Recently, showers like the Nebia and the Hamwell's e-Shower have launched to help us save water when showering. The WaterDrop foldable watering can, however, takes a much simpler approach. It is designed to collect the average 3.5 l (0.8 gal) of water we waste waiting for the shower to warm up.
Designed by Spanish startup Esferic, saving water is only part of the WaterDrop's aim. It is also hoped that it will help to "promote a societal shift in water consumption habits" by increasing people's awareness about the need to be frugal with water.
Nonetheless, Esferic says daily use of the Waterdrop will save users more than 1,000 l (220 gal) of water a year. It is made of recyclable thermoplastic polyurethane and takes the form of a tote bag with a reinforced handle so as to allow for the easy collection, storage and transportation of water.
To use the WaterDrop, users simply need to hold it under a shower head until the water runs warm. They can then continue with their shower, while the water collected can then be used for other domestic purposes, such as filling a mop bucket, watering plants or even flushing the toilet.
Esferic says it plans to develop a mobile app to accompany the WaterDrop so that users can measure the water savings they are making. A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for the WaterDrop was successfully completed today. If all goes to plan, shipping to backers is estimated to start in March.
The video below provides an introduction to the WaterDrop.
Source: Esferic
Overly complicated solution to a simple problem.
Here in Brazil, we have a simpler solution. Small electric heaters in the shower head. It's cheaper and better to heat a small amount of water when you need it rather than 100 liters all the time. Central water heaters are almost unknown here.
Much better would be catching and reusing (with grey water treatment, whatever that means) all of the water used in the bath or shower, it is basically still fresh water after the shower/bath (with a little soap and bodily fluids). Plenty good enough for watering the cactus or flower bed with, use it to keep your reed-filtration-trench thriving, encourage growth in an evaporative-hydration greenhouse. Endless possibilities.
What wasteful societies we have created.
And we all need an app for that, what a load of crap.
Will it save any significant amount of water? No. It will puncture on thorns in the garden, become wet and messy, be left away from the bathroom, become a nuisance and finally be lost after three or four uses.
Much better to focus on reducing the volume of water entering and leaving the shower head.