The Martian Wikia
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The Water Reclaimer is a large piece of Life Support equipment found on both the Hermes and the Ares Habitat (commonly referred to as the Hab). The Technology was first tested and perfected on the International Space Station in the late 1900s and the early 2000s. The Water Reclaimer operates by putting used water through a series of compacted filters and filaments to remove any bacteria and toxic compounds in the water. After filtration, the water is cleaner than that you buy at any store. In addition to the Water Reclaimer, all Ares missions are equipped with 300 liters of emergency water, in case the Water Reclaimer breaks, giving the astronauts time to either repair the pumps, or abort the mission due to lack of water.

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