Often when reading about the drought I wish that individuals were empowered to do more. There are the standard tips to conserve water – turn off the faucet when brushing teeth, run the dishwasher less, etc. – but I already do all these things. They feel minor and ineffective, and it’s difficult to know how much impact it’s actually having. Most conservation efforts are on a large scale – using gray water for landscaping, improving farm irrigation, etc. Where are the solutions in the middle?
Well here’s one idea. Sweden based Orbital Systems has invented a shower that recycles water by passing it through a series of filters. First it filters large particulate matter like dirt and sand, then it filters germs and small contaminants, and then the water is pumped back into circulation. It has a sensor that detects if water is too contaminated to filter, and clears it out of the system, replacing it with an equal amount of new water. The shower can stand alone with a tank, or be hooked up to existing plumbing. Think of it as the hybrid car of your bathroom – it relies on existing systems, but adds some technology to it to make it more efficient. It conserves water and it saves on energy costs since the water only needs to be heated once and then kept warm, rather than heating a constant stream. Even with occasionally replacing the filters, it theoretically will save the consumer a boatload on water and energy bills. It even comes with an app to track savings and let you know when to change the filters.
And why stop with the shower? Why not create a smaller version for sinks? You would simply need a filter to catch food scraps in the kitchen. Not only would this be great for urban households, the standalone version could potentially serve third world communities where access to water is limited.
We still need grand-scale efforts to reduce water usage, but household innovations like these – while seemingly small – may one day help on a massive scale.
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