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German Faucet Manufacturer Pledges 10% of Net Profit to Bring Water to Drought Areas
Established in 2014 in Stuttgart, Germany, in2aqua makes and markets decorative bathroom and kitchen faucets and showering products with a special emphasis on partnering with bath and kitchen showrooms and the professionals who operate them—initially in Europe and now in North America. Today, in2aqua GmbH is headquartered in Holzgerlingen, Germany, while its North American operations are based in Livermore, CA.
According to Chris Marshall, founder and Managing Director of in2aqua GmbH, the company was developed with a keen sense of environmental responsibility and the will to push technological and design boundaries to reach its goal. For this reason, all of in2aqua's faucets have received a high-efficiency and high-performance rating. The result is a designer product that is highly functional yet promotes sustainable usage.
Pledge to Help
Rooted in its passion for people, water, and faucets, in2aqua has pledged to donate 10% of its net profits to help drought-ridden regions become water independent, as well as donating to other water-related projects and investing in carbon-offset initiatives worldwide.
Marshall's personal travels in Africa inspired in2aqua's commitment to doing more. "Back in the early '90s, I was vacationing in Kenya, an East African country, and saw a need for better sanitation in many villages," he explains.
"I promised myself if I was ever in a position to help...I would."
Shortly after Marshall established in2aqua nine years ago, the company subsequently fulfilled that promise by implementing an initiative called "Build a Well."
Build a Well
According to UNICEF, 2.2 billion people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, and more than half of the global population does not have access to safe sanitation.
That's part of the reason why in2aqua has made bringing water resources to drought-ridden areas one of its goals. By building wells closer to Africans in need, the time women and children spend collecting water can be reduced significantly. This enables the women to take better care of their families and gives children more time to go to school.
in2aqua has undertaken several well-building projects in Africa. Since the company's inception in 2014, two wells have been built, one in Uganda and a second as part of a Rain Harvesting Project in Tanzania.
● Apac District- Village of the Odyek Pe
The first well was built in the Apac District in the Northern Region of Uganda.
Before in2aqua worked with Water to Thrive to build a well for the Odyek Pe village, the villagers had to walk approximately half a mile (over 1km) to an unprotected water source. Most families spend about sixty minutes per day collecting water. With a 167-ft. (51 meters) deep well, the Abongomola sub-county inhabitants were given access to fresh water within their own village.
The well building team used a truck-mounted drill rig made by Atlas Corp to dig the well. The drill is capable of drilling wells anywhere from 30m to 150m in depth.
Each day, the well provides clean, safe water to more than 300 people. The community participated in the construction process and has taken full ownership of the project. A water committee, selected by the community, maintains the water point and ensures it is being properly used. The committee, along with the rest of the community, works hard to ensure the well is sustainable and provides clean water for many years.
"in2aqua was very proud to have been part of this wonderful project and wishes the Odyek Pe village continued health and happiness," says Marshall.
● Namnyaki Maasai School
Located in Southern Tanzania, Namnyaki Secondary is a school established, owned, and operated by a Tanzanian Non-Governmental Organization known as Namnyaki Maasai Girls and Women Organization (NAMGWO).
As part of a project spearheaded by the Naserian Project (a non-profit organization) and The Long Well Walk, in2aqua extended financial support to build a rainwater harvesting system. The rainwater harvesting system provided the life-saving resource of clean, safe water to the pupils of Namnyaki Massai School.
"This project is a life-changing venture, and it is going to cause a considerable developmental impact as far as the health and sanitation of our pupils and school community is concerned," says a Naserian Project Coordinator.
What’s to come?
in2aqua is planning to assemble 300-500 shower/roughs and lav sets for shipment to war-ravaged Ukraine in April/May.