In response to drought-induced water restrictions, many Australians switched their showers to low-flow shower heads. It seemed like a sacrificial offering to water conservation because, as a result, the flow and pressure were significantly reduced. Not surprisingly, the reduction in flow and pressure brought with them a reduction in shower enjoyment.
The conversion to water-saving shower heads grew, even as the pressure of drought was reduced, because the cost of water continued to rise. As well, some Australian states have now passed laws requiring low-flow shower heads be used in new constructions. Gone is the full-flow shower experience.
Or is it? It seems that the new nozzle is now pouring water on the arguments consumers use against water-saving shower heads.
Oxijet
The Oxijet has been developed in a collaboration between a New Zealand company, Felton, and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to deliver a water-saving shower that feels as good as a full flow shower. The Oxijet air shower nozzle has been designed to reduce the use of water by 50 per cent – without impacting the overall showering experience.
The Oxijet air-shower head doesn’t reduce the flow or the pressure of the water, but instead it injects the water droplets with tiny air bubbles.
Dr Jie Wu, a CSIRO fluids specialist, has explained that the system uses the flow energy to make the water droplets hollow by drawing air into them. Because the Oxijet expands the volume of the shower stream you can still save water while enjoying a full-flow shower experience.
The most significant advantage Oxijet offers over other air shower systems is in its ease of installation and use. Oxijet, accredited by the Australian Water Efficiency and Labeling Standards, was designed to work with existing standard shower fittings.
To prove the concept, this new air shower nozzle was tested in an Australian hotel which was subject to water restrictions – the Novotel Northbeach, in Wollongong. With a water usage of over 10 million litres per year it is easy to see why the Novotel Northbeach would be interested in trialling a device that promised both water savings and happy customers.
The trial was considered a success with customers preferring the Oxijet over other low-flow shower heads. They appreciated the feeling of full water pressure it delivered. There are now plans to install the system in the hotel’s more than 200 rooms.
The Benefits of Collaboration
It is doubtful that a product like Oxijet would be developed without the effective collaboration of CSIRO scientists and Felton’s company engineers. This coming together of science and engineering has turned the concept into a quality, cost effective product.
The theory behind the Oxijet isn’t new, after all, but the technology is. It was the engineers at Felton who helped turn the concept of ‘an aerator to save water’ into an insert that could be used with most existing showers.
It is this ease-of-use factor, combined with the water saving aspect and feeling of a full-flow shower, that make Oxijet a remarkable entry into the market of water saving shower heads.
Does Oxijet Deliver
The promise of the feeling of full-flow water pressure, while saving significant amounts of water, sounds to many to be an impossibility. And, of course, the water saving achieved in a home will always be dependent on water pressures and restrictions already in place.
However it is possible to test the water savings for yourself. Felton have demonstrated their commitment to the product by providing simple steps to measure water saving with the Oxijet. To make this process even easier an online calculator has been included to take care of the maths.
The Oxijet looks to be easy to install and use with existing shower fittings but it is advisable to consult a licensed plumber – like JEDI Plumbing here on the Northern Beaches – so that we can check the installation requirements for your premises, before you purchase Oxijet.
At this stage the only user report we have to evaluate the effectiveness of Oxijet is the Novotel Northbridge test. But news of a product that delivers substantial water savings and a great shower at an affordable price? Revolutionary.