In California, Some Buy Machines That Make Water out of Air

Contact Your Elected Officials

BENICIA, Calif.โ€”The machine Ted Bowman helped design can make water out of the air, and in parched California, some homeowners are already buying the pricey devices.

The air-to-water systems work like air conditioners by using coils to chill air, then collect water drops in a basin.

โ€œOur motto is, water from air isnโ€™t magic, itโ€™s science, and thatโ€™s really what weโ€™re doing with these machines,โ€ said Ted Bowman, design engineer at Washington state-based Tsunami Products.

The system is one of several that have been developed in recent years to extract water from humidity in the air. Other inventions include mesh nets, solar panels, and shipping containers that harvest moisture from the air.

Bowman said his companyโ€™s machinesโ€”made for use at homes, offices, ranches, and elsewhereโ€”dehumidify the air and in doing so create water thatโ€™s filtered to make it drinkable.

The technology works especially well in foggy areas and depending on the size can produce between 200 gallons (900 liters) and 1,900 gallons (8,600 liters) of water a day. The machines also operate efficiently in any area with high humidity, including Californiaโ€™s coastline, he said.

The machines are not cheap, with prices ranging from $30,000 to $200,000. Still, in California, where residents have been asked to conserve water because one of the worstย droughtsย in recent history has depleted reservoirs, some homeowners are buying them to meet their water needs.

Don Johnson, of Benicia, California, said he bought the smallest machine, which looks like a towering AC unit, hoping it would generate sufficient water to sustain his garden. But he found it puts out more than enough for his garden and his household.

โ€œThis machine will produce water for a lot less than you can buy bottled water at Costco for, and I believe, as time goes on and the price of freshwater through our utilities goes up, I think itโ€™s going to more than pay for itself,โ€ he said.

Besides the high price tag, the unit also requires a significant amount of energy to run. But Johnson said the solar panels on his roof produce enough power to operate the machine without additional energy costs.

Experts like University of California, Davis hydrology researcher Helen Dahlke said the technology makes sense for individual homeowners, especially in rural areas. But she said it is not a practical solution for Californiaโ€™s broader water woes.

By Haven Daley, The Associated Press

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Democrats Exhibit the Dunning-Kruger Effect (DKE)

โ€œThe Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability at a task overestimate their competence, while those with high ability underestimate their competence.

250 Countdown

Those 56 intrepid men who signed put their very lives, honor and fortunes on the line. There was no auto-quill to accommodate their signatures.ย 

How the Senate Parliamentarian Changed the OBBB

An unelected bureaucrat does a important job in the U.S. Senate. Elizabeth MacDonough enforces senate rules on Trumpโ€™s โ€œOne Big Beautiful Billโ€.

Bioterror Roundup: CDC Director Nominee Is a Monster + New mRNA Pregnancy Studies

Bioterror Propaganda Roundup: The latest updates on the โ€œnew...

The Sacred Honor of the 56

Today we're celebrating the sacred honor of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Rescuers Search for 11 Missing Girls After Devastating Texas Floods Killed at Least 70

Days after catastrophic flash floods in central Texas, rescuers are still searching for potential survivors, including 27 girls who went missing from camp.

Trump Signs Major Disaster Declaration Over Texas Flooding

President Trump signed major disaster declaration for Kerr County, TX, following floods leaving dozens dead and FEMA has been activated to respond.

Storm Chantal Makes Landfall in Carolinas, Weakens to Tropical Depression

Chantal weakened into a tropical depression, and tropical storm warnings previously issued for parts of North and South Carolina were discontinued.

IBA President Says Imane Khelif Should Return Olympic Gold Medal

IBA president urged Algerian boxer Imane Khelif to return tgold medal won at 2024 Paris Olympics to the rightful winner, amid gender-eligibility row.

Trump Signs Tariff Letters to 12 Nations Ahead of Looming Deadline

President Trump has signed letters that will be sent to around a dozen nations ahead of next weekโ€™s deadline to reach a trade agreement..

Trump Says US Will Hold Talks With China on Possible TikTok Deal Next Week

President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that U.S. officials would begin talks with China about a potential TikTok deal next week.

Trump Indicates Legislation for Hiring Illegal Aliens on Farms

Trump to allow illegal immigrants who work on farms to continue working to prevent unnecessary disruptions to farming across the country.

US Keeps Pressure on Chinese Goods Amid Vietnam Trade Deal

Transshippingโ€”rerouting goods through a third country to disguise the origin of the productsโ€”is a focal point of trade negotiations with Asian markets.
spot_img

Related Articles