Emergency water storageQuench
When a natural disaster strikes, urban dependency on mains water is a massive vulnerability. In Wellington, the main pipeline crosses an active fault line six times. While emergency council tanks offer a medium-term solution, they are spaced too far apart and completely absent from the CBD. Quench bridges this immediate gap, providing instant, decentralized water access for residents and people in public spaces the moment the grid fails.
The solution is a network of unobtrusive rainwater-harvesting units retrofitted directly onto existing urban downpipes. As rain falls, water passes through a physical debris filter into a self-refreshing seven-litre reservoir, while excess overflow drains away normally. The transparent filter container allows for quick visual inspections, making it easy for council staff to clear and compost collected organic matter.
Built from a simple three-piece plastic mould, the design easily adapts to any size drainpipe at bus stops, alleyways, and public walkways.
These low-cost, scalable units filter and store fresh water locally, giving the public immediate access to clean water right when the mains fail.
