The Water Conservancy
The Water Conservancy is an Australian not-for-profit advisory hub running five programs — Smart Drop Certified product certification, Smart Water Advice utility/council subscriptions, Smart Water Solutions audits, Walter Smart & Friends school education, and the Water Night awareness campaign — serving households, businesses, utilities, councils, and manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Water Conservancy does
The Water Conservancy is an Australian not-for-profit advisory hub founded in 2004 (originally as Smart Approved WaterMark and rebranded to its current name on World Water Day 2022) that operates a portfolio of five core programs aimed at reducing urban water consumption across households, businesses, schools, water utilities, and local councils. Its flagship Smart Drop Certified program independently certifies water-efficient products and services through a seven-member independent Expert Panel; Smart Water Advice is a subscription resource delivering co-branded water-efficiency collateral, videos, and interactive tools (Plant Finder, Water Calculator, Blue House) to 90+ councils and water utilities across Australia and New Zealand. Smart Water Solutions provides non-residential water audits and training delivered through approved service providers BMT and REIDenvironmental, with reported savings of 30-60% and 1-2 year payback; Walter Smart & Friends delivers pantomime-style school incursions that reached 7,270+ students across 40+ schools in June 2025; and Water Night is an annual national awareness campaign during National Water Week with 54,326 cumulative sign-ups and a 10.88% measured uplift in water literacy in 2025.
The organization generates revenue through three streams: subscriptions from utility and council customers for Smart Water Advice, certification licensing fees from product manufacturers under Smart Drop Certified, and fees for professional water-audit and training services under Smart Water Solutions, supplemented by event sponsorships and partnerships for Water Night, Walter Smart & Friends, and the upcoming Smart Water Connect 2026 forum. Its technology is non-proprietary: the platform is built on assessment frameworks, certification workflows, and interactive digital tools rather than a developed software product. Distribution is direct and relationship-led, with strategic partnerships underpinning delivery — Gibber Educational for school programming, BMT and REIDenvironmental for audit delivery, Water Corporation WA for the Waterwise Products Program, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water as a Water Night sponsor, and the Alliance for Water Efficiency for the North American expansion of Smart Approved WaterMark certification announced in February 2024.
The Water Conservancy is headquartered in Sydney (Level 6, 75 Elizabeth St) with 5 employees led by CEO Chris Philpot, and operates across Australia, New Zealand, North America (post-2024 partnership), and the United Kingdom through digital and event channels. The organization holds a quasi-regulatory position in Australian water efficiency as a directive of the National Water Initiative, a trust advantage with 50% Australian brand awareness and 85% trust among users for the certification mark, and a recurring-revenue base through 90+ council and utility subscribers.
The Water Conservancy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Water Conservancy
- Legal name
- The Water Conservancy
- Website
- https://thewaterconservancy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Water Conservancy is an Australian not-for-profit advisory hub running five programs — Smart Drop Certified product certification, Smart Water Advice utility/council subscriptions, Smart Water Solutions audits, Walter Smart & Friends school education, and the Water Night awareness campaign — serving households, businesses, utilities, councils, and manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Water Conservancy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Efficiency Advisory and Certification Services
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)
Keywords
Where The Water Conservancy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Water Conservancy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Smart Water Advice Subscription: Subscription-based service providing water efficiency communication resources to water utilities and councils across Australia and New Zealand. Over 90 councils and utilities subscribe, enabling cost-effective resource sharing.
- Smart Drop Certified Licensing: Certification program for water-efficient products and services. Product manufacturers pay for certification and receive license to use the Smart Drop label on packaging, websites, and marketing materials.
- Smart Water Solutions Audits and Training: Professional services including water efficiency audits and training (online and in-person) for non-residential sector including businesses, local government, and water utilities.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Water Conservancy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Water Conservancy is a not-for-profit advisory hub that delivers water efficiency services in Australia through five core programs: independent product certification (Smart Drop Certified), subscription-based communication resources for utilities and councils (Smart Water Advice), water audits and training for non-residential businesses (Smart Water Solutions), live theatre education for primary schools (Walter Smart & Friends), and an annual household awareness campaign (Water Night). Its primary revenue drivers are the certification licensing scheme (with over 1,000 applications reviewed and 300 products approved) and the Smart Water Advice subscription, used by more than 90 councils and water utilities across Australia and New Zealand.
