The Circular Water Company
Turning Bottled Water
Into Roads
Join us in our mission to seamlessly blend purpose and profit, creating a future where measurable change is woven into everything we do.
Choosing to invest in The Circular Water Company is more than a financial decision – it’s a pledge to help shape a better world.
Invest With Impact
The Opportunity
Access to Drinkable Water is a Basic Human Right
For millions living in emerging countries, plastic bottles are the only viable option when it comes to having safe drinkable water. Plastic provides an affordable solution where infrastructure does not meet the needs of the people.
The World is Not a Dumping Ground for Plastic
Yet only 9% of plastic bottles are recycled globally. Emerging nations bear a disproportionately high economic cost just to provide safe drinking water. Managing plastic waste diverts scarce resources away from development needs.
A New Way of Thinking
The circular economy shows the path to reconciling access and sustainability. This means we need to address the water-plastic dilemma holistically. We must build integrated circular solutions that are environmentally and economically sustainable.
Through innovation, we can develop water and plastic systems that are regenerative rather than extractive. By valuing plastic as a resource rather than waste, we can deliver safe water while eliminating plastic pollution.
Circular systems present a model for meeting the vital needs of people, the planet, and profit together.
Building a Circular Business
Our model aligns closely with the principles of the circular economy. Inspired by a water propeller, each of the five blades symbolises a facet of our innovative approach:
- Local Water – Local Jobs: Building a high-volume bottled water plant to establish water independence, powered by the local jobs and new industries.
- Plastic is Money: Implementing an innovative twist on bottle deposit programs that creates jobs and economic opportunity from plastic waste.
- Polygrains: Pioneering a proprietary process to reshape plastics into a sustainable bitumen substitute.
- Making Roads Green: Leveraging Polygrains to boost the local economy by reducing transport and maintenance costs.
- Transformative: Integrating the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals into our operations to demonstrate our commitment to building a better world.
These blades underscore our commitment to circularity, innovation, sustainable growth, and a substantially reduced carbon footprint.
Timor-Leste:
Small enough to be a test market, large enough to change the world
Timor-Leste is a small, vibrant country with business-friendly policies, which provides the ideal environment to implement our circular solutions to the water-plastic dilemma.
Proximity to major Southeast Asian economies coupled with low taxes, USD currency, and tax treaties support foreign investors.
Most importantly, Timor-Leste is small enough to demonstrate our circular strategies, proving profitability and creating a showcase for regional expansion.
Timor-Leste offers a manageable environment to implement, demonstrate, and scale our circular solutions.
Six Facts
Population: 1.3 million people, with a median age of 21 – reflecting dynamic growth since independence in 2002. Timor-Leste’s land mass is 14,900 sq km.
Languages: Tetum, Portuguese, and English.
Currency: United States Dollar
Government: A democratic republic, with a history of peaceful elections. The legal system is based on Portuguese civil law.
Key Industries: Oil, gas, coffee, candlenut oil, eco-tourism (especially marine life).
Foreign Investment: TradeInvest certificate with 5 yr exemption from corporate tax, and other proactive initiatives
90% of Bottled Water is Imported
In 2022, Timor-Leste imported over 120 million bottles of water from Indonesia from abroad. This heavy reliance on imports creates substantial economic and environmental burdens:
Economic Issues:
- Few local jobs as the supply chain is foreign-owned
- Stifled industry development and foreign investment
- Supply vulnerability during the pandemic
- High waste collection costs strain public budgets
Environmental Issues
- Flood risk from plastics blocking river and canal plastics blocking drainage
- Soil contamination reducing arable land
- Ocean pollution threatening marine ecosystems
- Community health from burning plastic as fuel
By localising the water supply, our circular strategies can capture value, create jobs, reduce waste, and support healthier communities and environment.
The Five Blades of Timor-Leste
Local Water – Local Jobs
We are building Timor-Leste’s first high-volume water bottling plant on a 3,000 sq metre site strategically located on the outskirts of Dili.
Verified by independent hydrogeological surveys, the plant is directly above a deep aquifer containing 40 billion litres of pristine water.
