Our values
Swiss Aqua Filter is the brainchild of documentary and socio-environmental programme-maker Christophe Chiesa and humanist entrepreneur Olivier Müller. In the course of his reporting across the country, Christophe became aware of the problems associated with water in Switzerland.
Contrary to popular belief, Switzerland, our beautiful mountain country, faces the same pollution and contamination problems as its neighbours.
Quantity does not mean quality. Home to some of the world's largest pharmaceutical and chemical industries, Switzerland also plays a major role in agriculture and livestock farming. These are all sources of pollution of groundwater and watercourses.
This situation, which is getting worse all the time, is forcing the 2,500 or so private companies responsible for distribution and guaranteeing drinking water quality throughout the country to constantly review their treatment protocols. To put it simply, they are chemically treating more and more of the water that goes to our taps. This is because the colossal flows they have to supply on a permanent basis to both private individuals and businesses, including agriculture and livestock farming, make it technically impossible to carry out fine filtration.
What's more, and this is generally overlooked, these companies' responsibility for the water we drink ends at the private connection upstream of our house, building or neighbourhood. On this last stretch of pipes, it is the water company or the owner who must prevent pollution and contamination of the water. In reality, there is virtually no control over what happens to the water at this stage, which is the last stage before we drink it.
We may be aware of the water problem in Switzerland, because we consume 1,000,000,000 bottles of water every year. To give you an idea, that's as much as the English or the French, who are 6.5 to 8 times more numerous than us.
That's three million bottles a day - heavy to carry, expensive per litre, and unreliable (1 in 10 bottles is contaminated according to the July/August 2023 issue of Bon A Savoir). In practice, we don't know where or how long these waters have been stored in their transparent and PET containers before we buy them. Finally, consuming bottled water means contributing to the pollution that is the cause of the problem... of water.
Of all the solutions for filtering drinking water, whether gravity fountains, sink-mounted or under-sink filtering systems, Doulton® & British Berkefeld® are ultimately the only ones we have found whose reliability has been certified by independent institutes (NSF/INSA, WRAS, WQA, LUCIDEON, etc.) and which are socially responsible. ) and that are both socially responsible (made in London, including the filters) and eco-responsible (made from sustainable materials, processed as little as possible, containing no electronics, consuming no energy to operate, not wasting the water they filter).
The problem was that this brand, which invented gravitational filtration in 1826 and now equips almost every NGO in the world, as well as millions of individuals and businesses across 142 countries, was not distributed in Switzerland... our beautiful mountainous country.
Creating Swiss Aqua Filter to bring these reliable, responsible and sustainable solutions to Switzerland was both an opportunity and a necessity. So we did it. For us and for you, as we say... To do our best. Even if it's just a drop in the ocean of solutions we can implement to save our little planet.
The Doulton logo, a hummingbird with a drop of water in its beak, reminds Olivier of an Amerindian legend transcribed by Denis Kormann.
It tells how one day, in the heart of the forest, a gigantic fire broke out. All the creatures that inhabited the forest, filled with terror, watched helplessly as the catastrophe unfolded before their eyes. All, that is, except for one little Hummingbird. This tireless hummingbird worked tirelessly, drawing precious drops of water with its tiny beak and spraying them onto the ravenous flames. Tirelessly, he would whisper to the other incredulous animals, "I'm doing my bit."
The story of Doulton, its commitment throughout history and its values, are a concrete echo of this legend.
After almost two centuries of the brand's existence, Swiss Aqua Filter's contribution is to finally give all Swiss people access to reliable, socially and environmentally responsible water filtration systems from Doulton® & British Berkefeld®.
However small it may be, may it help you.
Take care of yourself,
Christophe & Olivier