagement, supplemented by professional training courses (including Maintenance Technologist II and Wastewater Lab Analyst certification prep), facility rental, co-working space (H2Co-Working), and signature annual events such as Demo Day, National Backflow Prevention Day, and the DCS-Water cybersecurity conference.

The Water Tower does not develop proprietary water technology; its competitive function is as a neutral industry platform that validates and accelerates third-party innovations. The facility includes three labs, conference and training spaces, an outdoor experiential area, and tenant space for water-related businesses. Its most notable technology-adjacent offering is the GenAI for Water Utilities Online Course, a 5-hour self-paced program via the member store that teaches utility professionals to apply generative AI for regulatory navigation, reporting, and knowledge management. The organization is led by CEO Melissa Meeker and a strategic director team covering research and engagement, training and demonstrations, and R&D.

The business model is nonprofit and diversified across five revenue streams: tiered partnership and sponsorship programs (Sustaining, Transformative, Innovation), event and facility rental, co-working membership, tenant and outparcel rental, and paid training and workforce development courses. Partners include Siemens, Kamstrup, Wade Trim, STV, Arcadis, Olea Edge Analytics, NetForce One, Gwinnett County, and the LDAC Foundation. Customer segments span water utilities, water technology companies, students, and academic institutions. The geographic focus is the U.S. Southeast, with 9,500+ campus visitors recorded in 2025.

Name

The Water Tower

Legal name

The Water Tower Institute, Inc.

Website

https://theh2otower.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Water Tower is a nonprofit water innovation hub in Buford, Georgia, operating a living laboratory and campus that deliver applied research, technology demonstrations, professional training, and industry events to water utilities, technology vendors, students, and academic institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Innovation and Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Design & Engineering for Renewal/Expansion (Pipelines, Pump Stations, Treatment Plants) (EUANALAD)

Keywords

• Water innovation hub
• Applied research services
• Workforce training programs
• Water technology demonstration
• Water industry events

Headquarters

HQ city

Buford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Partnership and Sponsorship Programs: The Water Tower offers tiered partnership programs including Sustaining Partner, Transformative Partner, and annual sponsorship opportunities for events and programming. Partners receive benefits including training and networking platforms, discounted demonstration space, and brand visibility.
2. Event and Facility Rental: Campus facilities are available for event rental and R&D/demonstration rental. The H2Co-Working space provides co-working memberships for water industry professionals.
3. Training and Workforce Development Programs: Professional training courses including Maintenance Technologist certification, Wastewater Lab Analyst training, cybersecurity courses, and specialized technical training. Courses offer CE credits for license renewal.
4. Campus Tenant Rental: Single tenant rental and outparcel development opportunities for water-related businesses on the campus.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Water Tower is a nonprofit water innovation hub that brings together utilities, technology companies, academia, and government to address water industry challenges. It operates a campus in Buford, Georgia featuring a living laboratory with real water flows, and offers applied research, technology demonstration, professional workforce training, and signature industry events for the water sector.

Product overview

The Water Tower is a nonprofit water innovation hub and campus facility comprising two entities: The Water Tower at Gwinnett (501(c)4) responsible for campus development and operations, and The Water Tower Institute (501c3) responsible for solutions, instruction, and engagement programming. The organization operates four core program pillars—Applied Research, Technology Innovation, Workforce Development, and Industry Engagement—that work together to address water industry challenges. Its offerings include professional training courses (such as Maintenance Technologist II and Wastewater Lab Analyst certifications), the GenAI for Water Utilities online course, facility rental services (R&D demo space, co-working, and event venues), and signature annual events (Demo Day, National Backflow Prevention Day, DCS-Water Conference). The campus serves as a living laboratory with on-site testing facilities connected to the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, providing real water flows for technology demonstration and validation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Applied Research A research program that addresses real-world challenges in the water sector by providing a hub for collaboration among utilities, technology companies, and academia to test, validate, and refine new water technologies.
• Technology Innovation and Demonstration A program enabling technology developers to demonstrate and validate water-related solutions using the campus's living laboratory infrastructure with real water flows.
• Workforce Development and Training Professional training and certification programs designed to develop the water workforce of tomorrow, including courses such as Maintenance Technologist II, Wastewater Lab Analyst, and GenAI for Water Utilities.
• Industry Engagement and Events
• R&D and Demo Rental A rental service that provides organizations with access to the campus's state-of-the-art laboratories, testing equipment, and living laboratory for research and demonstration purposes.
• H2Co-Working Membership A membership-based co-working offering that provides individuals and organizations with workspace, amenities, and access to the broader water innovation ecosystem on The Water Tower campus.
• Event Rental A rental service providing event space on The Water Tower campus for industry gatherings, meetings, and conferences.
• GenAI for Water Utilities Online Course An online training course introducing water utility professionals to generative artificial intelligence applications relevant to water utility operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 9,500 visitors participated in programs, trainings, and events in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered innovation partner, transformative, core, minor, gold sponsor, platinum sponsor, transformative partner, sustaining partner and construction partner.

