What OurWaters does

OurWaters, LLC (operating as OurWaters and OurSoils under the OWOS brand) is an Iowa-based, privately held provider of nature-based solutions for water and soil restoration, headquartered in Urbandale. The company sells an integrated eight-product platform — AquaFlex, BioFlex, Hi-Carbon Biochar, Flo-Water, Natura Solve, BioStar-CH, Envirocator, and OurAir — built around chitosan-based treatment media, biochar, and bio-augmentation technologies licensed under exclusive arrangements, including the Scott Smith toxic-algae remediation patent portfolio.

The underlying technology combines chemical treatment media (AquaFlex and BioStar-CH chitosan formulations), biological augmentation (BioFlex, Natura Solve), carbon-sequestering biochar (Hi-Carbon), and monitoring/reporting tooling (Envirocator, OurAir) into a single procurement bundle for site-level water and soil remediation. Customers include municipal utilities and public works departments, agricultural producers and CAFO operators, state DOTs and infrastructure contractors, industrial and food-processing facilities, conservation districts, and grant-funded programs administered through NRCS and FEMA.

The business model is project-based and consultative: revenue derives from one-time hardware sales of treatment media, integrated solution licenses for site deployments, and exclusive technology licensing arrangements. Distribution is augmented through a solution-partner network (Kiko Technologies, Hydralife, Rymar, BioVerse), and product positioning is explicitly aligned with federal grant funding channels (NRCS, FEMA, ARPA) to access non-discretionary public capital for watershed, stormwater, and agricultural remediation projects.

Name

OurWaters

Legal name

OurWaters, LLC

Website

https://ourwaters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OurWaters is an Iowa-based provider of nature-based water and soil remediation products, selling an eight-platform suite of chitosan, biochar, and bio-augmentation technologies to municipalities, agricultural operators, industrial facilities, and federal grant-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Treatment Media

NAICS

Remediation Services (562910)

SIC

Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Treatment & Process Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Groundwater Extraction, Treatment & Discharge (Pump-and-Treat, reinjection) (BPALAKAF), Biocides & Disinfection Chemicals (Non-Agricultural) (IMAEAJAL), Filtration & Water Treatment for Irrigation (Sand/Disc/Screen, Chem Treatment) (AFAAACAD)

Keywords

• Water treatment media
• Stormwater management solutions
• Nature-based environmental solutions
• Soil restoration products
• Nutrient management systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Urbandale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Treatment Media and Platform Products: OurWaters generates revenue through the sale of integrated treatment platforms and media products including AquaFlex, BioFlex, Hi-Carbon Biochar, Flo-Water infrastructure systems (EZ-Catch, EZ-Flo, Pump-It Tube), Natura Solve formulations, BioStar-CH chitosan, Envirocator monitoring tools, and OurAir dust suppression. Products are sold as individual components or as integrated collaborative solution stacks for specific treatment applications.
2. Integrated Solution Systems: Revenue is generated through selling integrated collaborative solution stacks combining multiple platforms and media products for specific applications: Nutrient Removal & Water Polishing System, Circular Dewatering & Sludge Treatment, Stormwater & Infrastructure Protection System, Passive Hypoxia & Nutrient Management System, Integrated Flo-Water + AquaFlex Systems, and Odor & Air Quality Control Stack.
3. Exclusive Technology Licensing: OurWaters holds exclusive licensing for technologies including AquaFlex and Scott Smith patents for toxic algae remediation and excess nutrient removal. This includes exclusive rights to deploy specific chitosan formulations and patented treatment combinations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OurWaters sells a platform of nature-based solutions (NbS) for water and soil restoration, integrating engineered hydraulics, distributed treatment media, and biologic enhancements. The company manufactures and distributes proprietary treatment media (AquaFlex open-cell foam, Hi-Carbon Biochar, BioFlex fabric-encased biochar, BioStar-CH chitosan), infrastructure platforms (Flo-Water EZ-Catch, EZ-Flo, Pump-It Tube), microbial formulations (Natura Solve), monitoring tools (Envirocator), and dust suppression (OurAir). Products are sold individually or combined into integrated collaborative solution stacks for specific applications.

