A Southern California-based start-up called Evo Eau says it has created a reusable water bottle that filters up to 99 percent of contaminants from municipally supplied tap water.
The bottle is engineered for everyday use and does more than many of its mainstream competitors in terms of filtering out contaminants and harmful carcinogens such as Chromium 6 in tap water, Evo Eau claims.
The start-up says that many filtering water bottles only conform to NSF42 standards, which only asks for filters to remove 50 percent of chlorine from water. Many do not even conform to these standards and bottled water companies are held to even fewer.
A recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Fund (NRDC) stated that there was no guarantee that bottled water is any cleaner than tap water and estimates that up to 25 percent of bottled water may merely be "tap water in a bottle."
Evo Eau ("Evo" representing evolution and change; "Eau" is French for water) came to life after founder Scott Moore discovered during a bicycling trip through California's San Joaquin Valley that there was a major problem with the safety of tap water.
Moore says he started Evo Eau to create tools that turn contaminated water into safe, drinkable water for everyone around the world.
"I saw a need for a stylish and functional filtering water bottle that anyone can use,” said Moore. “This bottle easily meets day-to-day hydration needs and allows the user access to any municipal water source — a sink, faucet, spigot or fountain — transforming it into great-tasting, clean water instantly while you drink."
Evo Eau is looking to raise funds for its initial product run via IndieGoGo. Anyone can pre-order limited edition bottles, multiple bottles and filter drop sponsorships starting at $25. The campaign runs through October 8.
Another start-up, 2012 SB Innovation Open winner Ecofiltro, is helping provide people in Guatemala with clean, filtered water through its low-cost home filtration system, and employing local artisans and potters to manufacture the product.
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Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Sep 12, 2013 2am EDT / 11pm PDT / 7am BST / 8am CEST