Product overview
The Water Conservancy is a not-for-profit advisory hub offering a portfolio of five core programs: Smart Drop Certified (product certification launched 2004), Smart Water Advice (subscription resources launched 2016), Smart Water Solutions (non-residential audits launched 2018), Walter Smart & Friends (school education program), Water Night (annual awareness campaign), plus Smart Water Connect (national forum). The organization also provides interactive digital tools including a Water Calculator, Plant Finder, and Blue House video. Smart Drop Certified operates as the flagship certification program with an Independent Expert Panel reviewing product applications. Smart Water Advice serves over 90 councils and water utilities as subscribers. All programs work together to address water awareness, water literacy, innovation, and water efficiency across Australian households, businesses, schools, and water utilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Smart Drop Certified: Product and service certification program (formerly Smart Approved WaterMark) that independently certifies water efficient products and services. Launched in 2004.
- Smart Water Advice
- Smart Water Solutions
- Walter Smart & Friends
- Water Night
- Smart Water Connect
Products and services
- Smart Drop Certified Independent certification program for water-efficient products and services in Australia. Manufacturers apply for accreditation and, on approval by an Independent Expert Panel, receive a licence to use the Smart Drop Certified label on packaging, websites and marketing materials across categories including pool and spa, garden, car washing, plumbing, watering, greywater and bathroom.
- Smart Water Advice Subscription service delivering customised water efficiency communications resources to water utilities and councils across Australia and New Zealand, including collateral, website content, social media assets, videos, television commercials and interactive tools such as the Plant Finder and Water Calculators. Used by over 90 councils and water utilities.
- Smart Water Solutions Professional water efficiency service for the non-residential sector, providing water audits and online and in-person training in partnership with approved providers BMT and REIDenvironmental. Helps businesses, local government and water utilities identify water savings of 30-60% with payback periods under 1-2 years.
- Walter Smart & Friends Live theatre school incursion program teaching primary school students about the urban water cycle and water efficiency in a pantomime style with original music, comedy and multimedia. Delivered in partnership with sponsoring water utilities and councils; reached over 7,270 students across 40+ schools in Queensland and NSW in 2025, achieving 100% positive teacher ratings.
- Water Night Annual national water literacy campaign running during National Water Week in which participating households turn off non-essential taps from 5pm-10pm to raise awareness of household water use. 54,326 people have signed up since launch, with 13,302 participants in 2025 and a 10.88% average water literacy score increase after Water Night 2025.
- Smart Water Connect Australia's first national forum dedicated to urban water efficiency, bringing together utilities, government, manufacturers, retailers, irrigation and greenlife industries, service providers and community leaders to drive practical outcomes in how water is used, valued and saved.
Quantifiable outcome
- Non-residential water savings of 25% average with 1.5 year payback period
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Water Conservancy
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Water Conservancy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Water Conservancy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Alliance for Water EfficiencycorePartnership to extend Smart Approved WaterMark certification to product manufacturers in North America. The Alliance for Water Efficiency serves as North American advocate for water-efficient products and provides assessment for products not eligible for EPA WaterSense label.
- Gibber EducationalcoreInternational theatre company partner developing and delivering Walter Smart & Friends live theatre education program for primary schools. Gibber has been working in Australian schools since 2013.
- BMTcoreApproved service provider through Smart Approved WaterMark. Partnership with The Water Conservancy for non-residential water audits under Smart Water Solutions program. Adam Jones, Principal Engineer at BMT, leads water efficiency consulting to non-residential sector for 18 years.
- REIDenvironmentalcoreApproved service provider through Smart Approved WaterMark. Partnership with The Water Conservancy for non-residential water audits under Smart Water Solutions program. Reid Butler, Principal at REIDenvironmental, specializes in smart-metering opportunities and experiences for businesses.
- WaterAid AustraliaminorPartnership for Walk For Water event running 10-14 October 2022 before Water Night. WaterAid raises funds for universal access to clean water globally.
- The Leadership InstituteminorSupported Women in Leadership Summit and Indigenous Leadership Summit in November 2022, aligning with The Water Conservancy's commitment to leadership in sustainability.
