Cool Hunting

by Julie Wolfson

Collecting moisture from humidity in the air, the Wataire atmospheric water generator can produce four to eight gallons of water daily in a seemingly magical process that eliminates the need for buying and replacing plastic water coolers or bottles.

I recently had the chance to learn more about it when I was offered a glass after a rain forest hike in Maui with the Ambassador of the Environment programs at The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. Upon further investigation into the great-tasting water from the high tech cooler, I learned I was in fact drinking purified Wataire water, made from the air in Maui.

The Wataire machine includes carbon filtration, a reverse osmosis and UV lamp sterilization with a mineral filter, and makes hot and cold water. While it does require a minimum 35% humidity to effectively produce water, the atmospheric water generator can generate up to 18-30 litres of water a day from (not so) thin air.

It's available from Wataire for $1,500.