David Stuckenberg, co-founder and chief operating officer at Genesis Systems, explains that WaterCube uses patented liquid and solid sorbents – water-absorbing materials – that essentially “form a handshake with water in the air.” The machine then heats these materials to extract water.
Atmospheric water generators typically require a significant amount of energy to operate, but Stuckenberg says the company’s materials perform 400 percent better than those currently available on the market and also have a very high affinity for water.
But this technology comes at a high price. The price of the WaterCube delivered to St. Petersburg is $860,000. The company has just started selling a second, smaller device for home operate called the WaterCube 100, which costs $20,000 and is about the size of an HVAC system. This device can generate approximately 100 to 200 gallons of water per day. Efficiency ranges from 0.07 to 0.8 kilowatt hours per gallon of water, and operating costs range from $10 to $80 per day, depending on energy costs and humidity. WaterCube can be powered by solar or conventional energy.
The machines produce more water in a moist environment and work well at air humidity up to 40 percent. Stuckenberg says the company is constantly improving its technology and is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to be able to produce water with 10% humidity.
WaterCube connects to the building’s water supply, so you do not have to draw water directly from the device. “The systems are designed to connect to anything from a garden hose to a hospital water system, and deliver water that goes through four stages of filtration before leaving,” Stuckenberg says.
After Typhoon Mawar struck the U.S. territory of Guam in May 2023, Genesis Systems worked with the U.S. Air Force to test the WaterCube 1000 in a natural disaster response scenario on the island.
At their current price and the amount of water they can produce, it is unlikely that these devices will become the only source of water in these types of situations any time soon. According to data published by the US Department of Energya hospital the size of All Children’s typically used between 10,000 and 90,000 gallons per day, depending on the services provided, the age of the building, and water operate practices. That’s significantly more than the 2,000 gallons that the larger Genesis Systems unit can produce in 24 hours.
Still, in scenarios where water cannot be restored or immediately transported to an area, these devices can serve as a bridge or an additional source of water. But to be useful, they must be in the right place at the right time, and the logistics of transporting an 18,000-pound machine in a disaster can be arduous.
According to a hospital spokesman, All Children’s did not have to draw water from the device; shortly after commissioning, the city’s sewage system was operational and water supplies were resumed with a boil advisory. “We have been able to modify our operations as appropriate,” a spokesman said Friday. Over the weekend, AHCA of Florida moved the WaterCube to a shelter, where it can be quickly moved to another location if needed.