The machinery is sourced from Europe and Australia, and has been selected to help us correct the perception that local water cannot rival Indonesian brands.
Our strategic aim is to capture a 10% market share (10m bottles) within the first year, with a projected growth to 40% (35m bottles) by year 3.
We have the floor space to double production to 80m bottles as market demand expands.
We are dedicated to more than just production—surplus water from our operations will be used to rejuvenate the hills around Dili and for other agricultural initiatives.
Furthermore, we have secured local community backing and all the necessary government licenses for a smooth construction and commissioning program.
Return and Earn (No Deposit Needed): Turning Plastic into Money
Our ‘Return and Earn’ initiative transforms plastic waste into money by paying 1 cent for CWC bottles and 0.5 cents for other plastic bottles.
This no-deposit strategy keeps CWC bottles aligned with Indonesian brands in pricing. It enables individuals and communities to earn money while cleaning their local environment.
Timor-Leste has no national plastic waste collection service. Our service is the existing hub and spoke network that distributes water and household products to every village in reverse.
In the first year, nearly 200 jobs will be created across Timor-Leste to manage the waste collection hubs and to return the plastic to Dili for conversion to Polygrains.
This comprehensive initiative establishes a framework for community engagement, job creation, and environmental repair.
Polygrains: A Sustainable Substitute for Bitumen
Polygrains, come from our proprietary process that reshapes HDPE and PET plastics into a substitute for bitumen.
Using readily available machinery, sourced from the Netherlands, the Polygrains easily blend into standard asphalt mixes, presenting a seamless solution to road construction.
In our first full year, we expect to create 3,000 tonnes of Polygrains from 100m bottles. At a substitution rate of 10% this will equate to surfacing 200km of standard roads.
Beyond its technical strides, this innovation embodies an economical shift, as a tonne of Polygrains is substantially cheaper than the equivalent bitumen.
By reducing the reliance on bitumen, we significantly curtail plastic waste as well as while addressing environmental concerns tied to fossil fuel-intensive bitumen production.
Moreover, bitumen manufacturing generates greenhouse gases and places immense pressure on water resources.
Making Roads Green
The Power of Polygrains
Better Performing
Roads constructed with plastic-fortified bitumen have 2–3 times longer lifespan than traditional bitumen-only roads. Correctly laid, there is no reflective cracking in hot climates, better impact resistance and fewer potholes.
Zero Impact
The addition of Polygrains diverts 500,000 plastic bottles per km of road into long term sustainable use. The offsets are estimated at 17 tonnes per kilometre with zero leaching and negative impact on water, air, or soils.
100% Road Recycling
Unlike traditional road construction methods that incorporate plastics into the aggregate, our innovative approach allows for the road to be easily stripped and re-laid multiple times without compromising its quality or integrity.
Transformative: Local Solutions to Global Challenges
At The Circular Water Company, we understand that big change often starts small. By addressing safe drinking water and waste plastic pollution at the local level, we set in motion a ripple effect that aligns with all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Our core focus is crystal clear: developing local solutions, delivering inclusive growth, and fostering environmental resilience. This approach ensures that change is not only sustainable but also economically viable.
We firmly believe in the intrinsic connection between sustainability and economic prosperity. Through our local solutions, we’re improving the environment as well as enhancing the economic well-being of the regions we serve.
Sustainable Ripples
Building a company that is aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals is more than just a strategy. We recognise that the ripples we create in local communities have the potential to create substantial change.
When we demonstrate the practicality and benefits of sustainable practices on the local stage, we set a powerful example. We show larger organisations, governments, and entire regions that it is not only possible but also imperative to embrace sustainability.
Road Map For Growth
Southeast Asia, the Pacific Island Nations, and Africa
Southeast Asia, the Pacific Island Nations, and Africa are regions facing pressing water-related challenges that profoundly influence their economic development. At The Circular Water Company, our commitment extends beyond providing solutions; it’s about transforming lives, ecosystems, and industries.
Water Scarcity and Quality: Our strategy has the potential to provide safe drinking water to over 70 countries.
