Water For Cambodia NGO

What Water For Cambodia NGO does

Water For Cambodia (WFC) is a US-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 31-1630212) founded in 2006 and headquartered in Siem Reap, Cambodia, with a US governance office in Wakefield, Rhode Island. The organization's mission is to improve health and save lives in rural Cambodia through clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. WFC builds and installs biosand water filters — concrete household units using layers of sand, gravel, and a biological zone that remove up to 98.5% of bacteria, 99.9% of protozoa, and 95% of turbidity — sourced from technology partner CAWST (Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology). Each filter serves a family of 4-8 for 10-15 years with no moving parts. Since 2006, WFC has installed over 35,000 filters, built 2,500+ latrines and 40+ wells, and reached more than 300,000 people with clean water across rural households, schools, and health centers.

Since 2018, WFC has consolidated around a comprehensive WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) approach, pairing its flagship biosand filters with latrines, wells, and hygiene education. In addition to household filters, WFC has expanded into large-capacity water filtration systems for schools, health centers, and — most recently — refugee camps on the Thailand border. The organization also operates the RIKREAY Water Testing Lab, a nationally recognized facility providing water, food, soil, and microbiological analysis both for internal quality control and as a commercial service to hotels, restaurants, and businesses in Siem Reap Province.

WFC's revenue model is primarily donation- and grant-driven, with a diversified institutional donor base including Rotary International and multiple Rotary clubs, USAID, GIZ, Singapore International Foundation, H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation, and Ocean State Job Lot, supplemented by individual donations via Stripe and modest commercial lab fees. Field operations are delivered by an 18-person Cambodian team led by Executive Director Sophal San, with US governance provided by a 10-member Board of Directors chaired by Chris Van Hemelrijck. Strategic and technical partners include CAWST, Just a Drop, Green Lady Cambodia, and Angkor Children's Hospital. WFC celebrated its 20th anniversary in February 2026.

Name

Water For Cambodia NGO

Legal name

Water For Cambodia

Website

https://waterforcambodia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Treatment Plant Construction (Drinking Water) (IMAFAGAA), Water Softener, Filtration & Treatment System Installation (HSAOAAAH)

Keywords

• Clean water access
• Biosand water filters
• WASH sanitation hygiene
• Water testing laboratory
• Rural community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Siem Reap

HQ country

Cambodia

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Water For Cambodia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 31-1630212) funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and grants from foundations and government agencies.
2. Lab Testing Services: The RIKREAY Water Testing Lab provides commercial water, food, soil, and microbiological testing services to hotels, restaurants, and other businesses in Siem Reap, generating revenue to offset lab costs and support operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Water For Cambodia builds and installs household biosand water filters, large-capacity institutional water filtration systems, latrines, and wells in rural Cambodian villages, schools, and health centers, while delivering WASH hygiene education and operating the RIKREAY Water Testing Lab. Since 2006, the organization has installed over 35,000 biosand filters serving 300,000+ people and operates at a current capacity of 2,500 filter installations per year.

Product overview

Water For Cambodia operates as a single unified program built around a comprehensive WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) approach. The core product portfolio consists of six integrated offerings: (1) Biosand Filters — the flagship household water filtration product, (2) Large Capacity Water Filters — institutional-scale systems for schools and health centers including multi-stage filtration and iSSF technologies, (3) Wells — ring and bore wells for groundwater access, (4) Latrines — sanitation facilities meeting Ministry of Education standards, (5) the Rikreay Water Testing Lab — a commercial water analysis laboratory, and (6) Hygiene Education (WASH Training) — community education covering latrine use, handwashing, and menstrual health. These offerings are deployed together as a coordinated package: wells and latrines provide infrastructure access, biosand and large capacity filters treat water at household and institutional levels, the lab monitors water quality, and hygiene education ensures proper and sustained use — collectively addressing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene for rural Cambodian communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RIKREAY Water Testing Lab: Water testing laboratory providing water analysis services including bacterial tests, standard tests, complete water tests, and various chemical/microbiological tests for water quality monitoring.

