eWater Systems

A game-changing technology for the hygiene industry

May 25th, 2021

The Australian company behind cleaning and disinfectant solutions that don’t use harmful chemicals or generate waste.

  • The global chemical industry exceeded AUD $7.8 trillion in 2020 with consumption and production projected to double by 2030

  • The UN has identified sustainable management of chemicals as crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

  • With 600 sites set up across Australia, eWater Systems has replaced almost 200 million litres of packaged chemicals and approximately 44 million plastic containers

Hygiene has never been more important, nor its products more prolific. But these products often use chemicals that can be harmful to the environment and also contribute to significant amounts of packaging waste. eWater Systems provides a circular alternative, cutting out plastic containers and the chemicals they contain.  

eWater Systems are compact wall-mounted units with two button or sensor-activated taps: press one for a multipurpose cleaning solution and the other for a commercial-grade disinfectant that's listed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) as effective against COVID-19. Both products are made from tap water and salt.   

eWater Systems work by applying an electrical charge to tap water and salt via an electrolytic cell to create hygiene solutions. Once these products have been used on surfaces, they revert back to clean water.  

By generating chemical-free hygiene products on site, eWater Systems avoid issues associated with traditional chemical cleaning and disinfectant products such as carbon-intensive manufacturing, packaging, shipping and materials handling, single-use plastic and contaminated water.

eWater is a certified B Corporation, meets several of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and has already replaced millions of litres of chemicals and millions of plastic containers.   

From hospitals to restaurants, this product is transforming Australia's hygiene industry and its work has been recognised through a number of award nominations and wins. Below, eWater Founder Phil Gregory talks about the company's game-changing technology and its achievements to date. 

 WHO   

"eWater Systems provides sustainable, circular economy solutions to replace synthetic and often harmful packaged chemicals. eWater's on-site generation system utilises world leading electrolysis technology to generate an endless stream of organic, commercial-grade disinfectant, sanitiser and multi-purpose cleaning solution that naturally biodegrades leaving no chemical residue.  

Our sustainable hygiene solutions are produced by applying an electrical charge to a mixture of ordinary tap water and salt. Known as electrolysis, this process splits the salt (NaCl) and water mixture creating two highly effective and remarkably safe solutions on opposing ends of the pH scale:

  1. Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) — a powerful nontoxic cleaner and degreaser that breaks down oils, proteins and biofilms that can be used for cleaning and food washing. 

  2. Hypochlorous Acid (HOCI) — a powerful antimicrobial disinfectant and sanitiser. 

Electrolysed water now has a large and growing body of scientific research underpinning efficacy claims and opportunities for new applications continue to emerge. With on-site production reducing both harsh chemicals and single use plastic waste, eWater is a sustainable solution for our modern world. Our disinfectant is a certified organic hard surface disinfectant proven to kill Coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)."

VISION    

"eWater offers a circular economy solution for hygiene products that don't cost the earth.

Circularity is about using nature’s resources to create solutions to make our lives safer and then returning them to the planet as we found them — it’s about keeping the molecules that sustain us 'in play'. eWater only uses salt and ordinary tap water as its inputs. After use, these natural materials are recycled as neutral water ensuring clean water remains in use. 

eWater leaves behind no waste and does no harm to the environment or people. It is an elegant circular solution that designs out waste and keeps clean water in use.

The problem: 

"Hygiene is a cornerstone of our modern society that has transformed our lives over the past 100 years. However, our improved health standards have come at a heavy cost to the environment. Underpinned by synthetic chemical production and single use plastic consumables, hygiene is not always as clean as it looks. 

The UN has declared the rise of chemicals to be an urgent environmental issue critical to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The global chemical industry exceeded AUD$7.8 trillion in 2020, with consumption and production projected to double by 2030. There are over 150,000 chemicals in the world today of which around 90 per cent are untested by regulators." 

