Water Crises are Getting More Severe. Tap Innovations Can Help

According to the UN, water is “at the center of the climate crisis.” Climate change, in turn, is accelerating water crises around the world: Roughly half of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for at least part of the year.

Issues like these won’t be solved by technology alone, yet innovation can and should play a role. Consider tap: Often overlooked or taken for granted, they play a major part in water delivery and can even change the behavior of people who use them. In this way, new tap-related advances can help address water crises across the globe.

Here are a few tap technologies that government officials, consumers, and other stakeholders should keep top of mind.

Pressure Compensating Aerators (PCAs)

People living in high-rise apartments can easily notice that they have too much water coming out of the tap due to high pressure. Such pressure can blow away hoses/pipes, cause leaks, and even lead to wastewater flooding their homes. PCAs can help decrease the rate of water flow.

Digital Interfaces

The integration of digital interfaces into taps adds a touch of modern convenience to the everyday ritual of water usage. Sensor/timed taps are becoming popular ways to save water and create good habits. Internet of Things (IoT) technology, meanwhile, allows for holistic home water management system via automated shutoffs and the ability to dispense the right amount of water at the desired temperature, every time.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Using AI tools, we can save water by continuously checking the rate of flow from inlets or drains. If, for instance, the tool detects a constant rate of flow, it can then shut off the main valve to the home and alert the customer. These tools can also prevent flooding in the event that a pipe bursts when the homeowner is at work or on vacation.

Built-in Filtration Systems for Purified Drinking Water

New taps with these built-in systems eliminate the need for separate filtration units or bottled water, thereby promoting the safest water at the point of use and reducing plastic bottle use. Filters are built within the tap or underneath the sink, ensuring that counters remain clean.

Eco-friendly Materials

Brass was long the only material used in taps due to its unique properties. Nowadays, we see eco-friendly materials (e.g., stainless steel, recycled or upcycled materials, ceramics) being used to reduce carbon emissions and provide the purest/safest water for consumption.