• NetForce One, LLCinnovation partnerTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2025Innovation Partner demonstrating the HydroFlow Rapid Infiltration System at The Water Tower campus. HydroFlow technology addresses stormwater management challenges in urban infrastructure through modules that enhance water infiltration into groundwater systems.
• Olea Edge AnalyticstransformativeStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 November 2022Olea Edge Analytics is the first member of The Water Tower's new Transformative Partnership level designed to advance new technologies supporting the water industry. Olea uses artificial intelligence to monitor key utility assets to detect water loss and performance issues and help identify needed system repairs. Their Meter Health Analytics solution diagnoses the health of large commercial and industrial water meters.
• LDAC FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDAC Foundation students participate in hands-on STEM activities and water industry career exposure at The Water Tower, connecting students to real-world STEM experiences and future career pathways.
• ArcadiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArcadis has proudly sponsored student STEM workshops at The Water Tower for three years. These transformative experiences connect classroom learning with real-world applications through hands-on activities and interactions with professionals.
• City of Irving, TexasminorOthersCity of Irving tested Olea Edge Analytics technology through a pilot program on large water meters, reducing water loss and improving billing accuracy for its largest customers, recovering an estimated $160,000 in annual revenue.
• American Backflow Products Companygold sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of National Backflow Prevention Day Celebration 2025, an event bringing together water professionals for training and networking on backflow prevention.
• Harry Warren of Georgiaplatinum sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor and co-host of National Backflow Prevention Day Celebration, supporting the annual event focused on backflow prevention training.
• Gwinnett Countytransformative partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining and Transformative Partner supporting The Water Tower's mission. Gwinnett County provides access to F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center for real water flows used in testing and demonstration.
• Kamstrupsustaining partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSustaining Partner and presenting sponsor of Demo Day 2024, supporting technology demonstration events at The Water Tower.
• Siemenssustaining partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSustaining Partner and sponsor of Demo Day and DCS-Water cybersecurity conferences, providing technology expertise and market development support.
• Wade Trimsustaining partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSustaining Partner supporting Women Leading Water initiative and various events, providing engineering expertise and industry connections.
• STVsustaining partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSustaining Partner providing engineering expertise and supporting cybersecurity initiatives and workforce development programs.
• Reeves Youngconstruction partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction partner for Phase 1 of The Water Tower campus. Partner company supporting Women Leading Water initiative with project engineers featured in spotlight series.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Broad incumbents

• Water Research Foundation: A nonprofit collaborative research organization funding applied water research for utilities — overlaps with TWT's applied research pillar but operates at a broader, primarily subscription-funded scale.
• Water Reuse Association: An advocacy and education nonprofit for water reuse and desalination — provides training, conferences, and applied research similar to TWT's pillars, though narrowly focused on reuse rather than the broader water utility ecosystem.
• Water Environment Federation: A large nonprofit technical and educational organization for water quality professionals — comparable in providing workforce training, conferences, and industry engagement, though operating as an association rather than a physical innovation campus.
• American Water Works Association: The largest nonprofit scientific and educational association for the drinking water sector — provides training, certification, and standards relevant to TWT's workforce development offerings, but at a national association scale.
• US Water Alliance: A nonprofit collaboration platform advancing water sector innovation and equity — overlaps with TWT's industry engagement and partnership-driven model, but operates nationally without a single physical campus.

Others

• Veolia Water Technologies: A global water technology and services company — represents the type of large incumbent that The Water Tower's technology innovation and demonstration programs are designed to support, but does not operate a comparable nonprofit hub model.
• Xylem: A global water technology company serving utilities — comparable as a partner-class Sustaining Partner candidate and end user of workforce training, but operates commercially rather than as an innovation hub.

Direct peers

• The Water Council: A Milwaukee-based water innovation hub and cluster organization that convenes utilities, technology companies, and researchers — directly comparable to The Water Tower's applied research, technology demonstration, and workforce engagement mission.
• Imagine H2O: A water innovation accelerator that supports entrepreneurs developing water technologies and connects them to utilities and investors — closely analogous to The Water Tower's technology innovation and demonstration programs.
• WaterStart: A Nevada-based water technology accelerator partnering with utilities, researchers, and tech companies to test and adopt innovative water solutions — comparable model of utility-driven technology validation and partnership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheH2OTower
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcRSTCEewyBVX4CVPgpAWDA
• Facebookfacebook.com/theh2otower
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-water-tower
• Instagraminstagram.com/theh2otower

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Water Tower