FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Brown Darrell R 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 01/01/2018 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ECOLAB INC. [ECL] (Last) (First) (Middle) ECOLAB PLACE 1 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP & Pres. - Energy Services 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) ST. PAUL, MN 55102 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 7,256 D Â

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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	12/03/2009(1)	12/03/2018	Common Stock	8,300	$ 35.63	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	12/02/2010(1)	12/02/2019	Common Stock	3,500	$ 45.665	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	12/02/2016(2)	12/02/2025	Common Stock	30,762	$ 119.12	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	12/07/2017(2)	12/07/2026	Common Stock	15,889	$ 117.73	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	12/06/2018(2)	12/06/2027	Common Stock	17,274	$ 137.087	D	Â
Restricted Stock Units	05/03/2022	05/03/2022	Common Stock	2,800	$ (3)	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Brown Darrell R ECOLAB PLACE 1 ST. PAUL, MN 55102	Â	Â	  EVP & Pres. - Energy Services	Â

Signatures

/s/ David F. Duvick, as Attorney-in-Fact for Darrell R. Brown		01/10/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan. The option became exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to one-third of the option shares (excluding any fractional portion less than one share), on each of the first and second anniversaries of the date of grant and as to the remaining option shares on the third anniversary of the date of grant. The date listed is the first anniversary of the date of grant.
(2)	Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 2010 Stock Incentive Plan. The option becomes exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to one-third of the option shares (excluding any fractional portion less than one share), on each of the first and second anniversaries of the date of grant and as to the remaining option shares on the third anniversary of the date of grant. The date listed is the first anniversary of the date of grant.
(3)	Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Ecolab Inc. common stock. The units will vest, subject to continued employment, as to 100% of the grant amount on the fifth anniversary of the date of grant.

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