The OrbSys Shower – the brainchild of Swedish designer Mehrdad Mahdjoubi – operates on a closed loop system by purifying hot wastewater from the tap once it hits the drains and recycling it back into water of a drinking quality standard, before pumping it back up to the showerhead.

As the process is quick, the water remains hot and only needs to be reheated very slightly. According to Mahdjoubi, there is no compromise in water pressure while in operation and the system can save more than 90% water and 80% energy while you wash.

The patented technology is similar to that used for space showers taken by astronauts and could help those who live in water-stressed areas.

Mahdjoubi argued that his device not only offered a more sustainable solution, but could save the average person more than £600 a year in reduced water and energy bills.

Speaking to CNN, he claimed: “With my shower, which is constantly recycling water, you’d only use about five litres of water for a 10 minute shower … in a regular shower you would use 150 litres of water – 30 times as much. It’s a lot of savings.”

His concept formed part of a collaborative project with NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which looks to drive design concepts that could potentially assist space expeditions.

“In an extreme environment such as a space mission to Mars, design concepts are brought forward to use all of the possible resources to make it there and back. I don’t see any reason why we can’t be as efficient on Earth as we can be in space,” he added.

The system is likely to attract interest from the likes of Unilever, which announced last year that it is looking to develop the world’s first commercially viable shower of the future that can operate with a sustainable level of water use.

The brand leader is using a crowdsourcing approach to brainstorm ideas around the concept, which if successful, will help the company take increased responsibility for the way in which its brands are consumed.

Maxine Perella

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