Donogh O’Loghlin founded his environmentally friendly plumbing business, Ecoplumb.ie, in 2001. It is the longest ECO listed business in Ireland. With nearly 30 years’ experience he has been involved with renewables and innovative products for over 20 years. In 2014 he was involved with the development of a new type heat engine with Crowley Carbon. A keen environmentalist, he has been being involved with numerous projects at a local and national level. His company has installed water filters along the Wild Atlantic Way, which allows him to indulge his other passions for surfing and finding great food. His business model follows a clustering approach, which has seen him build up customer bases from Kinsale to Galway, and from Cork to Dublin and Wexford. West Cork People catches up with Donogh for a chat about his projects and ambitions for 2020.
“Water is fundamental to our health”, Donogh says. “Not just for drinking but also for showering and washing. The largest human organ is the skin and that is where our filters can make a real difference. By removing toxins in the filtration process, there can be significant reductions in skin irritation and associated conditions like eczema.
“Our shower filters remove Chlorine from the showering experience and the chemical smell too. Irish water can be a higher PH value than our skin and when combined with heavy metals, this can be detrimental to the health of our skin. Minerals like Iron and Copper can leave hair discoloured with green and orange tones and can also damage the outer cuticle layer and even break the hair shaft.
“One of our clients, Sabrina Hill from Kopper Hair Studio in Cork City, told me recently that they could not get the results for their client’s hair unless it was healthy. Sabrina now recommends that all her clients use the shower filter from Ecoplumb. Irish water can be detrimental to the health of hair making it impossible for stylists to colour it. Sabrina has seen the difference after only one wash with the shower filter.
The hair is shiny and glossy and not tainted with water colours anymore. This is just one example of how water filters can make a difference. Our filters are now available to buy online at ecoplumb.ie or alternatively in stores such as Olive’s health food shop in Clonakilty, An Tobairín health food shop Bandon, Only Natural in Wexford and the Aloe Tree in Ennistymon, Co. Clare.”
With years of experience, Donogh has researched far and wide on the topic of water with some alarming findings.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a 2019 report, stated that that bottled and tap water both contain levels of microplastics and have called for a much wider and deeper study in all countries. A 2019 study in the journal ‘Environmental Science and Technology’ said that it is possible that humans may be consuming anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year. With added estimates of how much microplastic might be inhaled, that number is more than 74,000. These are worrying reports,” Donogh adds.
Ecoplumb’s Reverse Osmosis systems (RO) are so effective, they can even filter seawater. They can remove toxins, E.coli, Lepto Cryptosporidia, and remnants of disposed pharmaceutical products.
“Our systems, which are built for us in Spain,” Donogh says, “can add back necessary minerals such as Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium and Sodium. They include a pump, which ensures a high rejection rate of impurities and reduced water wastage. We started installing these 15 years ago when times were very different. Today many more people are aware of what is going into and onto their bodies and are seeking better solutions such as ours.
Why waste money on plastic bottled water when you could have constant supply at your kitchen sink for a small investment of just €400 in a filter system supplied and fitted. With an annual service charge of €90, our units are good for 25 years. You will get the full benefits in regular household tasks like washing vegetables, cooking rice and pasta, making coffees and teas. These filters take you to another level.”
“I have no doubt,” Donogh adds, “that as we do more research, the benefits of filtered water will evolve further in years to come.”
For those with a higher demand and who want the best filter available, Donogh tells us about the Hydron.
“If you require a higher-level system, we are delighted to introduce THE HYDRON. This is a post stage RO unit. This generates Hydrogen in the water, which reduces Oxidative stress in the body. This can play a part in treating Cystitis, Fibrogenesis Ulcerative colitis, neonatal hypoxia , sperm mobility and Fibromyalgia. Of course, everyone should take their doctor’s advice on these matters before proceeding. We have a demo model available to see and it is up and running in The Sticky Bun cafe in Clonakilty.”
Speaking of fabulous cafes and restaurants,” Donogh adds, “It may be coincidental, but we are now support partners to over six businesses that have won McKenna food and retail awards. We can filter water for coffee machines, Burco boilers, ice machines and even supply carbonated filtered water too.”
And your plans for your company?
“Ecoplumb is actively seeking plumbers to supply, advise and train in RO installations around the country. It’s a great bonus for any plumber to be able to offer these systems to their clients. We provide full technical backup, and we carry a large body of spares and resources. It will complement any plumbers’ network and I believe it will be soon be included on the Plumbing training syllabus.”
Looking for the cleanest water? Give Donogh a call. 086 6001625.
