The Water Collaborative

Name

The Water Collaborative

Legal name

The Water Collaborative

Website

https://nolawater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy / Nonprofit Water Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Water quality testing
• Environmental justice advocacy
• Community education programs
• PFAS contamination studies
• Lead pipe replacement

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a nonprofit organization, The Water Collaborative operates primarily through donations from individuals and grants from foundations and government programs. The organization hosts events like NOLA Water Week and accepts donations through platforms like Donorbox.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Water Collaborative is a New Orleans-based nonprofit organization that actualizes water as a human right by tackling systemic water injustices through residential water quality testing (lead, PFAS, metals), policy advocacy, community education, and equity-focused programs. It conducts EPA-grade water testing studies across Southeast Louisiana parishes, educates residents about contamination risks and mitigation strategies, runs community awareness campaigns like Get the Lead Out, and develops artist and engagement programs that link residents to policy and infrastructure reform.

Product overview

The Water Collaborative is a nonprofit organization that offers a portfolio of community programs, research studies, and advocacy initiatives focused on water justice in Greater New Orleans. The core offerings include residential water quality testing studies (lead and PFAS testing), educational campaigns (Get The Lead Out), artistic programs (Brackish Artist Collective), community engagement frameworks, and the annual NOLA Water Week event. The organization also publishes reports and provides educational resources through media programs like the 'Don't Water It Down' podcast/video series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Urban Waters Louisiana: Program focused on urban waters restoration and education
• NOLA Water Week
• Don't Water It Down
• Water Flows Forward
• Water Justice New Orleans
• Brackish Artist Collective
• Get the Lead Out Campaign
• Regional PFAS Testing
• Lead Testing & Education

Products and services

• 2025 Southeast Louisiana Residential Water Quality Testing Study A residential tap water quality testing study covering 107 households across seven Southeast Louisiana parishes (St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines), testing 25 contaminants including 18 PFAS compounds and 7 metals using EPA-approved laboratory methods. Designed for residents in industrial corridor communities to gain comprehensive water quality data.
• 2024 Orleans Parish Lead Testing Study A residential lead water quality testing study conducted in summer 2024 to assess lead and copper levels in tap water across Orleans Parish neighborhoods, found lead contamination in 88% of participating residences, empowering community with water quality data for advocacy.
• 2022 Mississippi River PFAS and Industrial Contaminant Study (Cancer Alley) A 2022 study testing for PFAS, BTEX compounds, and 1,4-Dioxane contamination in the Mississippi River and Industrial Corridor, collecting water and soil samples at 31 different locations to provide water quality data for Cancer Alley communities.
• Lead Testing & Education Program An ongoing program area focused on community lead awareness, residential lead water testing, and education about lead exposure risks and mitigation strategies in Greater New Orleans. Designed for residents concerned about household tap water and lead contamination from pipes.
• Regional PFAS Testing Program An ongoing program area focused on testing for Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water across Southeast Louisiana parishes, providing communities with data on forever chemical contamination.
• Get The Lead Out Campaign A community awareness campaign educating residents about lead exposure risks, promoting proactive contamination reduction, and advocating for system-wide water quality improvements and lead pipe replacement. Targets residents in Greater New Orleans neighborhoods with elevated lead exposure risk.
• Brackish Artist Collective An annual artist development program exploring the relationship between communities and water in Southeast Louisiana through curriculum on infrastructure, government, and history, creating climate resilience artists and engaging residents through cultural programming.
• Community Engagement Framework (with CPRA) A collaborative framework developed with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) to guide meaningful community engagement with stakeholders in coastal planning, structured as a multi-phase project incorporating stakeholder input for a state agency.
• NOLA Water Week An annual week-long celebration honoring water's role in New Orleans culture through education, art, storytelling, and policy events, produced by The Water Collaborative as a flagship community engagement event.
• Don't Water It Down Podcast/Video Series A video and podcast series featuring conversations about water, climate, and New Orleans culture with activists, artists, and experts, distributed via YouTube (@nolawater).

Quantifiable outcome

• Lead contamination found in 88% of 2024 Orleans Parish tested homes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered supportive, flagship and core.

