01.09.2026
The UK has just experienced its hottest summer on record, highlighting the growing pressure on our water resources.
Thank you
Following the UK’s hottest summer on record, the threat and impact of water scarcity has become increasingly difficult to ignore. It is easy to take for granted the fact that many of us can turn on our taps and have instant access to a seemingly limitless supply of clean and safe drinking water. However, there is a complex infrastructure that makes our access to safe water possible.
Water conservation (the act of saving water and reducing water loss) and water efficiency (the act of reducing the amount of water necessary for a particular use) are two complementary concepts that are important in reducing the amount of water used overall. It therefore comes as no surprise that humans across history have poured time and energy into innovating in this field.
This article takes a look at several early innovations and their modern counterparts, both of which have helped us to save water.
US578948A, a US patent application filed in December 1895, describes “new and useful improvements in Sprinkling Roses”, which can be used in “shower-baths and the like”. The “sprinkling rose” causes the stream of water to be more finely divided, while the individual jets are more solid, while also making sure that the rose is rapidly emptied when the water is turned off. This reduces any dripping through the perforations at the base of the rose. To achieve this, an air tube is included at the top of the fitting, near where the rose is attached to a water-supply pipe. This is essentially an early version of an aerator, with modern versions employed in many taps and showerheads today to help in reducing the volume of water that is used for routine activities such as showering or handwashing.
In a more modern twist on a flow regulator, Neoperl engineers Hermann Grether and Christoph Weis have invented an aerator that produces a soft and splash-free stream of water. Neoperl’s aerator is inspired by waterfalls, where water is aerated as it cascades, first accelerating the water jet before then slowing it down by a series of plastic mesh plates. The streams are divided, before merging back into one stream, ultimately saving up to 50% of the amount of water used by a tap without an aerator. Neoperl’s aerators are an elegant example of small modifications at the user level making a valuable overall impact on water use.
Many of us will be familiar with turning on a hot water tap, and waiting some time for the water coming from the tap to heat up. In the meantime, the clean (but cold) water that was sitting in the service pipe between the hot water cylinder and the tap disappears right down the drain. In 1931, Lepton, May, and Rennie Sunderland filed a GB patent application, GB363804A, for an improved hot water supply system which avoids the wastage of this initial stream of water. Their invention is effectively a thermosiphon system (an early version of a hot water recirculation system that doesn’t require a pump), that allows for water to be recirculated between a heating unit and a hot water cylinder so that hot water can be instantly discharged from the connected taps.
While the above invention only recirculated water before leaving the taps, Mehrdad Mahdjoubi of Orbital Systems has developed a modern example of a closed loop system that is integrated into a shower or tap/basin and makes use of the water that has been used and would otherwise run down the drain. The “Orbital” shower or tap system recirculates water by first sensing the water quality and determining whether it should be recirculated or flushed to the drain. The water is then purified using a particle filter and a UV lamp, and heated back to the desired temperature before being discharged again. By implementing these technologies in a new and innovative way, this system can consume up to 90% less water than a conventional shower, making considerable savings in water use.
From the rock-cut reservoirs of the Indus Valley Civilization, to complementary compluvium and impluvium structures used by Romans, humans have a very long history of collecting and using rainwater.
US1453109A, a US patent application filed in July 1921, describes a cistern, which can be stored in a cellar, that stores rainwater that is collected from the roof of a house. The cistern is able to be cleaned during an initial flow of water, after which water can be stored in the cistern. The cistern also has a bypass structure where any potential overflow can be diverted to a sewer. A tap is also installed that allows for water to be drawn from the cistern. This invention is just one of many examples of improvements in the way that rainwater could be safely stored and used for an average household.
While simple rainwater collection and storage systems are still in use today, people also have the choice of installing smart collection systems that implement sensors, automated valves, and weather forecasting apps to optimize water storage. For example, SDS Infrastructure have developed the Intellistorm® Rainwater Management system, which analyses weather forecast, expected rainfall, and catchment data, and automatically calculates spare capacity for attenuation. By using these technologies, the Intellistorm® system can both provide an alternative source of water other than the mains supply, and limit the risk of sewer overflow during periods of intense rainfall.
Both Neoperl and Orbital Systems are notable examples of companies that have prioritised building strong IP portfolios and investing in IP to support their growth, to make a splash in their respective markets. By 2019, Orbital Systems had built a portfolio of over 100 patents, at which time they secured a 15 million EUR investment from the European Investment Bank and then continued with a successful Series A funding round. Neoperl have protected their established position through a portfolio of patents, utility models and design rights. With a focus on protection in Germany, USA, China, and Europe, Neoperl have almost 500 live patent and utility model families (either granted or pending) protecting the technical function of their products, in addition to hundreds of registered designs protecting the visual look of their faucet aerators. In conjunction with their strategic use of registered trademarks, Neoperl have adopted a multi-layered system of protection for their intellectual property, placing them in a strong position to preserve the commercial value of their innovations.
If you have any questions about how to build or develop your own IP strategy, please reach out to our team of Keltie attorneys.
Thank you
