Cycleau is a compact water reuse system that can be retrofitted below sinks, showers, and laundry units to treat greywater to drinking water.
Greywater is processed through four stages of filtration and disinfection to treat over 200 contaminants.
When installed in buildings, Cycleau reduces water usage by over 80%, and conserves over 40% of the energy generated by building water heaters.
HOW IT WORKS
Our patent-pending technology utilizes a four-stage wastewater treatment system involving sediment filtration, membrane filtration, UV irradiation, and drain water heat recovery within a compact enclosure measuring one foot by one foot by two feet.
Bed Media Filtration
Large particles are first filtered through sand and activated carbon. This lowers the levels of particles that will later pass through finer filters, and also improves the appearance and taste of water.
Membrane Filtration
Fine membrane filters can remove the smallest of particles in water. In Cycleau, two filters are joined to treat water twice.
UV Irradiation
UV disinfection can deactivate any remaining bacteria or pathogens still left in filtered water.
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THE CHALLENGE
Over 933 million individuals residing in urban areas today are already facing the impacts of water scarcity, a figure that’s expected to reach over 2.3 billion by 2050.
At the same time, 80% of all ocean pollution today is derived from untreated sewage and wastewater.
Globally, less than 1% of the Earth’s freshwater supply is accessible and safe to drink; this proportion drops even further in most desert regions where clean water access is severely lacking.
It’s estimated that humans are only able to use about 0.3% of the water on Earth, which constrains our supply model even more drastically.
At the same time, 80% of all ocean pollution today is derived from untreated sewage and wastewater.
Globally, less than 1% of the Earth’s freshwater supply is accessible and safe to drink; this proportion drops even further in most desert regions where clean water access is severely lacking.
It’s estimated that humans are only able to use about 0.3% of the water on Earth, which constrains our supply model even more drastically.
Yet though water could be classified as a nonrenewable resource, it’s also among our most circular of resources, as all water — even consumed, polluted water — returns to the atmosphere and our local waterways in a relatively short time. With a growing population demanding greater amounts of an increasingly scare resource, it’s time we started looking at ways of facilitating and augmenting our water lifecycle to meet each other’s daily needs.
EXISTING SOLUTIONS
INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES
Building or replacing water pipes is typically the most intensive but effective method of provisioning clean water to entire communities. Infrastructure upgrades are large-scale operations typically costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
HOUSEHOLD WATER FILTERS
Providing water filters to households or individuals is a short-term solution to purifying water in regions where there’s limited safe water infrastructure. Many filters are produced cheaply and are also portable.
LANDSCAPING
Landscaping solutions for wastewater management include rain gardens, bioswales, and constructed wetlands for both households and communities to capture excess rainwater or wastewater during storm surges. Many green infrastructure solutions are low-cost and have a variety of benefits outside of reducing sewage pollution.
GREYWATER RECYCLING
Traditional greywater systems that recycle water within building structures can directly reduce the proportion of wastewater that becomes sewage pollution. However, their intensive installation processes make them feasible solutions only for new developments or complete retrofits.
AREAS FOR INNOVATION
ECONOMICS
Household technologies for water filtration and greywater recycling can be expensive, often making them inaccessible for low-income families who are at the greatest risk of receiving unsafe water. Greywater systems are even less financially feasible for many people, because their installation requires repiping the connections between the sinks, showers, toilets, and any outdoor space, which in turn requires gutting household walls and floors and reinstalling those as well. As an effect, greywater systems as the main wastewater recycling technology available to date are often only realistic for new developments or complete retrofits.
One of our guiding points of innovation was designing a household water filter and greywater system that would be affordable to a low-income family. To do so, we prioritized passive design and a compact equipment size to reduce costs. We also examined where in the household could greywater equipment be retrofitted without removing walls or flooring to enhance the accessibility of the installation process.
One of our guiding points of innovation was designing a household water filter and greywater system that would be affordable to a low-income family. To do so, we prioritized passive design and a compact equipment size to reduce costs. We also examined where in the household could greywater equipment be retrofitted without removing walls or flooring to enhance the accessibility of the installation process.
USABILITY
Operating and maintaining both a water filter and a greywater system can be tricky, and in many cases requires at least some training and practice before homeowners feel confident caring for the technology on their own. Users can forget to change the cartridge of their water filter – in effect risking exposure to contaminants – or to replace membrane filters on wastewater systems, thereby risking equipment failure as an effect of brine build-up.
To optimize the usability of our technology, we applied the principles of intuitive and human-centered desgn to style an interface that could be operated intuitively without relying extensively on written instructions. We also limited the need for manual operations wherever possible by constructing passive and automated mechanisms.
To optimize the usability of our technology, we applied the principles of intuitive and human-centered desgn to style an interface that could be operated intuitively without relying extensively on written instructions. We also limited the need for manual operations wherever possible by constructing passive and automated mechanisms.
Cycleau has been supported by our incredible funders and partners, including:
- UNICEF INNOVATION
- THE SWAROVSKI FOUNDATION
- MIT SOLV[ED]
- HP, INC.
- THE TRUST FOR GOVERNORS ISLAND
- PROTOTYPES FOR HUMANITY
- NEWLAB
- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
- 776 FOUNDATION
- RECKITT BENCKISER GROUP PLC.
- ONE YOUNG WORLD
- CLIMATE LAUNCHPAD
- CLIMATE-KIC AUSTRALIA
- HALCYON
- RE-EARTH INITIATIVE
- VENTURE FOR CLIMATETECH
- WILD GIFT
OUR SUPPORTERS:
Ready to save water in a radical new way?
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Eager to test launch Cycleau before it drops?
Apply to pilot Cycleau ahead of its commercial release! Pilot partners enjoy exclusive access to our tech before it reaches the public, and contribute to designing and improving our product ahead of the crowd.