What Watersmart does

Watersmart (legally Stormwater Systems, headquartered at 20 Saunders Place, Avondale, Auckland) is a privately held New Zealand water-management specialist founded in 2017 that positions itself as the country's only whole-system water expert. The company offers end-to-end services — design, supply, install, and maintain — covering stormwater management, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, flood protection, and endpoint water treatment. It serves developers, engineers, architects, project managers, facilities managers, iwi and community organisations, councils, and homeowners across New Zealand, with select cross-Tasman project delivery.

The company's product portfolio combines proprietary and distributed systems. Core proprietary and exclusive products include Aquacomb (NZ's first in-slab modular stormwater detention system with 15,000+ installs across Australia and NZ and zero recorded leaks), FenceTank (1,000L boundary-integrated above-ground tank), stormVAULT (heavy-duty underground tank with 15-year warranty), Porous Lane (award-winning recycled-tyre permeable paving), Hydraloop (NSF-350-certified decentralised greywater recycling combining six treatment processes without filters or membranes), FloodFree (AWMA-engineered flood barriers with ISO 9001 certification), waterSAFE (pre-built endpoint treatment system), and Flowgen (cloud-based remote monitoring). Manufacturing occurs in-house at the Penrose, Auckland facility for the Silo tank and through partner manufacturers such as Devan for stormVAULT and AWMA in Australia for FloodFree.

Watersmart generates revenue through three streams: hardware sales of its portfolio of proprietary and licensed products, professional design and consultation services, and installation plus ongoing maintenance. Pricing is project-based, multi-year, and not publicly disclosed, with customers directed to a consultation form or the 0800 110 808 phone line. Distribution is entirely direct — field sales, specifier relationships with engineers and architects, and its own or certified installer network — with no reseller or marketplace channels. The company markets through content (blog and case studies), the Innovation Hub opened in November 2024, sponsorship of BRANZ seminars, a partnership with Engineering New Zealand for specifier education, and awards such as the 2025 Stormwater Innovation of the Year.

Name

Watersmart

Legal name

Stormwater Systems

Website

https://watersmart.co.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Watersmart is a New Zealand-based whole-system water management specialist that designs, supplies, installs, and maintains proprietary and distributed products spanning stormwater detention, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, flood barriers, and endpoint water treatment for developers, engineers, architects, councils, and homeowners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Management Systems

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Detention, Retention & Storage Systems (Ponds, Tanks, Vaults) (EUANAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH), Whole-House (Point-of-Entry) Water Treatment Systems (CRAJAJAE), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Stormwater management systems
• Rainwater harvesting solutions
• Greywater recycling systems
• Flood protection barriers
• Water treatment systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water Management Systems (Design, Supply, Install, Maintain): Full-service provider of integrated water systems. Revenue is generated through the sale and installation of water management products including stormwater management, rainwater harvesting, water recycling, and flood protection systems. Services span from planning through installation to ongoing maintenance, providing recurring service revenue alongside one-time product sales.
2. Product Sales (Portfolio of Water Management Products): Sale of proprietary and licensed water management products including Aquacomb, FenceTank, SlimCity, Floody, FloodFree, Flowgen, Hydraloop, Porous Lane, stormVAULT, stormPANEL, waterSAFE, and Silo. Products address stormwater management, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, flood control, and water treatment needs across residential, commercial, and infrastructure applications.
3. Consultation and Design Services: Project consultation and design services for developers, engineers, architects, and property managers. The company provides expert guidance on water system design to meet council requirements and maximise property yield, working alongside design and construction teams from the early design phases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Watersmart is New Zealand's only whole-system water expert, providing end-to-end water management solutions that cover design, supply, installation, and maintenance. The company curates and supplies a portfolio of proprietary and licensed products spanning stormwater detention (Aquacomb, SlimCity, stormVAULT), rainwater harvesting (FenceTank, Silo), greywater recycling (Hydraloop), flood protection (FloodFree), permeable paving (Porous Lane), and endpoint water treatment (WaterSAFE with Flowgen monitoring). Solutions are engineered for New Zealand's challenging site conditions and serve residential, commercial, infrastructure, and council applications.

Product overview

Watersmart is New Zealand's only whole-system water expert, offering end-to-end water management solutions from design through to installation and maintenance. The product portfolio spans multiple categories: (1) Underground modular systems: Aquacomb (hidden in-slab detention/retention, NZ's first), SlimCity (compact urban), stormVAULT (heavy-duty underground tanks 2,000-10,000L), and stormPANEL (panel system); (2) Above-ground tanks: FenceTank (1,000L boundary-integrated), Silo (800L slimline cylindrical), and Floody (attenuation); (3) Water recycling: Hydraloop greywater systems (H300 residential, H600 commercial, Cascade scalable) treating shower/bath/washing machine water for reuse; (4) Permeable paving: Porous Lane recycled-tyre permeable surfaces for driveways, carparks, footpaths; (5) Flood protection: FloodFree barriers (tilting, concealed, demountable, retractable, swing types); (6) Water treatment: WaterSAFE endpoint treatment systems integrated with Flowgen remote monitoring. Together these products enable harvesting, reuse, detention, attenuation, and protection of water across residential, commercial, and council applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aquacomb: Underground modular stormwater detention and re-use system, NZ's first in-slab stormwater system in pre-packaged kit form
• FenceTank
• SlimCity
• Floody
• FloodFree
• Flowgen
• Porous Lane
• stormVAULT
• stormPANEL
• waterSAFE
• Silo

