How Ecoheads is Helping Salons Battle Water Inequality

Water is vital to the success of the beauty industry but, as National Water Quality Month will highlight this August, not every salon has equal access to good water, and not just because of the drought. For many, what comes out of the faucet is  poor quality and it can be more damaging to beauty services than beneficial.

“Huge swathes of the country are battling severe mineralization and that has a direct impact on the success of services salons offer,” says Valorie Tate from Sustain Beauty Co, which monitors risks to salon sustainability. “A build-up of metals is no good for your equipment or, more importantly, your clients’ hair. Build-up can dull hair and cause it to droop.”

Despite efforts since the 1970s to protect water quality and the establishment of National Water Quality Month in 2005 by the Environmental Protection Agency, ongoing lack of infrastructure investment, drought and geography have compounded the challenge of getting adequate water into homes and businesses. New research from Sustain Beauty Co shows that the worst affected areas are in the center of the country. It also suggests that only a small section actually has access to really good water.

“It’s clearly not a level playing field. Our map proves that where you are based directly impacts on the service you deliver,” adds Tate. “We began researching water quality to help us develop the tools to ensure the sustainability of salon businesses alongside the planet, but we were shocked to find such variation across the country. Using Ecoheads showerheads can help some dodge the geographical minefield they face, by filtering the worst of the minerals. But for the really bad areas, we developed the Ecoheads Black Edition that has additional filtration.”

Salons that have fitted Ecoheads on their basins have also benefited by saving water – as much as 65% - with the knock on effect of lower energy costs saved from heating less water. ECOHEADS also pumps up the pressure through its unique system, speeding up rinse times and improving client satisfaction.

Find out more about water quality and Ecoheads.