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BYPASSER is the faucet system Goldilocks might choose

By Ben Coxworth
July 20, 2012
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The BYPASSER system is designed to minimize wasted water, by only dispensing water that's at the right temperature (Photo via Shutterstock)
The BYPASSER system is designed to minimize wasted water, by only dispensing water that's at the right temperature (Photo via Shutterstock)

What do you do when you want hot or cold water from the faucet? You set the temperature, turn the tap on, then wait for the water to reach the desired temperature before using any. Chances are, though, you simply let that initial not-hot-or-cold-enough water go down the drain. The new BYPASSER system from Belgium’s W&E Savings has been designed to keep that water from being wasted.

When using the system, users start by setting the temperature, then pressing down on the lever-style tap. Nothing will happen for a few seconds, and then the tap will pop back up. Once the tap is lifted up, however, the water that comes out will already be hot or cold – whichever was selected.

This is achieved by a thermostat and spring within the system's cartridge. Once the tap is depressed, the spring closes off the water supply to the faucet, diverting it to an accumulator tank for later use. The thermostat then measures the temperature of the incoming water, and keeps the line closed as long as that water is not at the desired temperature. Once it’s hot or cold enough, however, the spring is released and the tap pops back up.

If users don’t want to be bothered, or don’t care about the temperature, the tap can be used normally by pulling up on it from the start.

Some homes do already have a “hot water loop,” in which a continuous supply of hot water is always ready to go. According to W&E, however, its system is more energy-efficient, as it doesn’t require the water to be constantly heated.

BYPASSER is available in configurations for sinks, showers and bathtubs. The company is currently looking for corporate buyers for the technology.

Source: W&E Savings

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Around The HomeWaterWasteFaucetEnvironmentally-friendly
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Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.
17 comments
mooseman
Very nice! This is one of those "why didn't I think of that?" inventions.
Gadgeteer
A virtually cost-free alternative is to just capture the otherwise wasted water in a pitcher, bucket or cistern. Then use that later to water the garden or even flush the toilet.
Slowburn
The efficiency of the hot water loop system is dependent on how well insulated the loop is and how the water is circulated.
The BYPASSER system looks to be expensive and/or failure prone. If you are worried about wasting the water run the sink and tub/shower drain into a cistern for flushing toilets.
JSmith
In about... 20 years or so (depending on the houses that want to catch up) we should have something like this, just 1 Tap that you can choose either Hot/Cold or a set Temperature (Warm).
No more being cooked alive in your bath, trying to get the balance of Hot and Cold only to realise you've put too much of the other in.
Good News
christopher
Better to waste it - nobody wants to drink the sludge that's been waiting stagnant in your pipes absorbing heavy metals all day/night ... go for the fresh stuff that flows in afterwards.
William Blackburn
Perhaps neat. But really if you do a life cycle analysis of all of the extra bits involved, I wonder if this comes out ahead?
agulesin
Good idea but I like the Chilipepper, a device available (?) in the States which pumps water back to the cold pipe (and therefore to the heater) until it reaches a set temperature, where an alarm is sounded. Turn on the hot tap and Voila!
http://www.chilipepperapp.com/
I'M against storing the water as you have to remember to use it - difficult to remember to scoop water from the store when watering plants etc.
Darryl Petters
There is a very simple alternative that does not waste water - see http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100426993/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=hot+water+by-pass&storeId=10051
Les LaZar
Darryl, While a circulating hot water system does not waste water, it does use more energy: The electricity to run the pump and that to re-heat the circulating water (even if the pipes are insulated). Every solution has it's pros and cons. I haven't seen a "perfect" solution yet.
Charles Bosse
Why can't we just use Peltier devices to instantly heat our water at the tap? Four large ones and a good copper block with some fins into the water would easily pass enough heat to get the water at least up to a nice warm temp on demand. Anything else could have an internal heater (mostly they do). Outside the US even showers mostly have at-output heat anyway.
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