COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) — As students at Kelly Elementary School in Compton finish up their P.E. class, they race over to their new Skywell Water Dispenser to fill up with cold, clean water.
But it’s also water that doesn’t come from a pipe. Instead, quite literally from thin air!
It’s done through technology known as atmospheric water generation.
“It seemed cool, I mean, extracting water from the air seemed rather science fiction,” said Ron Dorfman, the founder of Skywell.
Just go back to the original “Star Wars” movie that came out in 1977.
“Luke Skywalker’s family, on planet, whatever it was, came from moisture farmers, so people talk about how this is fiction imitating life, whatever it may be” said Dorfman.
So, how does it work?
“It basically draws the ambient air in, and runs it across a cold surface,” said Dorfman. “When air gets to a certain temperature, it can no longer hold onto the moisture in it, and it basically drops into a lower tank. We clean it, we pump it, and it’s ready to be dispensed.”
Not only is this technology bringing clean water to underserved communities, but school principal Kevin Curry says it provides a teachable moment when it comes to sustainability.
“I think education is important when it comes to the drought, and the fact that we’re able to conserve when it comes to the system, and students aren’t wasting water, they are also discussing what a drought means. That’s where it starts for us,” said Curry.
