No matter where in the world, clean and available water is a lifeline and priority. When you factor in that an estimated 800 million people (a third of the global population) still don’t have daily access to safe drinking water, it’s more than apparent that systemic intervention and technology have to play a part in alleviating this ongoing water crisis, especially if we hope to exit from this pandemic in a healthy and hydrated manner.
With the Philippines being a nation composed of islands, it becomes quite ironic to talk about water shortage. But the truth is that we’re a country where, for months, we may be praying for rain to bring an end to drought or shortage; then the next months, we’re praying for the rains to cease, and stop the flooding. Thanks to climate change, we are now pummeled by extremes on a cyclical basis.
So personal sanitation is the first line of defense for every Filipino household. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals declared access to clean water a universal human right; and here in the city, where supply is less of an issue, it’s often a matter of how to conserve water and avoid wastage. It’s really on our shoulders to ensure that every drop counts.
Water product leader Lixil, and its brands such as Grohe, have been making strides in improving the range and diversity of their products to help us achieve this. Foremost here is the detection system called Grohe Sense Guard, which is essentially a WiFi-connected water controller that one installs on the main water pipe. The Sense Guard is capable of detecting pipe breaks, and it automatically shuts off the water to reduce consequential damage. It can even notify your smartphone of leaks, including micro-leaks.
“The Grohe Sense app provides a complete overview of your water consumption. Daily, weekly, monthly; you have transparency over your consumption,” said Priyanka Tanwar, leader, Communications & Corporate Responsibility of Lixil Asia.
In the arena of showers, push and turn technologies in the shower systems of all the Lixil brands -- American Standard, Grohe, and Inax -- allow exact flow and temperature of water, minimizing the extra time initially wasted under the shower, adjusting to get the right flow and temperature. It’s the promise of a fuss-free five-minute shower coming to reality.
This water value chain goes on and on, with the observation that more people may be drinking from the tap than relying on bottled water. Drinkable water standards become important, and Grohe Blue systems allow one to filter the tap water, and with the added convenience of serving it at the temperature you want, and if you want it still or sparkling. I’ve personally seen this at Grohe's Milan showroom and it was an amazing revelation.
Grohe’s Aqua Ceramic technologies keep their ceramic products fresh up to 99 years and this translates to reducing the amount of water and other resources spent, on cleaning toilet bowls. This is another aspect of how the Research & Development at Lixil and their brands share knowledge and pass on this technology to us, the consumers, to make our lives easier and more cost-effective.
Lastly, it’s good to know that all Grohe products are made at carbon-neutral plants, which utilize renewable energy and recycled water. For two years now, Lixil has been featured in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World). It’s all about bringing water responsibility and water solutions to the next level.