Shower system used for space travel could reduce water bills by $1,300

Utilizing designs used by astronauts, the new OrbSys shower system could reduce water bills by $1,300. A 10 minutes can use up to 40 gallons of water, but this new design, using a closed-loop system, could reduce the amount of water used by 90%.

Long showers can be wonderful but wasteful in terms of water use (and may not even be healthy). But with a recycled water shower system, you could enjoy a languid wash, free of guilt. Designed by Swedish industrial designer Mehrdad Mahdjoubi, the OrbSys (Orbital Systems) design drastically cuts down on the amount of water used during a 10-minute shower. In a standard shower, a mere 10 minutes can use up to 150 litres (40 gallons) of water. Building upon the idea of designs used for space travel, where astronauts will reuse the same water over and over again, OrbSys is a closed-loop system that cuts down on water consumption by purifying shower water that drains at the bottom to drinking standards, and is cycled up to the shower head be used again.