Products and services

• Biosand Filters Household biosand water filter units built from concrete bodies filled with layers of gravel and sand; produce clean drinking water directly from contaminated sources. Each filter removes up to 98.5% of bacteria, 99.9% of protozoa, and 95% of turbidity, serves a family of 4–8, and lasts 10–15 years. Built by WFC staff in Cambodia using local materials.
• Large Capacity Water Filters Large-capacity filtration systems for schools and health centers, including a Multi-Stage Water Filtration System (1,000–2,000 L/hr, eight-stage treatment with sand, carbon, resin, UF membrane, and UV sterilization) and an Intermittently Operated Slow Sand Filter (iSSF, 100–200 L/m²·h). Designed for community-led institutional projects.
• Wells Construction of ring wells and bore wells in rural Cambodian communities where groundwater access is the most practical solution. Over 40 wells built across rural communities by end of 2025, serving families, schools, and health centers.
• Latrines Sanitation facilities constructed or renovated to meet Cambodian Ministry of Education standards for households and schools, fitted with locks, bins, and handwashing stations. Over 1,500 latrines installed in rural households and schools by end of 2025, with girl-friendly designs (locks, bins, emergency menstrual kits).
• RIKREAY Water Testing Lab Nationally recognized water testing laboratory offering package tests (Bacterial $16, Standard, Complete Water $168), single-parameter tests (pH, Turbidity, Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron, Manganese from $2–$25), microbiological tests (E. coli, Total Coliform, Legionella, Salmonella, Staphylococcus Aureus from $16–$70), food tests ($95), and soil tests. Services are commercially available to hotels, restaurants, and businesses in Siem Reap to offset program costs.
• Hygiene Education (WASH Training) WASH training delivered in schools and households covering proper latrine use, regular cleaning, six steps of handwashing with soap, and menstrual health education. Includes a Menstrual Health and WASH project completed in 2025 in partnership with Just a Drop and Green Lady Cambodia, reaching 2,296 students, teachers, and parents across seven schools in Siem Reap Province.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 98.5% of bacteria removed from contaminated water
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Just a DropcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding, guidance, and expertise provider for Menstrual Health and WASH project. In 2025, project completed across seven schools in Siem Reap Province, reaching 2,296 students, teachers, and parents with menstrual health education and improved sanitation facilities.
• CAWST (Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner providing the biosand filter technology and methodology. WFC follows CAWST's laboratory and field study protocols. CAWST is cited as the authoritative source for biosand filter effectiveness data (up to 98.5% bacteria removal, 99.9% protozoa removal).
• Angkor Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe originating partner that inspired WFC's creation. In 2002, Middletown Rhode Island Rotarian Gunther Hausen learned at Angkor Children's Hospital about hundreds of children arriving with preventable waterborne diseases due to lack of clean drinking water. The hospital's urgent request for help led to the Water for Cambodia project.
• Green Lady CambodiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for Menstrual Health and WASH project, working alongside local midwives to deliver sessions on menstrual hygiene, reusable sanitary pads, and breaking cultural taboos across seven schools in Siem Reap Province.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Water for Good: Smaller WASH-focused nonprofit operating in Central African Republic with deep community engagement and long-term presence. Comparable in scale, mission, and community-led rural delivery model to WFC.
• WaterAid: Global WASH-focused NGO operating in 30+ countries including Cambodia. Directly comparable to WFC in mission (clean water, sanitation, hygiene) and integrated community-led delivery model, though at significantly larger scale.
• Water for People: US-based WASH NGO with operations in 9 countries including Cambodia since 2010. Closely comparable in mission, geographic focus (rural Cambodia), and Everyone Forever approach to district-wide WASH coverage.
• Water.org: Founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, Water.org operates WaterCredit and WASH programs globally. Comparable mission and developing-country focus, with a more financially-oriented model (microfinance) than WFC's direct installation approach.
• charity: water: US-based nonprofit funding clean water projects in developing countries. Directly comparable mission and donor-supported funding model, focused exclusively on water access rather than full WASH.

Broad incumbents

• Samaritan's Purse: Large international relief organization running WASH programs globally including in Cambodia. Comparable program areas (biosand filters, wells, latrines) but operates as part of a much wider disaster relief and humanitarian portfolio.
• World Vision: Large international NGO with extensive WASH programming across 100+ countries including Cambodia. Overlaps with WFC in rural water access and school sanitation, but operates at far larger scale as part of child sponsorship and broader development portfolio.
• Engineers Without Borders: Volunteer-engineer organization implementing water and infrastructure projects in developing communities. Comparable community-partnership model and rural infrastructure focus, though operates across multiple engineering disciplines beyond WASH.

Others

• CAWST: Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology — the originating technology partner for WFC's biosand filter methodology. Functions as an enabling technology and training provider rather than a competing implementer, with a global network of NGO licensees deploying its biosand designs.

Regional players

• WaterAid Cambodia: Cambodia country office of WaterAid, the largest international WASH NGO operating in-country. Directly comparable service population and geographic footprint, with significantly larger budget and institutional capacity than WFC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wfcambodia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=FsdxAwRoStg
• Facebookfacebook.com/waterforcambodia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water-for-cambodia-ngo
• Instagraminstagram.com/waterforcambodia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Water For Cambodia NGO