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WatercoreAustralian Federal Government department sponsoring Water Night national event. 2022 major sponsor with Minister Tanya Plibersek presenting at Water Night launch event.
- Water Services Association Australia (WSAA)coreIndustry association providing broader support for Water Night and collaborating on water efficiency programs. WSAA's Water Efficiency 'not-for-profit' relationship with The Water Conservancy.
- Water Corporation (Western Australia)coreWaterwise Products Program delivered on behalf of Water Corporation WA, where products approved by Smart Drop Certified gain additional endorsement and promotion with Waterwise.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Water Conservancy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Waterwise: UK-based non-profit dedicated to water efficiency, with a Water Efficiency Label scheme and a national awareness campaign. Most directly comparable international peer to The Water Conservancy given its non-profit certification-plus-education model.
- Alliance for Water Efficiency: North American non-profit advocate for water-efficient products and practices, and The Water Conservancy's named partner for the 2024 Smart Approved WaterMark North America expansion. Strong peer on mission, certification infrastructure, and stakeholder engagement.
Emerging players
- Banyan Water: Commercial water management platform that combines smart metering, leak detection, and audit-style recommendations for non-residential customers. Closely aligned with Smart Water Solutions' non-residential audit and savings mandate.
- HydroPoint Data Systems: Smart water management company specializing in irrigation and commercial-site water optimization. Overlaps with The Water Conservancy's commercial audit and Smart Water Solutions offerings, especially in landscape and irrigation efficiency.
- WaterSmart Software: US-based software provider offering utility customer engagement and behavioral water efficiency programs. Comparable to Smart Water Advice in targeting utilities with subscriber-facing efficiency content, though delivered as a SaaS platform rather than a subscription content library.
Others
- Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA): Australian water utility industry association and an existing partner of The Water Conservancy. Adjacent convenor for the water sector with overlapping membership of utilities but a different (membership/advocacy) remit.
Broad incumbents
- International Water Association (IWA): Global network of water professionals running conferences, specialist groups, and applied research. Comparable convening role in water efficiency and adjacent to Smart Water Connect's forum ambitions.
- WaterAid: International non-profit focused on universal access to clean water and sanitation. Comparable non-profit scale and community-awareness mission; existing Walk For Water partnership shows thematic overlap with Water Night-style community engagement.
- Veolia Water Technologies: Global water services and technology company offering water efficiency audits, smart metering, and treatment solutions for commercial and municipal customers. Operates at much larger scale but competes for non-residential water efficiency consulting work.
- EPA WaterSense: US federal water efficiency labeling program covering certified products, homes, and programs. The dominant North American equivalent to Smart Drop Certified and a key competitive reference point for The Water Conservancy's expansion into the US/Canada.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Water Conservancy social profiles
Digital presenceThe Water Conservancy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Water Conservancy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Water Conservancy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Water Conservancy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Water Conservancy
What does The Water Conservancy do?
The Water Conservancy is a not-for-profit advisory hub that delivers water efficiency services in Australia through five core programs: independent product certification (Smart Drop Certified), subscription-based communication resources for utilities and councils (Smart Water Advice), water audits and training for non-residential businesses (Smart Water Solutions), live theatre education for primary schools (Walter Smart & Friends), and an annual household awareness campaign (Water Night). Its primary revenue drivers are the certification licensing scheme (with over 1,000 applications reviewed and 300 products approved) and the Smart Water Advice subscription, used by more than 90 councils and water utilities across Australia and New Zealand.
Is The Water Conservancy a public or private company?
The Water Conservancy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Water Conservancy founded?
The Water Conservancy was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Water Conservancy based?
The Water Conservancy is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does The Water Conservancy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Smart Water Advice Subscription is the primary driver. The others are smart Drop Certified Licensing and smart Water Solutions Audits and Training.
Who are The Water Conservancy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Waterwise and Alliance for Water Efficiency. Emerging players are Banyan Water, HydroPoint Data Systems and WaterSmart Software. Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are International Water Association (IWA), WaterAid, Veolia Water Technologies and EPA WaterSense.
Does The Water Conservancy have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Water Conservancy.
What industry is The Water Conservancy in?
The Water Conservancy's product category is Water Efficiency Advisory and Certification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHABAB, Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA), with a secondary code of BPAHAIAD, Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 4941.