Date: Mar 07, 2017 Author: May Ortega Source: bizjournals (
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Aqua Access has deployed more than 10,000 units of its water-filtering H2gO devices since mid-2014. Its sister companies are preparing to release new products and change focus.
"We're primarily trying to switch from development to production and sales," said Rodney Herrington, CEO of Aqua Access, Aqua Research and Aqua Membranes. "That's where we're at with these companies and they all look promising."
Aqua Access's sole product thus far is a portable device that simplifies water purification. H2gO is on shelves at various Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse and REI stores. There were also plans for H2gO to hit Walmart stores, but those plans fell through. Herrington said he is still in talks with the company.
Non-government organizations have been using the majority of Aqua Access H2gOs to help with disaster relief around the world, which is why Herrington develops his products. He gives the NGOs he works with a 40 percent discount to make his product more affordable.
"It's been deployed in Nepal, Ecuador, in Haiti, all over Africa," he said. "Most recently it's been used in humanitarian relief areas in Europe as a result of the Syrian crisis."
Aqua Access, founded in 2010, and Aqua Research, founded in 2011, have seen combined revenues of about $250,000, but have not made any profits.
"The key message is that we have been in product development and now have one product on the market and are preparing to launch new products," he said. "We are now moving forward more aggressively into marketing and sales."
Aqua Research, which has raised $1.5 million in funding, is preparing to release its first products with capabilities to purify much more water.
One mobile device, called Oasis, can quickly filter out viruses, bacteria and other impurities from almost five gallons of water at a time. It can treat 17 liters of water in five minutes, according to an info sheet about the product.
"Somebody in a developing country can go to a creek, river, stream and fill this thing with water," Herrington said. "It's got an air pump on it ... and they open a valve and have clean water."
The system is being developed in collaboration with nonprofit humanitarian organization Operation Blessing International, which will deploy Oasis around the 23 countries where it works. Herrington said the organization has funded much of the development.
A second device with even greater filtering capability is the STREAM, which works similarly to Oasis, but can continuously purify water. It can provide 60,000 gallons of clean water per day, according to a STREAM info sheet.
"We're talking a community-sized system or big water volume in disaster or things like that," Herrington said. "It's something that operates on 110v or 220v power or a car battery."
The third of the Aqua companies, Aqua Membranes, is producing 3D-printed sheets that can be used in water purifying plants. The technology increases flow by at least 40 percent and wastes less water throughout the filtration process.
This product differs from those by Aqua Access and Aqua Research. Herrington plans to push this pair of companies into their next phases.
"All the money that we have had, we poured into the development of this product line that we've conceived," he said.
That will change in coming months, when Oasis and STREAM productions are completed and H2gO hits more retailers.
