Case study: Life h2o Australia

Addressing gaps in the military with water purification technology

Northern Territory startup, Life h2o Australia, specialises in the design, manufacture, supply and maintenance of patented military grade Water Purification and Desalination Systems (WPDS) for a wide range of specialised military and civilian applications. This includes disaster response, humanitarian aid, remote communities as well as industries including defence, mining, energy, maritime, agriculture, tourism and more.

The Life-Port WPDS is energy efficient, easily deployed and operated and fit-for-purpose.

It removes contaminants including hard metals, chemicals, viruses, and bacteria regardless of the environment or source without chemical treatment.

Situation

In 2020, Life h2o’s founder Charley Feros chose to establish his innovative business in Darwin, after recognising the opportunities the Northern Territory could offer.

Subsequent to winning an A$300,000 venture capital opportunity at Croc Pitch 2021, Life h2o Australia performed trials and tested its man portable Life-Port WPDS units with the Australian Defence Force (ADF), presented to the US Military capability acquisition team in the Pentagon and was called upon by the Australian Defence Export Office to submit a proposal in support of the Ukraine’s war effort.

In 2025, the company has engaged with the ADF Defence Cooperation Program in Timor Leste as the headline act for “Exercise Steady Stream”, put their WPDS through its paces at Royal Malaysian Air Force base, Butterworth, Malaysia and showcased their solution at the 1st Brigade Littoral Warfare Industry Briefing and Demo Day in Darwin.

Approach

To ramp up commercialisation and manufacture of its WPDS, Life h2o Australia approached the Northern Territory Government for assistance.

Solution

In December 2022, Life h2o Australia was approved A$2.5 million alongside their co-contribution.

The investment will see the business scale up operations and create up to 15 new jobs in the Northern Territory over the next 5 years.

Detailed outcomes

Relocating to larger premises in Winnellie, the company has established a sustainable local manufacturing plant in collaboration with other Territory businesses including Darwin Sheet Metal, Enzed and BP Waters.

The support will enable Life h2o Australia to finalise Life-Port’s consumer facing design, secure tooling for onshore manufacturing in Darwin, and expand its product range. By streamlining the local supply chain, it will boost the Northern Territory’s advanced manufacturing sector and stimulate the economy.

Australian Army combat engineers and special forces have acquired the Life-Port WPDS units which are currently in service and Life h2o systems are currently in use in Malaysia, Timor Leste and the Philippines. The smallest man portable unit produces up to 30 litres of potable water per hour, while a larger unit can produce 150 litres per hour.

Beyond man portable options are truck and trailer, landing craft mounted systems are in development, which are well suited to amphibious operations and civil emergency services.

There are plans to expand its products into non-military markets, create additional employment opportunities and boost the Northern Territory’s advanced manufacturing output and exports. Future development of a wider range of products includes miniaturised and modularised drinking water treatment systems.

Outside of the Northern Territory Government’s support, Life h2o Australia was also awarded a A$434,978 co-investment from the Northern Territory Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund, administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.

At-a-glance