Nephros Inc., a water technology company trading on Nasdaq under the symbol NEPH, announced its entry into the Puerto Rican market on February 13, 2026. The company will provide its filtration solutions to medical and commercial sectors, targeting applications such as ice machines, drinking fountains, bottle fillers, and sterile processing environments. This expansion is based on the company's assessment that Puerto Rico represents a significant, underserved market for premium water filtration, particularly in areas where waterborne pathogens and contaminants pose serious public health risks.
The company estimates the total market opportunity in Puerto Rico at approximately $10 million across various sectors. This includes a $3 million opportunity in healthcare, another $3 million in foodservice, $1 million in hotels, $1 million in other hospitality segments, and $1 million in service contracts and filter replacements. Nephros believes its infection-control filtration solutions address an unmet need in a region facing infrastructure-driven water quality challenges and increasing focus on public health safety.
Robert Banks, President and CEO of Nephros, stated that Puerto Rico is a massively underserved market for reliable, high-quality filtration, especially in environments where bacteria and harmful contaminants in water can have serious consequences. The company's entry into Puerto Rico represents a natural extension of its core strategy of leveraging technology and execution to meet critical water safety needs. Banks emphasized that small, agile companies with the right technology and team can create meaningful impact even in complex, fragmented markets.
Nephros plans to differentiate its offerings in Puerto Rico through several key service elements. The company will provide rapid response and fulfillment from a dedicated inventory network, on-site installation and scheduled filter replacements, and customer support and technical documentation in Spanish. This localized approach is designed to ensure compliance, reliability, and ease of use for customers across the island. The company's point-of-use filtration systems target microbial control and regulated drinking water contaminants such as lead and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
The expansion aligns with Nephros' broader growth strategy of moving beyond traditional patient care markets to support water safety within hospitality and foodservice sectors. The company's filtration solutions offer safeguards for point-of-use purification for drinking water equipment, plumbing outlets, and instrument processing. For more information about Nephros, please visit https://nephros.com. The latest news and updates relating to NEPH are available in the company's newsroom at https://tinyurl.com/nephnewsroom.
This market entry has implications for multiple stakeholders in Puerto Rico. Healthcare facilities gain access to specialized filtration for sterile processing environments, potentially reducing infection risks. Foodservice and hospitality businesses can implement systems that address water quality concerns affecting ice machines and drinking water equipment. The availability of Spanish-language support and local service infrastructure represents a significant departure from previous market conditions where premium filtration providers offered limited localized support. The company's focus on rapid fulfillment and scheduled maintenance addresses common challenges in maintaining consistent water quality standards across distributed facilities.
The announcement reflects broader trends in water safety management, particularly in regions with aging infrastructure or environmental challenges. Nephros' expansion demonstrates how specialized water technology companies are identifying geographic and sector-specific opportunities where their expertise can address critical needs. The company's approach combines product technology with service delivery adaptations, suggesting a model that could be replicated in other underserved markets facing similar water quality challenges.
