agua viva international

What agua viva international does

Agua Viva International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, that installs community-owned water purification and bottling systems in remote communities across five countries (Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Kenya, and Tanzania). The organization sources its core technology from Living Waters for the World (LWW), which provides microfiltration and ozonation systems capable of serving up to 3,000 people per installation at a stated cost of less than $10 per person. Agua Viva complements each installation with a health and hygiene education program, primarily targeting women, who are trained to operate the systems and to teach sanitation practices within their communities.

The organization operates entirely on charitable donations and is 100% volunteer-run, with no paid staff, salaries, or administrative fees drawn from contributions. Its go-to-market relies on volunteer installation trips, channel partners such as International Health Partners, Church of the Resurrection, and Rotary clubs, and a faith-based volunteer network anchored in Johnson County, Kansas. Each beneficiary community retains ownership of its system and is responsible for long-term operation and maintenance, often running micro-business bottling operations that generate local revenue and provide women with income and business skills.

To date, Agua Viva reports that 72,000 people across the five countries have gained access to purified drinking water, with a documented 50% increase in school attendance in served communities and a 5-hour-per-day time savings for women and girls who previously collected water. The organization is led by CEO Curt Mader and holds GuideStar Platinum Transparency certification.

Name

agua viva international

Legal name

Agua Viva International

Website

https://aguavivainternational.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Agua Viva International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that installs community-owned water purification and bottling systems, sourced from Living Waters for the World, in remote communities across Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Kenya, and Tanzania, complemented by health and hygiene education for local operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Sanitation Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI), WASH & Public Health (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) (BPADAIAG)

Keywords

• Clean water access
• Water purification systems
• Nonprofit humanitarian services
• Community development
• Hygiene education

Headquarters

HQ city

Overland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Agua Viva International operates entirely on donations. The organization states that 100% of money raised goes directly to installing water systems in under-developed countries, with no salaries and no administrative fees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Agua Viva International installs water purification and bottling systems sourced from Living Waters for the World in remote communities in five developing countries, providing ozonated drinking water to populations of up to 3,000 people per system at less than $10 per person. Alongside each installation, the organization delivers a health and hygiene education program and trains local community members, primarily women, to operate, maintain, and run micro-businesses around the water systems. The organization is funded entirely by donations and operates with no paid staff or administrative fees.

Product overview

Agua Viva International operates as a non-profit organization offering a single unified service: the installation of water purification and bottling systems in remote communities where clean drinking water is unavailable. The organization sources its water purification technology from Living Waters for the World (LWW), which provides systems capable of serving up to 3,000 people per installation at a cost of less than $10 per person. Each installation is accompanied by the Health and Hygiene Education Program, which trains local community members—primarily women—in sanitation practices and system operation. The model emphasizes community ownership, where each community owns, maintains, and operates its own system after installation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Water Purification and Bottling System Installation

Quantifiable outcome

• 72,000 people in five countries now have access to purified drinking water
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Living Waters for the World (LWW)coreTechnology or Integration · 23 February 2017Living Waters for the World provides the water purification systems used by Agua Viva. LWW systems feature microfiltration and ozonation technology, have been field-tested with over 1,000 installations worldwide, and include a network of support personnel. Agua Viva follows LWW guidelines and maintains an important relationship with the organization.
• International Health Partners (IHP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2016International Health Partners (IHP), led by Paula and Dennis Lofstrom, invited Agua Viva to install water purification systems at their hospitals in Africa. IHP facilitated Agua Viva's first installation in Africa at a Children's Hospital in Zinga, Tanzania, and continues to be a key partner for African expansion.
• Olsson (Engineering Firm)minorOthers · 27 January 2016Olsson engineers volunteer on Agua Viva installation trips. In 2023, Olsson engineers shared their experiences volunteering with Agua Viva on a weeklong summer visit to Tanzania and Kenya, highlighting the company's support for the nonprofit's mission.
• Church of the Resurrection (COR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2015Church of the Resurrection (COR) in Overland Park, Kansas provides medical and dental missions in Honduras and identified communities lacking clean drinking water. COR arranged transportation and partnered with Agua Viva for joint installation trips to Quisgualagua and El Obraje, Honduras.
• Rotary Club of RiobambaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2015Rotary Club of Riobamba in Ecuador partnered with Agua Viva to identify installation sites. Rotarians attended Agua Viva's presentation and helped select the Columbe parish as a target area. The partnership has facilitated multiple installations in Ecuador.
• George and Sheree Wuertz (Missionaries)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 22 July 2011George and Sheree Wuertz are missionaries in Cuenca, Ecuador supported by Colonial Presbyterian Church. They assist with installation trips, provide local logistics, translation support, and have been instrumental in building relationships in Ecuador communities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• charity: water: Large U.S.-based nonprofit funding clean water projects in developing countries. Directly comparable donor-driven WASH model with similar mission focus on remote communities and transparent reporting.
• Water.org: Global nonprofit focused on providing safe water and sanitation through market-driven finance in developing countries. Comparable WASH mission serving poor communities, with a more financially-oriented model.
• WaterAid: International nonprofit focused on sustainable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in developing countries. Comparable WASH mission, geographic reach across Africa/Latin America, and community-partnership model.
• Waves for Water: Nonprofit providing clean water filtration solutions to communities in need globally through volunteer-led deployments. Comparable volunteer-driven field model and point-of-use filtration technology.
• Pure Water for the World: Nonprofit that installs water filtration systems and provides hygiene education in Central America and Africa. Directly comparable product, geography, and community-education model.
• Living Waters for the World: Faith-based nonprofit whose microfiltration/ozonation systems Agua Viva deploys. Directly comparable technology and mission; serves as both supplier and peer organization running parallel installation programs.

Broad incumbents

• DIGDEEP: U.S.-focused nonprofit working to ensure every American has clean water. Comparable donor-funded water access mission, but operates domestically rather than internationally like Agua Viva.
• Oxfam Water & Sanitation Programs: Large international NGO running WASH programs across multiple developing countries. Comparable community-based WASH delivery but with significantly larger institutional footprint and funding base.
• Engineers Without Borders USA: Larger nonprofit deploying engineering volunteers on water and sanitation infrastructure projects in developing countries. Comparable volunteer-trips-plus-infrastructure model, but with broader engineering scope beyond WASH.
• WaterCan/EKOCENTER (Coca-Cola partnership): Corporate-funded initiative providing clean water access in developing countries. Comparable WASH mission at much larger scale, but operates as a corporate-sponsored program rather than volunteer-run nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agua-viva-international

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about agua viva international