LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company based in Cologne, Germany with a facility neighboring Enviro-Stewards’ head office in Elmira, Ontario.  Like Enviro-Stewards, LANXESS is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other climate protection initiatives, with the company setting a goal to be climate neutral by 2040. 

The Safe Water Project aligns well with the SDG goals for Clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), good health & well being (Goal 3), decent work & economic growth (Goal 8), reduced poverty (Goal 1), climate action (Goal 13), and (Goal 17) partnering for the goals (see TEDx Excerpt).

In 2020, LANXESS provided seed funding for a new safe water project being established in Pakwach, Uganda.  A market assessment completed there found that 90% of residents were consuming untreated water from the Nile River and that more than half of hospital patients were there due to water related illnesses.   Furthermore, based on interviews, purchasing a water purifier would save residents about $1,000 per family over the 25-year life of the biofilter (due to avoided medical expenses).

To help families purchase purifiers and build local demand, residents earning less than $2.50/d are eligible for a price discount when they purchase a water purifier for their home. Lanxess half provided financial support from 2020 to 2023 for business development and to allow for price discounts.  Below is an interview with one of the early customers.

Safe Water Points

830

Filters

People With Safe Water

4,980

People

Volume of Water Provided

16,600,000

Litres/year

GHG Emissions Avoided

2490

Tonnes/year