Vicky Sanderson Fundamental to human survival, water is deeply connected to contemporary notions of wellness, in which health isn’t just measured by an absence of illness, but by a feeling of being our best in both body and mind. At the same time, there’s growing awareness that where our water comes from, and how it’s processed, packaged and delivered affects both individual health and the well-being of the planet.
A new generation of water-related products that combine wellness, sustainability, and conservation features address both realities.
Lenova’s Aqualogic Ozone faucet line, for example, has a small, thin ozone generator that uses regular house current to produce ozonated water, which its makers say kills viruses, bacteria, mold, yeast, and algae within seconds. The company says aqueous ozone is a natural disinfectant 100 times stronger than chlorine, killing bacteria 3,100 times faster, and that it’s both an ecologically sound way to protect against food-borne illness and a non-toxic way to clean all water-safe surfaces.
To reduce waste and offer a healthy alternative to sodas, there’s Grohe’s Blue Chilled & Sparkling 2.0 kitchen faucet (pic at left). It dispenses still, medium, or sparkling water—cooled to the temperature users like best.
The faucet has two separate internal waterways—one for unfiltered and one for filtered water, which after being aerated never comes into contact with anything that may affect its taste.
Moen says it can save up to 760 plastic bottles per household annually. That’s significant, they add, when you consider that it takes seven litres of water to produce a one-litre bottle of mineral water.
A small unit with a filter and cartridge sits under the sink, making it a well-suited to a space-challenged kitchenette or small office.
The U by Moen line of smart faucets are clever enough to work in four ways: voice activation, wave sensor, smartphone app, and traditional handle.
Available in nine different faucet styles and several finishes, including gold and matte black, its voice-activated capabilities include metered water dispensing in fractional units (metric or Imperial), and exact, pre-set, or common temperature commands.
A bread baker could, then, ask for a cup of perfectly lukewarm water; a current favourite might be a “hand-washing” setting that used warm water and lasted 20 seconds.
As water temperature rises, the hands-free sensor on the faucet turns from blue to purple to red. When the command is complete, the voice assistant lets the user know.
Aware of how wellness trends are reflected in bath design that incorporates spa features, Moen has also launched a showerhead that combines hydrotherapy and essential oils.
The Aromatherapy Showerhead—using what Moen calls INLY technology—holds small, recyclable pods with essential oil blends that are infused directly into the water flow in high, medium, and low dilutions. Shower length will be anywhere from three to ten minutes, depending on the fragrance dilution.
Fragrances do not leave scented or oily residue on tub, hair or skin. That’s what I call good, clean fun.
Feature pic from Grohe.