Product overview

OurWaters is a nature-based solutions platform offering a multi-product portfolio for water treatment, soil restoration, and stormwater management. The platform consists of core treatment technologies (AquaFlex open-cell foam media, Hi-Carbon Biochar, BioFlex fabric-encased biochar, Chitosan formulations) combined with infrastructure delivery systems (Flo-Water inlet/conveyance platforms including EZ-Catch Pro, EZ-Flo, Hi-Flo Silt Fence, Pump-It Tube), biological formulations (Natura Solve WaterMix and SoilMix), and monitoring tools (Envirocator). These products integrate into collaborative solution stacks designed for municipal wastewater polishing, agricultural runoff treatment, hypoxia management, circular dewatering, and stormwater infrastructure protection. The platform is grant-aligned for NRCS, FEMA, and watershed programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AquaFlex: Patented open-cell exchange media for nutrient and pollutant capture in water treatment applications
• BioFlex
• Flo-Water
• Natura Solve
• Biostar
• Hi-Carbon Biochar
• Envirocator
• OurAir

Products and services

• AquaFlex Medical-grade open-cell foam exchange media (no plasticizers) engineered for high-surface-area adsorption and polishing of dissolved nutrients, hydrocarbons, metals, and organics in stormwater, wastewater, and agricultural runoff. Serves as a primary dissolved-phase treatment layer and can be enhanced in-field with biologics for accelerated nutrient uptake and oxygen transfer. Used by municipal, agricultural, and industrial customers.
• Hi-Carbon Biochar High-carbon, high-surface-area media for phosphorus capture, dissolved organic carbon (TOC) reduction, hydrocarbon adsorption, and nutrient polishing across water, soil, and dewatering applications. Enables regenerative soil reuse pathways and long-term carbon sequestration when deployed through circular dewatering and land restoration systems.
• BioFlex Fabric-encased, high-carbon biochar media systems for solids capture, nutrient adsorption (phosphorus and nitrogen), hydrocarbons, and dissolved organics in stormwater, wastewater, agricultural runoff, and dewatering applications. Engineered for deployment within Flo-Water conveyance platforms and as stand-alone or hybrid treatment elements with AquaFlex and biologics.
• Flo-Water Infrastructure-first inlet, conveyance, and dewatering platforms that transform passive drainage and pumping systems into active treatment assets. Provides high-hydraulic-capacity interception of sediment and debris while serving as the delivery and retention layer for advanced treatment media. Includes EZ-Catch, EZ-Catch Pro, EZ-CatchMan, EZ-Flo, Hi-Flo Silt Fence, and Pump-It Tube sub-products sold individually via flo-water.net.
• Natura Solve Targeted microbial and organic formulations (WaterMix and SoilMix) that accelerate natural digestion, oxygenation, nutrient transformation, and soil restoration across water, wastewater, agricultural runoff, and biosolids systems. Designed to pair with physical treatment platforms and media to enhance biological performance, reduce odors, and support long-term ecosystem recovery.
• BioStar-CH (Chitosan) Liquid and exclusive dry flake chitosan formulations for rapid phosphorus binding, turbidity reduction, oil and fine solids capture, and coagulation enhancement in water and dewatering applications. Deployable as a stand-alone polishing agent or encapsulated within media systems to provide controlled-release treatment and downstream water quality improvement. OWOS holds exclusive deployment rights.
• Envirocator Three-depth, multi-level water sampling and monitoring tool enabling real-time nutrient profiling, performance verification, and grant or regulatory compliance reporting. Supports field validation of treatment efficacy across hypoxia management, nutrient reduction, and watershed restoration deployments.
• OurAir Chloride-free, biologic dust and odor suppression solutions for construction, agriculture, industrial sites, and material handling environments. Reduces particulate emissions and nuisance odors while supporting soil health, worker safety, and community compliance without introducing corrosive salts.
• EZ-Catch Pro Heavy-duty inlet protection system for stormwater management. Converts stormwater inlets into distributed treatment assets with replaceable media inserts. Demonstrated at the City of Eagan, MN for 4 months of durability in urban stormwater applications.
• EZ-Flo Inlet protection system for drains and perimeter control. Provides filtration for sediment, hydrocarbons, nutrients, and metals.
• Hi-Flo Silt Fence Perimeter sediment control fence for intercepting nutrients, hydrocarbons, metals, and fine particulates during flow-through events in ditches and disturbed soils.
• Pump-It Tube Pump-fed geotextile tubes with integrated media injection for circular dewatering and in-field treatment of wastewater, dredge spoils, manure, and lagoon water.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces nitrates and phosphates driving eutrophication
