The machine blends iron, bleach and sodium hydroxide to form a dark purple liquid mixture of ferrate, salt and water that gets metered into the water supply. (The color disappears instantly as it reacts with the water.) Common disinfectants ozone and chlorine can turn the watercloudy or, worse, leave behind harmful chemical by-products.
We watched the drink become cloudy as the cold water reacted with the herbal oils -- a process known as "louching" -- then smelled the newly aromatic concoction again and finally, took a sip.
If you have a run of cloudy days and there is not enough solar heat to completely heat your water -the water heater will come on and heat water just the same as it always has.