Atoco, a startup based in Irvine, California, is demonstrating a machine that pulls clean water from air using only low-grade waste heat. The technology relies on metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs—molecular structures that act like sponges for water vapor. Atoco's founder, Omar Yaghi, won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on these materials, and the company has now built a prototype that can produce gallons of water per day without an electrical connection.
The key innovation is that the MOFs release captured water when exposed to heat as low as 100 degrees Fahrenheit. That makes them a natural fit for AI data centers, which generate enormous amounts of waste heat while also consuming millions of gallons of water for cooling. Atoco's system could turn that otherwise-unused heat into a source of clean water, potentially helping data centers reduce their water footprint and providing a new water supply for water-stressed regions.
The company estimates that roughly 70 percent of industrial waste heat is currently thrown away, and converting it to clean water could yield trillions of liters. While the demonstration unit in Irvine simulates data center conditions with a 150-degree heat source, Atoco says the technology works even in low humidity. The water produced is equivalent to distilled water, though the company is not yet offering it for drinking due to liability concerns.