• Restore the Mississippi River DeltasupportiveGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Weekday event sponsor for NOLA Water Week 2025, supporting the annual celebration of water's role in New Orleans culture and future.
• Earth JusticesupportiveGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Weekday event sponsor for NOLA Water Week 2025, supporting environmental justice programming and policy discussions.
• Environmental Defense FundsupportiveGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Weekday event sponsor for NOLA Water Week 2025.
• Liquid IVflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Presenting sponsor for NOLA Water Week 2025.
• Ruby SlipperflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Host venue and presenting sponsor for NOLA Water Week 2025, located at the Ruby Slipper restaurant.
• Black Girl EnvironmentalistsupportiveStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for Black Women's Healing Circle event during NOLA Water Week 2025.
• Six Community Organizations (2025 Tap Water Study)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Six community organizations collaborated with TWC to help connect with residents for the 2025 Southeast Louisiana Water Quality Study, ensuring the research was rooted in trust and community participation.
• Blue ConduitcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Water analytics company partnered with SWBNO to create the New Orleans Water Service Line Map - an interactive publicly accessible tool showing pipe composition for individual residences. Blue Conduit provides technical expertise and connects TWC with best practices from other cities doing similar lead pipe work.
• Total Community ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Community organization partner leading public engagement programs for the Get the Lead Out campaign. Helps connect with residents and community groups across New Orleans neighborhoods.
• Civic StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Community organization cooperative partner in the Get the Lead Out public engagement program, contributing to community outreach and engagement efforts.
• WE ACT for Environmental JusticesupportiveStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023National environmental justice organization providing funding and support to connect with other cities doing lead pipe work, sharing best practices and technical expertise.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)supportiveStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023National environmental organization providing funding, technical expertise, and connections to best practices for water quality and lead pipe replacement initiatives.
• Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with CPRA to create a new Outreach and Engagement framework designed to guide meaningful CPRA engagement with community and business stakeholders in all agency endeavors. Multi-phase project incorporating stakeholder input.
• TapRoot EarthsupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on climate and ecology programs represented on TWC's board through Program Strategist Kellyn Brooke LaCour-Conant.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Waterkeeper Alliance: Global nonprofit supporting local Waterkeeper groups doing grassroots water protection, testing, and advocacy. Directly comparable to TWC's model of community-based water quality testing and policy advocacy.
• WE ACT for Environmental Justice: Northern Manhattan-based environmental justice nonprofit focused on community-led policy, research, and advocacy. Highly comparable mission and model, and an active TWC supporter/partnership.
• Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper: New Orleans-based Waterkeeper affiliate monitoring Mississippi River water quality and conducting advocacy. Direct geographic and methodological peer — both conduct water testing and policy advocacy in Southeast Louisiana.
• Earthworks: Nonprofit focused on protecting communities and the environment from extractive industries, including oil/gas impacts on water. Comparable grassroots-advocacy plus technical research model.
• Healthy Gulf: Gulf Coast-focused nonprofit advocating for clean water and against industrial pollution, including Cancer Alley communities. Closely aligned mission and overlapping geography/parish-level work with TWC.
• Clean Water Action: National nonprofit advocacy organization working on clean water, affordability, and environmental justice. Highly comparable to TWC as a grassroots-driven water advocacy nonprofit conducting community education and policy campaigns.
• Restore the Mississippi River Delta: Coalition of NGOs working on coastal Louisiana restoration and community engagement. Comparable regional advocacy focus; TWC partner/sponsor for NOLA Water Week.
• TapRoot Earth: Louisiana-based nonprofit addressing climate, ecology, and environmental justice through community organizing and policy. Closely aligned regional peer with overlapping board and partnership ties to TWC.

Broad incumbents

• Earthjustice: National environmental law organization litigating on clean water and environmental justice issues. TWC partner; comparable mission focus on water rights and regulatory advocacy but operates as legal/incumbent force.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Large national environmental organization with major water quality, lead pipe, and climate programs. Comparable advocacy areas but vastly larger scale and broader portfolio than TWC's Southeast Louisiana focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nolawater
• Instagraminstagram.com/nolawater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-water-collaborative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Collaborative