At Work With Water: A Conversation with John DeYarman, CEO of Opus Water 

In this edition of At Work With Water, we spoke with John DeYarman, CEO of Opus Water.  

Announced in 2025 by XPV Water Partners, Opus Water is an engineered products platform dedicated to strengthening and modernizing water infrastructure to ensure long-term resilience and sustainability. 

We sat down with John to discuss his journey in the water sector, why he partnered with XPV to build Opus Water, and what lies ahead for the company. 

What led you to working in the water sector? 

After my time at GE, I joined Mueller Water Products in Atlanta, first in corporate development and then in operations. Those experiences opened my eyes to the immense opportunities and needs in the water sector. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to work together with people who are passionate about addressing complex water challenges.  

Why did you decide to help create Opus Water, and what was it like working with XPV to launch the platform? 

During the pandemic we all learned which businesses are truly essential, and the safe handling and distribution of water is at the top of that list. I wanted to make a difference in water, and it’s an honor to lead a company producing the engineered products necessary to deliver water for society. 

Partnering with XPV to launch Opus Water has been a fantastic experience. XPV brings all the elements necessary to rapidly scale a water business, including deep domain expertise, and processes and tools proven to work for similar companies. Most importantly, the intelligent, passionate, and personable people at XPV make collaborating with the team a privilege. 

What are your team’s top priorities over the next couple of years? 

Our focus is on finding complementary businesses that share similar end-users, commercial channels, and operational capabilities with our current engineered products. We’re looking for founders and business owners who’ve created standout products for critical applications — people who are ready to scale but want a partner they can trust to help take their business to the next level. 

What’s been a recent milestone or “win” for Opus Water? 

We recently acquired a company with nearly 90 years of history, loyal customers, and a large installed base of equipment. They produce high-quality, differentiated products with huge growth potential. By joining Opus, the team gained access to resources they didn’t have before — including tools like a new ERP system — which enable process improvements to pursue new business opportunities and expand faster. 

What are your goals for WEFTEC this year? 

We’re excited to connect with founders and business owners who are thinking about the future of their business and align with our mission to provide innovative, reliable engineered products and solutions that deliver water safely even in the harshest applications. Whether they’re wondering what the next step looks like or considering an exit, we want them to know who we are and how we can help them achieve their goals. We’re also looking to build brand awareness with end users, utilities, and other key stakeholders. 

How is Opus Water contributing to a water-secure future? 

The products we provide are often at work behind the scenes — and that’s the goal. If they’re doing their job well, most people never have to think about them.  

Managing water safely and efficiently requires robust, reliable equipment — and much of the existing infrastructure in North America is reaching the end of its lifespan. We’re seeing more frequent leaks, increased water loss, and rising operational costs.  

At Opus Water, we’re committed to helping reverse those trends. By investing in durable, high-quality products, we’re enabling our customers to improve efficiency, reduce energy use, and ensure water is managed in a way that protects public health, ecosystems, and economic stability. 

Meet the Opus Water team at WEFTEC 2025. Visit Booth 4221.