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In context: When Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida's west coast on October 9, it didn't just bring destructive winds and flooding – it also disrupted the supply of drinking water in several areas. One of the hardest-hit locations was St. Petersburg, where a burst water main left multiple hospitals, including one with a large neonatal ICU, cut off from the public water system.
However, thanks to some innovative technology and quick action by state officials, at least one hospital avoided relocating patients. That technology was the WaterCube 1000 – an atmospheric water generator capable of literally spawning water from air.
Just weeks earlier, Jason Weida from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration had learned about Genesis Systems, the Tampa-based company behind the WaterCube. The machine uses proprietary materials to absorb moisture from the air, then extracts water through a heating process. Given Florida's humid climate, there's typically plenty of vapor available for harvesting.
According to Genesis, the unit can produce nearly 2,000 gallons of water in 24 hours. Even better, it's designed to integrate directly with a building's plumbing system, so the water doesn't need to be manually collected from the machine. The water also undergoes a multi-stage filtration process before being distributed for use.
Prior to Milton's arrival, Genesis and state officials relocated one of the WaterCube units (which comes housed in a shipping container) to a storm shelter near Tampa. Then, on October 10, they transported it to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg to provide an emergency backup water supply.
Unsurprisingly, the machine doesn't come cheap as the model in question costs $860,000. Still, it could be a lifesaver in situations like these.
Wired notes that after Typhoon Mawar in 2023, Genesis partnered with the Air Force to test the 1000 model's emergency capabilities in Guam. While these machines likely can't serve as a long-term water source for large facilities, they offer a crucial stopgap as repairs are made.
That said, the WaterCube ended up not being needed at All Children's Hospita – city water was restored over the weekend once sewer systems were back online. However, the state relocated the machine to a shelter, ready to deploy in case another hospital loses access.