Plastic Pollution: We have the potential to significantly reduce water bottle pollution by incorporating our Polygrains into bitumen.
Vulnerable Ecosystems: Our initiatives will help lower carbon emissions and preserve biodiversity.
Economic and Social Impact: In each country, we will create sustainable jobs and new industries.
About
The Circular Water Company
Our Vision
Everyone has the right to safe drinking water, and the world is not a dumping ground for plastic
Our Mission
The Circular Water Company strives to build a world where safe drinking water is universally accessible, and waste plastic is a valued resource that is repurposed and infinitely recycled.
We are dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions that bridge the gap between water necessity and sustainability while transforming fundamentally our relationship with plastic.
Our holistic approach embodies environmental stewardship, climate resilience, economic inclusion, and rejuvenated and cared for ecosystems.
Environmental Stewardship
While it’s early to fully measure the reduction in emissions and carbon credits, we’re aiming for net-zero across all operations. To meet this goal, we’re implementing initiatives such as:
Solar Energy: Solar panels on both plants will generate clean electricity to feed supply in, offsetting fossil fuel demands.
Water Reuse: Excess water from bottling will be used to:
- Reforest hills around Dili preventing erosion
- Provide schools with water for sports fields
- Enable full-scale hydroponic and aquaculture projects
- Restore mangrove programs
Sustainable Road Infrastructure: Using Polygrains reduces emissions approximately 17 tonnes per kilometre compared to asphalt, greatly cutting the carbon footprint associated with building roads.
Our Management Team
The Knowledge and the Skills to Deliver
Peter Fagan
Non-Executive Chairman
Extensive water industry experience in Australia and South-East Asia with the emphasis on sustainability and best practice water management.
Anna Candler
CEO, Sales and Marketing
Founder of CWC; Strategist with ability to deliver projects on time and on budget. Her role is to create the sales and marketing programs.
Gonçalo De Meirelles
Executive Director, Community Relations
Local Corporate Legal Representative with in-depth knowledge of government and local business practices. Former Advisor to the Timor-Leste Government.
Cristina Dasilva Cruz
Human Resources and Training
MD of Konnekto, Timor-Leste’s largest Employment Agency. The guiding light for the development of employment and training programs.
Erik Stokes
Project Management, Polygrains
Chief Representative, RMS Civil and Construction, Timor-Leste’s leading civil construction firm. Overseeing the construction of both plants.
Gonçalo, Cristina, and Erik have founded and continue to run various successful Timor-Leste businesses. They bring a diversity of thought and skills mixed with an insightful understanding of Timor-Leste’s workplace culture and business operations.
Blue Whales are only one part of
Timor-Leste’s Amazing Seas
Timor-Leste Marine Research Institute
Where Research, Communities, and Oceans Thrive
Every organisation has to have a starting point. So while a fully fledged Timor-Leste Marine Research Institute is still on the drawing board, the planning for a research centre dedicated to marine biodiversity, education, ecotourism and sustainable local fishing has begun.
The Circular Water Company is spearheading this initiative as a tangible sign of its commitment to integrate the 17 UN SDGs into its business strategies.
By working with numerous partners to create the Marine Institute, we are actively contributing to Goal 14: Life Below Water, and Goal 17: Partnerships for Goals, demonstrating our dedication to marine conservation and sustainable resource management while forging strong alliances.
The Institute will conduct research on topics ranging from mapping coral reef biodiversity to developing sustainable fisheries management plans. Follow this link to learn more about the vision for the Timor-Leste Marine Research Institute and how it aligns with CWC’s sustainability goals.
Join Us in Building a Better World
We believe the path to real change starts with re-imagining how to build a business.
We are creating a company that seamlessly blends purpose and profit – where social impact and sustainability are woven into every detail of our company.
We have done the hard work of research, planning, and preparation. Now we seek like-minded investors ready to make our vision a reality.
Join us to build a company that proves environmental responsibility and returns are not mutually exclusive – rather they are mutually reinforcing. A company built on hope for a better way forward.
The time for change is now. Together, we can show that a well-founded business can elevate our world, not exploit it.