Products and services

• Aquacomb NZ's first in-slab stormwater system in pre-packaged kit form, providing underground modular stormwater detention and retention. Installs under driveways, concrete slabs, decks, patios, and lawns. Modular design from 250L to 30,000L+. Backed by 15,000+ installs across Australia and New Zealand with zero recorded leaks. Up to 38% cheaper installed in-slab than traditional underground tanks.
• FenceTank Above-ground 1000L water storage tank that integrates into property boundaries, replacing standard timber fencing. At just 410mm deep, it is one of the narrowest above-ground tanks available in NZ. Units can be linked in series for additional capacity. Eliminates excavation, shoring, and dewatering costs.
• SlimCity Modular underground system designed for narrow side-yards and tight urban infill spaces. Provides a plug-and-play solution for achieving hydraulic neutrality on complex multi-unit sites.
• Hydraloop Award-winning decentralised greywater recycling system combining six treatment technologies (sedimentation, floatation, dissolved air floatation, foam fractionation, aerobic bioreactor, UV disinfection) without filters, membranes, or chemicals. NSF-350 certified. Recycles up to 95% of shower, bath, washing machine, AC and dryer water. Available in H300 (residential, 530L/day), H600 (1,000L/day), and scalable Cascade configurations for commercial use. Enables up to 85% total in-house water reuse and savings of up to 45% on tap water.
• Porous Lane Permeable paving system made from recycled tyres that enables stormwater infiltration while providing durable, flexible surfaces for driveways, carparks, footpaths, and tree pits. Awarded 2025 Stormwater Innovation of the Year. Adapts to root movement, prevents cracking, and provides passive irrigation to tree roots. 20-25 year design life with ~22 kg CO2-eq/m2 lifecycle carbon footprint (79% lower than concrete).
• stormVAULT Underground polyethylene water tanks for retention and detention. NZ-made, UV-stabilised, available in sizes from 2,000L to 10,000L, with multiple tanks linkable for larger volumes. Solid-filled rib design with interlocking joints and anti-float anchors. Certified to AS/NZS4766:2006, AS/NZS4020:2005, AS/NZS 2070. 15-year warranty.
• stormPANEL Modular underground stormwater management panel system.
• Silo 800L slimline above-ground rainwater tank with space-saving cylindrical design (1970mm high x 770mm diameter). Connectable for expandable storage. Made from tank-grade HDPE plastic in New Zealand with 10-year warranty. Ideal for compact urban spaces.
• FloodFree Engineered flood barrier solutions including tilting, concealed (self-actuating), demountable, retractable, and swing barriers. Designed for flood protection of 1m-30m wide openings. Minimum 25-year design life. Designed in accordance with AWMA ISO 9001 Quality Management System. Manufactured in Northern Victoria, Australia.
• Floody Above-ground stormwater attenuation solution.
• WaterSAFE Pre-built plug-and-play endpoint water treatment system for rainwater collection and bore/spring supplies. Compliant with the New Zealand Water Services Act 2021 'acceptable solution'. Integrated with Flowgen for cloud-based remote monitoring and SMS/email fault alerts. Suitable for water supply serving less than 500 people.
• Flowgen Remote data control and monitoring system integrated with WaterSAFE products. Provides cloud-based PC and mobile app reporting with text/email fault alerts for real-time water safety monitoring and leak detection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 70% reduction in council-supplied water usage through rainwater harvesting and reuse
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• HydraloopcoreTechnology or IntegrationWatersmart is the New Zealand distributor for Hydraloop — the award-winning decentralised greywater recycling system. The partnership brings the H300, H600, and Cascade product range to NZ residential and commercial markets, with Watersmart handling specification, supply, installation, and support.
• AWMA (FloodFree)coreTechnology or IntegrationAWMA manufactures FloodFree engineered flood barriers in Northern Victoria, Australia. Watersmart supplies, specifies, and installs the full FloodFree range in New Zealand including tilting, concealed, demountable, retractable, and swing barriers. AWMA is ISO 9001 accredited.
• Flow ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFlow Consulting, a hydraulic services consultancy specialising in innovative plumbing design and water supply solutions, specifies Watersmart's WaterSAFE endpoint treatment systems for iwi and other clients needing Water Services Act 2021 compliance. Flow Consulting conducts site surveys and designs compliance methodology before nominating WaterSAFE installation.
• Flow ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFlow Consulting works with iwi including Tainui to meet new Water Services Act requirements, recommending WaterSAFE packaged endpoint treatment systems as the compliant acceptable solution. Partnership enables Watersmart to reach iwi, marae, and community organisations requiring regulatory compliance.
• Engineering New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering New Zealand partnered with Watersmart for the first industry session at the Watersmart Innovation Hub. The partnership supports professional education for engineers on water resilience, flood risk, and smart water management solutions. Sessions focus on education rather than product sales.
• Eastern Busway Alliance (Fletcher Construction, ACCIONA, AECOM, Jacobs, Mana Whenua)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatersmart provided Porous Lane permeable paving solution for the Auckland Transport Eastern Busway Project, working within the Fletcher Construction, ACCIONA, AECOM, Jacobs and Mana Whenua alliance. The project required footpath solutions bridging over shallow magnolia tree roots while maintaining durability for 2027 busway opening.
• Porous LanecoreTechnology or IntegrationWatersmart supplies and installs Porous Lane permeable paving throughout New Zealand. Porous Lane is an award-winning flexible pavement made from recycled tyres that won the 2025 Stormwater Innovation of the Year Award. Used in government, council, commercial, and residential applications for stormwater management, tree root accommodation, and carbon reduction.
• Devan (stormVAULT manufacturer)coreTechnology or IntegrationDevan manufactures stormVAULT underground water tanks — the thickest, strongest, heaviest on the NZ market — in Penrose Auckland with facilities in the Lower North and South Islands. Watersmart distributes stormVAULT throughout New Zealand as part of its comprehensive product portfolio.
• Fletcher LivingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatersmart partnered with Fletcher Living on the LowCO low-carbon home pilot, showcasing how decentralised water infrastructure (Hydraloop and Aquacomb) can ease stress on municipal water networks. The project demonstrates new construction approaches to reduce environmental impact.
• Jason Brown Plumbing and GasminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJason Brown Plumbing and Gas was trained on-site by Watersmart's Technical Manager (Elliot Olsen) to install the Aquacomb system at Oriental Parade, Wellington. Training covered tank assembly, pressure testing, custom pipework, and connection to concrete chambers. Represents Watersmart's certified installer training programme.
• Modern EnvironmentsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerModern Environments led the delivery of the Mayoral Drive Auckland CBD Porous Lane tree pit installation. Watersmart provided technical expertise and product supply for the project, which required seamless integration into existing urban design.
• City of BoroondaraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Boroondara (Victoria, Australia) partnered with Porous Lane for the Freeway Golf Course 830 sqm permeable paving installation, recycling over 2,500 end-of-life tyres. Demonstrates Watersmart's cross-Tasman reach through its Porous Lane distribution.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reliance Plumbing: NZ plumbing and water systems provider offering rainwater, drainage, and water management solutions to residential and commercial customers. Comparable as a NZ-based installer/distributor of integrated water management products targeting homeowners, developers, and councils.
• Stormwater 360: New Zealand specialist in stormwater management solutions including detention, treatment, and harvesting systems. Directly overlaps with Watersmart's Aquacomb/stormVAULT/FenceTank portfolio and shares the same developer, engineer, and council buyer base in NZ.
• Hynds Water Products: New Zealand-based manufacturer and supplier of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure products including tanks, manholes, and pipe systems. Directly comparable to Watersmart as a multi-product NZ water infrastructure supplier serving councils, developers, and engineers.

