The water system of an Earthship begins on the roof. Water from the gutter is channeled to an underground tank near the house.

A water catching roof on the Phoenix Earthship near the Earthship Biotecture HQ.
This water storage tank will be buried up to the top of the black riser to keep it out of sunlight and at a stable temperature.


the earthship in Gallatin will eventually feature a WOM similar to this one

The water organizing module is the first thing after the water storage tank. Water is fed into the WOM by gravity. The WOM is a series of pumps, filters, and valves that will clean the water and divide it into hot, cold, and drinking lines.

By recycling water, we are able to get all of our domestic water from the roof even in desert climates.


All of the water from sinks and showers goes into constructed wetlands called botanical cells inside of the home. These plants thrive on the nutrient-rich water while oxygenating and  filtering it. What remains at the end of the botanical cell is clear water which is used to flush the toilets. It then goes to a septic tank which can overflow into more botanical cells outside the home. Since only the toilet goes to the septic tank, the volume of sewage is a fraction of that in a conventional home. This means, when treated properly (not filled with bleach and Drano,) Earthship septic systems easily digest all waste thoroughly and naturally and do not need to be pumped.


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