My name is Shashank Varma. I’m ex-Apple and ex-Kohler and a mechanical engineer whose work has focused on water quality, filtration technologies, and how water systems intersect with human health and daily behavior. 

Screenshot of me presenting the first ‘smart’ undersink ultra-filtration system launched in North America at CES 2020 – the Kohler Aquifer Refine. I was very proud :-).

I started MrWaterGeek.com while working at Kohler, where I was involved in launching new water-related businesses and products. That role put me deep into the realities of how water treatment actually works—how products are designed, how standards are written, how systems are tested, and where the gaps are between what people think their water solutions do and what they actually do in practice.

Through this work, I gained firsthand exposure to how water standards are developed, how filtration products are certified, and where regulation falls short of modern contamination realities. I also saw how difficult it is for consumers to navigate this category with confidence.

What became clear very quickly was this:

Buying a water filter is far more confusing than it should be.

The market is crowded with products, certifications, and claims—many of them misleading, incomplete, or rooted in pseudoscience rather than evidence. Even well-intentioned consumers often end up with solutions that are inconvenient, poorly installed, or mismatched to their actual water quality and health goals.

I started this blog to simplify that experience.

What This Site Is About

Mr Water Geek exists to help people:

• Understand what’s actually in their water
• Learn how different filtration and treatment technologies work
• See the real tradeoffs—performance, cost, maintenance, waste, and usability
• Make decisions based on evidence, not fear or marketing hype

Over time, conversations with readers have validated just how widespread this confusion is. Those conversations have also taught me a great deal—about real-world installation challenges, fixture limitations, maintenance habits, and how differently people experience water systems in their homes.

They also helped me recognize that working inside a large manufacturer can create a bubble around user experience—and that many people care deeply about water not just as a utility, but as a foundation for long-term health.

Why Water Matters

Water is one of the most overlooked inputs into daily health. It affects hydration, mineral balance, and how the body processes what we consume. Yet most systems in our homes—and many of the products sold to improve them—haven’t evolved to reflect modern contamination realities or modern health expectations.

Understanding water doesn’t require becoming an expert. But it does require clear, unbiased information.

That’s what I aim to provide here.

I am a huge product nerd and enjoy studying the psychology behind decisions people make to build products, buy them, and use them. Above all else, I love products that make people happy. 

Today, I continue researching water quality, hydration, and micronutrition while working on new products and systems aimed at improving how people interact with water in everyday life. Mr Water Geek remains the place where I share what I’ve learned openly—grounded in engineering, real-world experience, and honest curiosity.

If you’re trying to make sense of your water, you’re in the right place.

Background & Credentials

Mechanical Engineer (B.S., NYU)

Former Business Lead at Kohler

Focus areas: Water quality, filtration technologies, products that flow and/or filter water, hydration, micronutrition