Watermill pulls drinking water from thin air

Sure we've seen glorified dehumidifiers like this before, but we're a sucker for any aquatic wonder which claims to solve the world's drinking water shortage. The exterior wall-mounted Watermill from Element Four is the latest "water from thin air" contraption and produces up to 3.2 gallons of water a day, pumped through a trusty ultraviolet sterilizer. But more importantly, it offers to hydrate your family of 6 (according to EF) for a mere thirty-five cents a day in power, not including whatever price Element Four decides to sell it for. Or you could just stick a bucket on your roof and be done with it -- we hear it rains occasionally.

[Via Gadget Review]

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:10AM]

I'm gonna use this thing to bottle Fart water™...

[htd Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:20AM]

is this just a pretty dehumidifier?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2008 9:34AM]

We'll never run out of water. It all gets recycled one-way-or-another. Of course, freshwater does becomes saltwater and visa-versa. The balance between the two can change. You've heard of the rising oceans no doubt. Everyone please refresh their fifth grade science lessons!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:35AM]

It's a dehumidifier with water purification. It has a rate of 12 liters per day, with a cost of 3-4 cents per liter. Energy consumption is not given, but since I pay 15 cents per kWh, I'm guessing 3-5 kWh is your daily draw. If it's 5 kWh, then it's roughly 208 watts per hour over a full day? Someone check my math, please, and my physics while we're at it. If I'm close, then this is easily powered with a deep-cycle battery and a single solar panel. Not bad.

It's exterior-mounted, so I'm guessing you could not regulate humidity indoors without hacking. With this level of efficiency, though, I'd seriously think about it.

--#

[tigws6 Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:42AM]

We Fremen mastered this quite a while ago...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:48AM]

It has that creepy Japanese robot head look to it, not pretty.

Look, the eyes follow you wherever you go....

I for one welcome our water-out-of-thin-air-sucking robotic overlords. The future is moist!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:50AM]

Whatever you do, don't buy some secondhand droids from the Jawas to help maintain these evaporators -- even if they do speak Bocce.

[jerbear Posted Oct 2nd 2008 12:26PM]

Dammit! You beat me by 5 minutes but your comment hadn't shown up yet. Get out of my head!!

[jerbear Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:55AM]

These are nothing new. I've been running moisture vaporators for years now. What I really need is a droid who speaks Bocce.

[mocax Posted Oct 2nd 2008 10:24AM]

what happens if you fart near it?

[enbadesign Posted Oct 2nd 2008 10:54AM]

It would be better to put this thing in a basement of an old house rahter than outside. Even with a relative humidity level of 65% I doubt you could get 4 gallons of water out of the air.

You would just know you are drinking damp basement. Maybe with some old evaporating paint from all the leftover cans. Probably a litter box or two.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 2nd 2008 11:51AM]

Spoke with them available Feb 2009 approx price $1300 USD

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 2nd 2008 12:02PM]

It would be nice to see where this works/does not work.
Hook it up to solar cells for power and you would be able provide clean water for thousands in impoverished areas.

Add that to handing out tens of thousands of regular water filters, and you could cut down many diseases in assorted areas of climates around the world

[MickBurke Posted Oct 2nd 2008 4:36PM]

I believe you mean "water from thick air"

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 2nd 2008 11:24PM]

That's useful but it's nothing in comparison to what EcoSphere Tech is working up.

http://www.ecospheretech.com/

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 3rd 2008 1:02PM]

The "exterior wall-mounted" bit suggests to me that it will pull the moisture from the outside air, but I could be wrong. For somebody like me, who lives in a tropical climate with piped in water which is not potable this is actually practical. I'd be happy to stop buying my drinking water in 5 gallon jugs for the water cooler.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 3rd 2008 6:08PM]

Local humidity levels are unaffected by operation of atmospheric water generating systems. The atmosphere contains approximately 13,000 cubic kilometers of fresh water as water vapor. If all 6.6 billion people on Earth used water from water vapor processors at 50 liters per day, they would consume daily only 0.0025% of available atmospheric water. Atmospheric water vapor is an enormous fresh water resource that can be used with virtually no negative environmental impacts.

[Rebel6381 Posted Oct 4th 2008 11:55AM]

Straight from an Element Four Rep...

"The Element Four WaterMill provides fresh, potable water from an unlimited source: the air. It's the sustainable, elegantly designed solution to providing fresh water for your family, and the world. The system can be run off of a 600 Watt solar panel and be completely off grid.

The original WaterMill is designed for the residential user. It provides families with a clean, sustainable and cost-effective source of water for drinking and cooking. It produces 12 litres (13 US quarts) of water per day, and mounts to the exterior of your home, drawing water from the air outside into point-of-use systems inside. The WaterMill is self-regulating, maximizing water production, while minimizing energy consumption and can be used in both hot and cold environments.

Distributors are qualified via standard channels ( Ability, History, Market and Business Plan). We are looking for genuine interest and will only work with the best in the industry. Business Plans are rated very highly as is the ability to service and develop the desired market. The WaterMill will retail for $1299.00 starting in early February 2009."

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2008 12:26AM]

Think of the dry skin after this...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 11:48PM]

I seriously need information regarding the watermill manufacturing process!!!If any one of you know a site on this please kindly email it to the following email- [e-mail]!!! Please i need this!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 8th 2008 1:17PM]

Are these units suitable for use on sailboats.