Water conservation device for reverse osmosis system

Abstract

The initially cold water streams of a household hot water plumbing circuit are accumulated in a storage container to be thereafter drained off with the cold water stream, at various flow restricted levels, thereby conserving water use. This accumulate may be adjustably admixed into the waste products of a household drinking water purification system, thereby diluting it to acceptable levels that may be useful for washing and the like. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the fresh water stream may be admixed into the water purification waste water stream. Each of these water conserving functions is conformed to be combined in a stepwise manner, thereby accommodating budgetary and use growth constraints.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
         1 . A plumbing system for supplying a mixed water stream that is a mixture of waste water produced in the course of filtering potable water and unfiltered potable water, said plumbing system comprising:
 a filter connected to a first branch of a potable water stream, said filter separating said first branch of said potable water stream into a filtered water stream and a waste water stream, said waste water stream containing a higher concentration of unwanted matter than said filtered water stream;   a waste water accumulator connected to said waste water stream and receiving waste water from said waste water stream; and   a flow control assembly connected between an outlet stream from said waste water accumulator and a water supply conduit and between a second branch of said potable water stream and said water supply conduit, said flow control assembly allowing waste water from said waste water accumulator to empty into said water supply conduit when the pressure of the waste water in the waste water accumulator is lower than the pressure of the water flowing through said flow control assembly from said second branch of said potable water stream.   
     
     
         2 . The plumbing system according to  claim 1  wherein said flow control assembly includes an axially arranged, opposing set of pistons including a first piston communicating with said outlet stream from said waste water accumulator and an opposingly oriented second piston communicating with said second branch of said potable water stream flowing through said flow control assembly; a head of said first piston being larger in diameter than a head of said second piston. 
     
     
         3 . The plumbing system as in  claim 2  further comprising a spring compressed between said first and second pistons. 
     
     
         4 . The plumbing system as in  claim 2  further comprising
 a valve member on said second piston advanceable relative to a valve seat surrounding an orifice through said flow control assembly for controlling the flow rate through said second branch of said potable water stream. 
 
     
     
         5 . The plumbing system as in  claim 2  further comprising:
 an adjustable restrictor for adjusting the rate of flow through said outlet stream from said waste water accumulator. 
 
     
     
         6 . The plumbing system as in  claim 5  wherein said adjustable restrictor is mounted on said outlet stream from said waste water accumulator downstream of said first piston. 
     
     
         7 . A plumbing system for supplying a mixed water stream that is a mixture of waste water produced in the course of filtering potable water and unfiltered potable water, said plumbing system comprising:
 a filter connected to a first branch of a potable water stream, said filter separating said first branch of said potable water stream into a filtered water stream and a waste water stream, said waste water stream containing a higher concentration of unwanted matter than said filtered water stream;   a waste water accumulator connected to said waste water stream and receiving waste water from said waste water stream; and   a flow control assembly connected between an outlet stream from said waste water accumulator and a water supply conduit and between a second branch of said potable water stream and said water supply conduit, said flow control assembly restricting the flow of potable water through said second branch of said potable water stream and through said flow control assembly and wherein the degree to which said flow control assembly restricts flow of potable water through said second branch of said potable water stream decreases as the pressure of waste water in the accumulator decreases.   
     
     
         8 . The plumbing system according to  claim 7  wherein said flow control assembly includes an axially arranged, opposing set of pistons including a first piston communicating with said outlet stream from said waste water accumulator and an opposingly oriented second piston communicating with said second branch of said potable water stream flowing through said flow control assembly; a head of said first piston being larger in diameter than a head of said second piston. 
     
     
         9 . The plumbing system as in  claim 8  further comprising a spring compressed between said first and second pistons. 
     
     
         10 . The plumbing system as in  claim 9  further comprising a valve member on said second piston advanceable relative to a valve seat surrounding an orifice through said flow control assembly for controlling the flow rate through said second branch of said potable water stream. 
     
     
         11 . The plumbing system as in  claim 10  further comprising:
 an adjustable restrictor for adjusting the rate of flow through said outlet stream from said waste water accumulator. 
 
     
     
         12 . The plumbing system as in  claim 11  wherein said adjustable restrictor is mounted on said outlet stream from said waste water accumulator downstream of said first piston.