Technology to avoid wasting water in the shower

ValenciaFive seconds, one liter. Ten seconds, two. Fifteen seconds, three... and so the water is lost down the drain hole toward the sewer. This is the scene that repeats itself every day in most homes when someone is waiting for the hot water to come out in the shower, sink, or kitchen. To put an end to this, companies like those in Valencia AquaReturn and Ecoid They have devised devices that prevent this waste and aim to make reuse a daily practice, moving from an occasional gesture to something commonplace.

Aquareturn has its roots in the city of Alicante and is driven by brothers Miguel and Alfonso Cuervo. Their proposal is based on a small device that is installed on any of the hot water outlets in the home. The system redirects cold water into the pipes until it becomes hot, saving, according to the company's calculations, an average of 10,000 liters of water per person per year. This is highlighted by Alfonso Cuervo, who, in conversation with theCompaniesHe adds that in just twelve months, a standard household (2.86 people) saves 400 kWh of electricity. "That's the energy needed to run 400 radiators for one hour," he emphasizes.

The Alicante-based company began marketing its devices in 2013, and just a year later, major retailers like Leroy Merlin started offering their equipment. Since then, "tens of thousands" of people have them in their homes, says Cuervo, who declines to specify the exact number. Many of these consumers come from Catalonia, which accounts for 40% of their sales in Spain. Regarding the reasons for this strong market penetration in Catalonia, he points out that the price of water is key. "In Galicia, since water is much cheaper, our sales are negligible," he clarifies. Regarding their clientele, he notes that 60% are homeowners, 30% plumbers, 8% property developers, and 2% hotels and hospitals. The Galician example, according to the entrepreneur, demonstrates that the motivation for most buyers is cost savings, not sustainability. In this respect, he emphasizes that the cost of the devices—around 400 euros—is recouped within 18 to 24 months of use. Despite these advantages, Cuervo admits that the company—with five employees and outsourced manufacturing through a company in Alcoy—"is growing, but hasn't taken off yet." Ecoidi finds itself in a similar situation with its SmartWater device, whose most important client is sports facilities. Currently, this company from the small town of Anna has already installed 200 devices in 20 municipalities. The city of Torrent –population 75,000– stands out, where all public sports centers use their system, taking advantage of a 70% cost subsidy from the European Union. However, they haven't yet won over homeowners, having sold only around 120 devices nationwide. The most significant difference with Aquareturn's proposal is that their system diverts unheated water to a tank for later reuse. Roberto Fernández, one of Ecoidi's founders, explained to ARA that the company hasn't yet achieved great commercial success and that the five partners have other jobs. Regarding potential buyers' concerns, he explained that they stem from the fact that the number of liters used isn't a determining factor in the price on the water bill. "Water consumption drops by 70%, but the bill only decreases by 30%," he lamented. The businessman complains that this price difference discourages potential customers who hesitate to spend the €300 the device costs, "even though they save 15 to 20 liters per shower." "In one year, a family would save the water they would need for 16 years," adds the entrepreneur, who also points out that one client managed to get the Valencian regional government to subsidize the installation through an energy efficiency improvement program. "It's an isolated case when it should be the norm," he summarizes.

Non-compliance with regulations

Beyond sustainability, one element that should promote the installation of water-saving equipment is compliance with technical building codeThis regulation stipulates that homes where the water heater is 15 meters or more from the furthest water source must have a recirculation system. Industry experts tell ARA that this requirement is not being met because no one is monitoring compliance.