The solution:   

"eWater's sustainable hygiene systems have reimagined this problem by replacing old economy, high carbon, toxic and wasteful chemical production with on-site water electrolysis equipment. This enables business to make safe, natural and highly effective cleaning, disinfecting and sanitising solutions on site and on demand.   

Our system allows business to move away from carbon-heavy chemicals manufactured in polluting factories, often in poorly regulated environments, and long supply chains to a simple on-site generator in a kitchen or over a cleaner’s sink with an unlimited supply.  

This avoids the carbon heavy manufacturing, wasteful packaging, shipping and materials handling as well as plastic packaging at point of use, discarded wastewater contaminated with toxic chemicals and a host of other health risks and business costs."

HOW  

“Our point of difference is on-site generation. Most other “green cleaning or disinfection” solutions still use consumable products that require manufacture, packaging, shipping and waste that must be disposed of or recycled. It’s an old model that eWater disrupts completely.  

eWater is: 

  • toxin free 

  • colourant free  

  • fragrance free 

  • single use plastic free  

  • 100 per cent organic and safe 

  • waste free  

Introducing a new technology into a highly regulated and conservative market required significant certifications, health department and other credentials to be achieved.  

In addition, there has been significant investment in building brand awareness and trust amongst leading specifiers and industries."

Lessons learned:  

"That it is a Sisyphean effort to raise awareness and build confidence in a new technology in the hygiene industry due to: 

  • The conservative nature of the facilities management, food production and cleaning industries. 

  • Aggressive global and local competitors (traditional chemical companies) with deep pockets and strongly entrenched rebate systems. 

  • Basic scepticism of the science in spite of mountains of research. 

  • Resistance to change – people have been conditioned to using synthetic chemicals with smells, bubbles and colours. 

  • Debilitating regulatory environment with duplication and repetition at federal, state and local government levels. 

  • The capital constraints of scaling a new product and category in a small business. 

The growing risks associated with the proliferation of synthetic chemicals and their contribution to the SDG's still has low awareness in the sustainability movement, rarely generating a mention in public debate. We actively engage, where we can, with decision makers to increase awareness of the need for Australia to do more to reduce chemical load. In spite of this, government and corporate procurement alike have been slow to adopt sustainable alternatives and often fail to future proof key infrastructure such as hospitals key facilities and childcare centres with sustainable hygiene.  

Our clients are critical to our success and are the real leaders of the movement for change. The high levels of customer satisfaction leading to repeat business and referrals is a result of loyalists combined with dogged determination and persistence. Our loyal customers have been advocates and supporters of eWater since it was introduced in 2007 and they drive us to continue the disruption journey." 

eWater Systems is a sustainable, circular economy solution for hygiene management that designs out waste, regenerates the natural environment, contributes to at least seven SDGs and has replaced over 200 million litres of packaged chemicals and avoided the need for almost 45 million plastic containers.  

RESULTS + BENEFITS  

eWater Systems is a sustainable, circular economy solution for hygiene management that designs out waste, regenerates the natural environment, contributes to at least seven SDGs and has replaced over 200 million litres of packaged chemicals and avoided the need for almost 45 million plastic containers.  

eWater is a proud B Corporation, three times Best for the World Environment recipient, winner of the Victorian Premier's Recognition and Innovation Award, five-time Banksia Award finalist, TGA listed as effective against COVID-19, Australian Organics certified and HACCP Certified as food safe.  

Our company is also internationally recognised for commercialising electrolysed water products in the following venues: aged care and hospitals, convention centres, zoos, restaurants, childcare, defence bases, correctional facilities and other government buildings. eWater contributes to Green Star building points, WELL, NABERS and other built environment certifications. 

With over 600 eWater Systems sites now in Australia this sustainable hygiene technology is transforming how businesses buy, use and dispose of cleaning and sanitation products."

Call To Action

"Electrolysed water is a disrupter that has the potential to be to the chemical industry what solar, wind and now batteries are to the energy industry."

Visit the eWater Systems website to learn more.  

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