Bentley Systems Inc. has bought Haestad Methods Inc., a 25-year-old developer of water resource planning soft-ware.

"This is a terrific acquisition," says Greg Bentley, CEO of the Exton, Pa.-based family firm. "This is my favorite. It brings everything together we look for."

Waterbury, Conn.-based Haestad’s tools address design, analysis, and management of water distribution systems, municipal sanitary sewers, urban stormwater collection, roadway and civil site drainage and flood control. Clients are mostly in the U.S., but Bentley notes that "water is water and rain is rain," and says he hopes to expand Haestad’s international reach. Although the products integrate with AutoCAD, and not Bentley’s Microstation, integration will be "easy," says Haestad founder and now Bentley senior vice president for water products John Haestad. Bentley adds that Haestad’s AutoCAD base will be maintained "enthusiastically."