Solar-powered box extracts 264 gallons of drinking water from air per day

San Francisco-based startup Aquaria Technologies is developing a technology that pulls clean, affordable drinking water out of thin air.

The company, founded in 2022, aims to provide clean water in areas affected by climate change.

Its technology can collect moisture from the air and bottle it for consumption in the home. Larger models can provide water for entire communities, providing relief for regions affected by long-lasting drought.

Atmospheric water generators: Pulling water from thin air

Atmospheric water generators (AWG) aren’t a new technology. In recent years, though, they have become more efficient and easier to scale.

The line of AWGs developed by Aquaria was recently named as a finalist for the Future Resilience Prize in the 2024 Urban Future Prize competition.

The firm developed solar-powered boxes that produce water from the air. The technology is more complex than a simple humidifier, which performs a similar function but doesn’t produce clean drinking water.

The Aquaria AWGs feature particulate filtration, carbon filtration, and ultraviolet (UV) sterilization to kill any bacteria that might collect in the water.

Aquaria has developed several different models. These include the Hydrostation, which can provide water for as many as 1,500 people. The Hydropixel, meanwhile, was developed for individual use. It can produce up to 24 gallons (91 L) of water per day. All it requires is a regular power outlet.

The company’s largest model, the Hydropack X, is capable of producing up to 264 gallons (1,000 liters) of drinkable water daily, meaning it can replace an entire home’s dependence on municipal water.

Clean drinking water for drought-stricken communities

According to Aquaria, the Hydropixel is one of the most efficient AWGs in the world. It uses only 1.25 kWh per gallon (330 Wh/L). Homeowners using solar power could practically have free water, while those drawing electricity from the main supply would likely get it cheaper than at their local supermarket.

According to a report from New Atlas , Aquaria has stated it intends to supply a 1,000-home community in Hawaii with one of its AWGs later this year.

Aquaria isn’t the only company providing water-from-air solutions. Genesis Systems, for example, recently announced the WaterCube . That system generates 120 gallons of water a day from the air.

According to a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report , roughly half of the global population faces water scarcity on a monthly basis.

With regional temperature records being broken on a consistent basis, it is clear that climate change will continue to have an impact on communities worldwide. Therefore, solutions like Aquaria’s AWGs could prove invaluable as an increase in droughts deprives people of natural water sources they once relied upon.