Adam DeHeer is the founder and CEO of Waterleaf, a Bend-based company developing nature-based water treatment systems. Waterleaf’s flagship product, the Estuary™, uses constructed wetlands to treat and recycle household greywater, bringing localized water reuse to the building scale.

Adam’s passion for water systems began through a collaborative design project with an informal settlement community outside Lima, Peru. The experience shaped his belief that water is more than a utility — it is something people are meant to actively participate in and steward.

He holds a Master of Landscape Architecture and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Oregon and was named a National Olmsted Scholar in 2019. Waterleaf’s research has received support from the NSF and EPA, and Adam regularly speaks at national conferences focused on water innovation and green building.