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Innovators discover way to recycle washing machine water

Chris Lai and his team at AquaFresco are re-engineering the way we do laundry, using a small water recycling system they developed while at MIT

Innovators discover way to recycle washing machine water

Chris Lai and his team at AquaFresco are re-engineering the way we do laundry, using a small water recycling system they developed while at MIT

WEBVTT MIKE: THESE ARE PROBABLY FROMTHE KITCHEN.THIS IS SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEEVERY OFTEN.YOUNG MEN INTERESTED IN DIRTYLAUNDRY.BUT IT HAS AS MUCH TO DO WITHCLEAN WATER AS IT DOES WITHCLEAN CLOTHES.>> WHAT CAN WE DO TO SOLVE THEBIGGEST PROBLEM HUMANITY ISFACING?NOT HAVING ENOUGH FRESH WATEMIKE: WATER ISN'T AS PLENTIFULIN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.WE EVEN SAW THAT LAST YEAR INCALIFORNIA WITH A SEVERE DROUGHTAND MANDATORY WATERRESTRICTIONS.AND ONE OF THE BIG USERS OFWATER IS WASHING YOUR CLOTHES.>> CLEANING WASTE WATER ACCOUNTSFOR ABOUT 20% OF INDOOR WATERCONSUMPTION.SO NOW YOU CAN CUT DOWN ON THATWATER USE IN YOUR HOUSE.ESSENTIALLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TOSOLVE THE DROUGHT PROBLEM INCALIFORNIA.MIKE: CHRIS LAIAND HIS TEAM AT AQUAFRESCO ARERE-ENGINEERING THE WAY WE DOLAUNDRY.USING A SMALL WATER RECYCLINGSYSTEM THEY DEVELOPED WHILE ATMIT.>> SEPARATE OUT THE WASTE FROMTHE CLEAN WATER WASTE AND REUSETHE DETERGENT AND WATER.MIKE THEIR MACHINE USES THE SAME: WATER OVER AND OVER FOR MONTHSAT A TIME.SO THIS IS THE DIRTY WATERCOMING OUT OF THE WASHINGMACHINE.THIS IS THE CLEAN WATER AFTER ITGOES THROUGH THE FILTER.HOW OLD IS THIS WATER?>> IT'S 3 MONTHS OLD.MIKE AND IT'S PERFECTLY CLEAR.: FILTERS REMOVE DIRT ANDGREASE.THEN, THE RECYCLED WATER ISSTORED AND FED BACK INTO THEMACHINE.>> IT IS VERY REFRESHING TO HAVESOMETHING NEW AND INNOVATIVE.AND BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITHSTUDENTS.MIKE MICHAEL FITZGERALD IS: MANAGER AT THE ENDICOTT HOUSE,A CONFERENCE CENTER IN DEDHAMOWNED BY MIT.>> BEING A CONFERENCECENTER-HOTEL TYPE FACILITY.WE DO A LOT OF LAUNDRY EACH ANDEVERY DAY.AND WE HAVE A SEPTIC SYSTEM ONSITE.AND ONE OF THE MOST DETRIMENTALTHINGS TO YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM ISWASHING MACHINE WASTE WATER.MIKE BUT THE ENDICOTT HOUSE IS: RECLAIMING 80% OF ITS WASTEWATER USING AQUA FRESCO, SAVINGWATER AND MONEY.>> THE COST OF WATER IS NOTGOING TO GO DOWN.MIKE: THREE HOTELS AND ALAUNDRYMAT IN MASSACHUSETTS ARECURRENTLY USING AQUAFRESCO.THE COMPANY IS ALSO TALKING TOMAJOR WASHING MACHINEMANUFACTURERS ABOUT HAVING THETECHNOLOGY BUILT INTO NEWMACHINES.ED: A LOOK TO BIG.MIKE: THEY ARE WORKING ON ITGETTING IT SMALLER.JUST THINK ABOUT IT.AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS 20GALLONS.MARIA: AND I LIKED THAT VISUAL.AFTER THREE MONTHS, THAT WASIMPRESSIVE.
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Innovators discover way to recycle washing machine water

Chris Lai and his team at AquaFresco are re-engineering the way we do laundry, using a small water recycling system they developed while at MIT

Chris Lai and his team at AquaFresco are re-engineering the way we do laundry, using a small water recycling system they developed while at MIT.

Chris Lai and his team at AquaFresco are re-engineering the way we do laundry, using a small water recycling system they developed while at MIT.

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