CARLSBAD, Calif. (KGTV) — A machine called a Hydraloop can save you a ton of money by cutting your water use by almost half. It could play a big role in making our homes more environmentally friendly.
Carlsbad resident Justin Fox bought a Hydraloop this year after using extra water for his two-year-old.
"We're using maybe 50 percent less water," said Fox. "If you're filling a bath for a toddler, I started seeing that and thinking, 'I'm wasting that water, and we're in a drought.'"
It works by cleaning and recycling 'gray water.'
"Gray water is literally just the shower water in your house; it could be sink water," said Fox. "But it's primarily shower water with soap in it."
According to Hydraloop's website, the water goes through a lengthy cleaning process to separate the waste from the usable water ... without chemicals or filters.
"It actually cleans the water more than what's coming in the house," said Fox. "Certainly, you can't be drinking the water, you don't want to be in case there's an issue in the unit. You don't want to be drinking shower water. But for outside cleaning, gardening, using it to top off your pool, and for using it for your toilets, it's a no-brainer."
You can check your water savings with an app, which shows Fox saved enough water in two months to fill about 20 bathtubs. Fox also says his water bill went down by hundred dollars a month, but that's not the only reason to consider water recycling.
San Diego gets most of its water from the Colorado River, which is near historic lows. And while recent rainfall gave us relief from the drought, geologists say that's only temporary.
"We have to think about the fact that we live in a desert; it's not going to go away," said Fox. "We need to find ways of saving water."
A Hydraloop costs about $5,500, and installation prices vary depending on your home. The company says it wants every new building to have a water recycling system by 2033.
