GROSCHE: Providing Safe Drinking Water Through Sustainable Solutions

Discover the GROSCHE Safe Water Project

When a GROSCHE product is purchased, a powerful ripple effect is set in motion – funding over 50 days of safe drinking water for someone in need via the GROSCHE Safe Water Project. This initiative provides people in extreme poverty with access to safe drinking water through the construction and installation of biosand water filters. These filters, made with local skills and materials, purify water for families of up to 10 and are built to last for up to 30 years. With every purchase, the project quietly changes lives, offering a sustainable solution that transforms communities.

Key Benefits at a Glance

• Over 50 days of safe drinking water provided per purchase.
• Biosand water filters serve families of up to 10 members.
• Durable filters with a lifespan of up to 30 years.
• Locally made and serviced using regional materials.
• Empowers local communities with sustainable development opportunities.

Empowering Sustainable Development

Proceeds from purchases fund the construction, installation, and ongoing care of the biosand water filters in remote, extreme poverty-stricken areas. There is an intentional focus on creating a self-sustaining model – local teams are trained to construct and service the filters using available materials. This strategic approach empowers local people, builds skills, and provides a consistent source of income, fostering sustainable employment. It’s not just about providing safe water; it’s about enabling communities to thrive through empowerment and sustainable development… every filter installed makes a difference.

How Biosand Filters Work

Crafted using locally sourced materials such as cement or clay along with gravel and sand, these water filters purify contaminated water without relying on chemicals, electricity, or any replacement cartridges. The biosand process relies on biological mechanisms to remove harmful impurities from water, resulting in a safe-to-drink solution. The simplicity of its design means minimal maintenance is required, making it an ideal choice for remote areas where modern technologies may not be feasible. This reliable system works continuously, ensuring that water is safe for daily consumption.

Project Reach Across Regions

The GROSCHE Safe Water Project is not confined by borders. The biosand water filters work optimally in warm and temperate climates and have been successfully installed in remote agricultural areas – regions where access to electricity is often limited. Projects have been deployed in South Sudan, Uganda, Malawi, India, Pakistan, and The Philippines. In these regions, the filters not only provide safe drinking water, but they also help communities to work, attend school, and lead healthier, more productive lives. There is a palpable sense of change that resonates from every corner of these diverse landscapes.

Project Impact

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Integrated Social Enterprise in Industry

This project is a unique part of the fabricated metal products industry, showcasing a commitment to tangible social impact. With a B Corp score of 109.4, it stands as a testament to the robust integration of ethical business practices and sustainable development principles. Blending themes as diverse as coffee, tea, french press, and kitchenware with the overarching principles of a social enterprise, the GROSCHE Safe Water Project embodies a dynamic model where commerce meets compassion. There is an undeniable charm in knowing that each product purchase weaves together everyday life with the critical need for safe water, adding a relatable touch to the social enterprise narrative… making it all the more engaging for supporters everywhere.

What GROSCHE actually does

GROSCHE is a Canadian drinkware, coffee and tea brand based in Cambridge, Ontario, founded in a basement in 2006 as a social enterprise. Profits from its water bottles, French presses, espresso makers and teapots fund the GROSCHE Safe Water Project, and the company states that every purchase funds 50+ days of safe drinking water for someone in need.

The project pays for the making, installation and care of biosand water filters in remote, mainly agricultural areas with no electricity in South Sudan, Uganda, Malawi, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. The filters are made of cement or clay and purify water biologically through sand and gravel, with no chemicals, electricity or replacement cartridges. Each one serves a family of up to 10 for up to 30 years, and they are built, installed and serviced by local people using local materials, which creates paid work in the same communities.

“After dealing with serious waterborne illness first hand, we decided to dedicate our lives to giving safe water to those in need.”

Helmi & Mehreen, Co-Founders, GROSCHE

Where GROSCHE shows up

• Rural households: biosand filters turn contaminated water into safe drinking water for families in six countries.
• Schools: a 4,000-litre village biosand system at Tuban Elementary School in Davao del Sur, Philippines, now serves nearly 700 students, teachers and staff.
• Sanitation: shared community latrines built with residents, placed near GROSCHE filters so handwashing is possible.
• Everyday consumers and companies: drinkware, coffee and tea gear plus corporate gifting sold across Canada and the US, with each sale funding the water project.

Proof, not just claims

GROSCHE has been a Certified B Corporation since October 2015. On its own operations, it reports diverting 91% of its waste from landfill, running on 100% renewable energy and paying a living wage to all employees.

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Why this belongs on a sustainability directory

GROSCHE ties a consumer product business directly to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): sales revenue pays for biosand filters that give families long-term access to safe drinking water without chemicals, power or consumables, and for latrines that bring safe sanitation to the same communities. Fewer waterborne illnesses support SDG 3 (Good Health), and the local manufacturing and servicing of filters provides skills and income in low-income regions.