Wellwasser revolutionises the use of the valuable resource tap water
It is our elixir of life, we consist of about 75% of it and it covers a large part of the earth's surface - water is one of our most valuable resources.
In Tyrol, people are aware of the high quality of tap water, yet bottled water is still bought. This can be avoided with the pioneering water treatment systems from Wellwasser Technology GmbH – for private households as well as for the catering industry.
On average, a mineral water bottle travels around 460 kilometres before it reaches its destination. In addition to the CO₂ emissions caused by the transport, considerable cooling and storage costs are incurred on site, the crates and bottles need time and effort to be hauled, and the empties have to be transported away again – or else there is waste. And yet all households and facilities are connected to water pipes. Why not use this system to ‚tap‘ tasty water – either still or sparkling – from your own tap? This was exactly the question Tyrolean wine merchant Dietmar Meraner asked himself back in 2005. ‚I was tired of buying mineral water. Moreover, it often does not go well with wine because of its own taste – the same applies to water from the tap. So I started looking for a neutral drinking water‚, says the managing director of Wellwasser Technology GmbH. The rest is history. With a focus on the use of tap water as a resource, the Innsbruck-based company Wellwasser Technology GmbH has been offering water treatment systems for restaurants, offices and households since 2012.
Tap water becomes wellwasser®
But how does the concept of well water work? The original state of water is more or less the same everywhere – it is only contaminated differently. For example, mineral deposits, corrosion or germs in the pipes can cause the water to have a bad taste, an unappetising colour or a bad smell. A physical filter system is installed for this purpose. An activated carbon filter adsorbs off-odours, discolouration, unpleasant tastes (e.g. chlorine) and other organic pollutants. A 0.2μm (0.0002 mm) membrane retains dirt particles, suspended matter, cysts, mould spores and bacteria, etc., so that no pathogenic germs can be drunk. In a stainless steel housing filled with selected crystals, the water flowing through is activated and positively influenced. All minerals are preserved. Finally, with the help of a carbonator, which adds carbonic acid to the cooled water, wellwasser® is made sparkling.
Future-proof concept saves space, energy and time
The pioneering nature of the Innsbruck-based company’s filter system has been proven not only in Europe, but already in India. ‚In New Delhi, we filtered undrinkable tap water with our technology. Afterwards, the water could be drunk without any problems‚, Meraner says. This shows how trend-setting the physical filter system can be, especially in areas where the tap water is not drinkable. Currently, the company has the most customers in Tyrol, followed by South Tyrol and the rest of the German-speaking world. Especially for the gastronomy sector, the water treatment systems offer great synergies. On average, 9,000 bottles and thus 7 tonnes of transport goods can be saved per restaurant per year.
Today, the water treatment systems of Wellwasser Technology GmbH are not only the practical and environmentally friendly alternative to the mineral water bottle, but the company has also already been awarded the Energy Globe Austria in the category water as a finalist in autumn 2020, as one of the best environmental projects in Austria.
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Moreover, wellwasser® is a ‚Natürlich in Tirol‘ success story. Lebensraum Tirol Holding, in cooperation with its subsidiaries (Tirol Tourist Board, Standortagentur Tirol and Agrarmarketing Tirol), brings special companies, projects, initiatives and people before the curtain. What they all have in common is that they play a pioneering role and act as role models for sustainability and responsible business. They contribute to the sustainability of the Tyrolean economy, society and environment and encourage the dissemination of sustainable change concepts. You can find more ‚Natürlich in Tirol‘ success stories here (in German only).