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kiko TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationKiko Technologies is listed as a solution partner (OWOS Complementor), providing sensor and technology integration capabilities to the OurWaters collaborative ecosystem.
• Hydralife SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationHydralife Solutions is featured as a solution partner, offering complementary water life and treatment solutions integrated with OurWaters platforms.
• Rymar Water WorkscoreTechnology or IntegrationRymar Water Works is a solution partner offering advanced skimmer and sediment basin design tools, including the Rymar Video Series for Marlee Float applications.
• BioVersecoreTechnology or IntegrationBioVerse is listed as a solution partner providing biological treatment solutions integrated with the OurWaters collaborative platform.
• Flo-WatercoreTechnology or IntegrationFlo-Water is an integrated platform within OWOS, providing stormwater protection and infrastructure filtration systems including EZ-Catch, EZ-Flo, and Pump-It Tube products.
• AquaFlexcoreTechnology or IntegrationAquaFlex is a core patented technology platform licensed and distributed through OurWaters for open-cell exchange media applications.
• Natura SolvecoreTechnology or IntegrationNatura Solve provides biologic and organic formulations integrated into OWOS collaborative solutions for digestion, nutrient cycling, and restoration applications.
• BioStarcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerBioStar provides chitosan biopolymer formulations (BioStar-CH) available exclusively in OWOS passive, in-line, and batch treatment systems. OWOS holds exclusive deployment rights.
• Scott SmithcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOurWaters holds exclusive license from Scott Smith for toxic algae remediation and excess nutrient removal technology patents.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Imbrium Systems: Imbrium Systems designs stormwater treatment technologies (filter media, hydrodynamic separators, sorbent products) for municipal and industrial markets—competing with OurWaters' Flo-Water and AquaFlex platforms in the same nutrient and hydrocarbon removal use cases.
• Convergent Water Technologies: Convergent Water provides nature-based and engineered water treatment solutions for nutrient removal, stormwater, and industrial wastewater—overlapping directly with OurWaters' AquaFlex, BioFlex, and chitosan treatment stacks.
• ACF Environmental: ACF Environmental manufactures stormwater filtration products, inlet protection devices, and sediment control solutions—competing with OurWaters' EZ-Catch/EZ-Flo inlet protection systems and Hi-Flo Silt Fence products.
• Filtrexx: Filtrexx produces organic biofilter media and sediment control products (SiltSoxx, EnviroSoxx) for stormwater, agriculture, and construction site applications—closely aligned with OurWaters' nature-based media and silt fence offerings (Hi-Flo Silt Fence, BioFlex).
• Bio Clean Environmental (Forterra): Bio Clean (now part of Forterra) manufactures stormwater treatment systems including media filters, hydrodynamic separators, and bioretention devices for municipal and DOT customers—directly competing with OurWaters' Flo-Water stormwater protection and AquaFlex media platforms.
• Tidal Vision: Tidal Vision manufactures chitosan-based water treatment and industrial products for nutrient removal, turbidity reduction, and coagulation—directly competing with OurWaters' BioStar-CH chitosan product line in phosphorus binding and water polishing.

Broad incumbents

• Oldcastle Infrastructure: Oldcastle Infrastructure is a large diversified provider of stormwater management, drainage, and water treatment products serving the same municipal and DOT customer base as OurWaters, but with broader portfolio scale and deeper geographic reach.
• Aqua-Aerobic Systems: Aqua-Aerobic Systems is an established provider of municipal and industrial water/wastewater treatment equipment including biological and polishing systems—competing in the same municipal nutrient removal and water polishing markets where OurWaters targets utility customers.
• Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS): ADS is a large publicly traded provider of water management and drainage solutions including stormwater chambers, filters, and separators—overlapping with OurWaters' Flo-Water infrastructure platforms in stormwater and drainage applications.

Emerging players

• Cool Planet: Cool Planet produces biochar and engineered carbon products for agriculture, water filtration, and soil health—overlapping with OurWaters' Hi-Carbon Biochar platform in phosphorus capture, nutrient polishing, and soil restoration applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ourwaters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ourwaters

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 OurWaters