Broad incumbents

• Marley New Zealand: Established New Zealand manufacturer of PVCu rainwater, plumbing, and drainage systems serving residential and commercial construction. Comparable on rainwater and stormwater product lines but operates a broader plumbing portfolio without Watersmart's whole-system water-management integrator role.
• Puretec: Australian/New Zealand water filtration, treatment, and purification equipment supplier serving residential, commercial, and light-industrial customers. Comparable on the water-treatment side of Watersmart's portfolio (WaterSAFE/endpoint treatment) but focused on filtration hardware rather than whole-system integration.
• Iplex Pipelines NZ: ANZ pipeline and water infrastructure supplier (Fletcher Building group) covering water, sewerage, stormwater, and irrigation systems for utilities and developers. Overlaps with Watersmart's underground storage and pipework scope but is a much broader incumbent rather than a specialist integrator.

Emerging players

• Cleanwater NZ: New Zealand water treatment and filtration specialist providing rainwater, drinking water, and point-of-use systems to residential and small commercial markets. Comparable to Watersmart's WaterSAFE and water-quality proposition under the Water Services Act 2021, but narrower in scope (treatment only).

Regional players

• Rain Harvesting Pty Ltd: Australian rainwater harvesting products and systems specialist selling tanks, pumps, filters, and accessories through a dealer network. Comparable to Watersmart's rainwater and stormwater harvesting portfolio but primarily Australia-focused with a wholesale, product-only model vs. Watersmart's design-install-maintain service.

Others

• Devan Plastics: New Zealand plastics manufacturer that produces the stormVAULT underground tank line distributed by Watersmart. Functions as Watersmart's upstream manufacturing partner/supplier rather than a market competitor, but is relevant as a peer in polyethylene water-storage tank production.
• AWMA Water Control Solutions: Australian manufacturer of engineered flood barriers, water control infrastructure, and penstock systems. Direct technology partner of Watersmart (manufactures FloodFree); comparable as a flood-protection specialist rather than a competitor given the distribution relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watersmartltd

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Watersmart