The document summarizes the systemic design approach for understanding social behaviors around water use. It begins with an overview of the systemic design methodology, which aims to design sustainable systems where waste from one process becomes input for another. It then analyzes the current water situation, noting increasing scarcity, pollution, and overuse of resources. Key findings are that water quality depends on input quality and human activities. The document also explores water at the molecular level and in nature to better understand its properties and behavior before proposing an innovative water treatment method using exclusion zones.

1. THE SYSTEMIC DESIGN APPROACH
FOR UNDERSTANDING THE WATER
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Dario Toso
POLITECNICO DI TORINO
FITODEPURAZIONE
COLTIVAZIONE
PULIZIA
DOMESTICA
CUCINA
e BERE
LAVAGGIO
WC
a SECCO
LAVAGGIO
PERSONALE
STOCCAGGIO
ACQUE
METEORICHE
RSD6 | Oslo 2017

2. SYSTEMIC DESIGN
Methodology
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
GUIDELINES
RELATIONS GENERATE
THE SYSTEM
THE SYSTEM IS
SELF-GENERATING
ACTIONS ARE LOCAL
HUMAN BEING IS
AT THE CENTRE OF
THE PROJECTOUTPUT BECOMES INPUT
Systemic Design methodology here adopted has been developed at Politecnico di Torino with
the aim of implementing sustainable productive systems in which material and energy flows
are designed so that waste from one productive process becomes input for other processes,
avoiding being released into the environment. Starting from the observation of natural
phenomena, the SD approach aims to“learn from nature”not just for mimicking the natural
technologies, but for designing a product system able to positively interact with a dynamic
environment and an evolving society.
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

3. CURRENT
SITUATION
WATER
TODAY
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
Methodology
Water for domestic
purposes
The rapid evolution of the worldwide scenario, the climate change, biodiversity
loss, resources depletion and rapid technological and social development called
for a radical response from the design community. Anthropogenic pressures on the
Earth System have reached a scale where an urgent change of route towards
sustainability is inescapable.
Water Shortage is one of the biggest
Challenge Facing Mankind
Globally, the volume of renewable water per capita has
declined by 40% in the last 22 years.
By 2050, the global water demand of agriculture is estimated
to increase by a further 19% due to irrigational needs.
(UN WWDR 4)
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

4. CURRENT
SITUATION
WATER
TODAY
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
Methodology
Water for domestic
purposes
Water scarcity
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

5. increased need
for water
The World’s polulation
will be more urban
Population
Growth
emergents
contaminants
waste water treatment
Aquifier pollution
Pollution
Deforestation
Water consumption
Erosion of water
stock
Climate Change
Drought
Soil
erosion
Ice
meltingExploitation of
Natural ResourcesWater for domestic
purposes
CURRENT
SITUATION
WATER
TODAY
GLOBAL
SCENARIO
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
Methodology
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

6. CURRENT
SITUATION
RAW WATER
PURIFICATION PLANT
USE
WASTE WATER
TREATMENT
RELEASE TO THE
ENVIRONMENT
70,8%
17,5%
11,7% SUPPLY NETWORK
NATURAL WATER FLOW
SEWER
AQUIFIER
SUPERFICIAL
WATER
SPRING
WATER
Turin,Italy
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
The holistic diagnosis of the water supply chain in the Turin Area
(Italy) has been performed for defining the current situation.
System boudaries include Raw Water extraction, water purification,
water supply, water consumption for domestic purposes, Sewer,
water treatment and the final release into the environment
The main aim of re-designing the water flow for
domestic purposes is to ensure a water quality level at
the end of the process at least comparable to that of
the natural water flow (zero impact system).

7. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
CURRENT
SITUATION
RAW WATER
PURIFICATION PLANT
USE
WASTE WATER
TREATMENT
RELEASE TO THE
ENVIRONMENT
70,8%
17,5%
11,7% SUPPLY NETWORK SEWER
AQUIFIER
SUPERFICIAL
WATER
SPRING
WATER
DISINFECTION
BY PRODUCTS
WATER DIVERSITY
BECOME A MONO
WATER
LINEAR
PIPES
METEORIC WATER
LOSS OF
METEORIC WATER
IN THE URBAN
AREA OVERFLOW
OUTUP WATER
QUALITY LOWER
THAN INPUT WATER
QUALITY
SLUDGE
TREATMENT
GENERIC TREATMENT
FOR DIFFERENT
QUALITIES OF WATERONE QUALITY OF
WATER FOR DIVER-
SE ACTIVITIES
(es. DRINKABLE
WATER IN WC
FLUSH)
NATURAL MOVEMENT
OF WATER NOT
ALLOWED
POLLUTION BY
PESTICIDES AND
INDUSTRIES
STRONGER
TREATMENT
SOIL EROSION
INCREASING IN
WATER SAM-
PLING
HUGE WATER
SAPMLING
LOSS
25%
49 litres/day
196 litres/day
147 litres/day
Water loss
Drinkable water
for every use
Emerging
contaminants
Chemical
by-products
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
The quantitative and qualitative assessment has drown the
analysis through the identification of the main criticalities
emerging along the water supply chain.

8. 7
15
29
44
52
147
litri/giorno
120
litres/day
DOMESTIC
CLEANING
COOKING
DRINKING
WASHING
TOILET
PERSONAL
CARE
TIPICAL CONCENTRATION
IN THE DOMESTIC SLUDGE2
TIPICAL CONCENTRATION
IN THE DOMESTIC SLUDGE2
CHEMICAL INDICATORS1
pH
METEORIC
WATER
DRINKABLE
WATER
compreso tra 6,5 e 9,5
15-50 °F
1500 mg/L
0,2 mg/L
0 unità/ 100ml
senza variazioni anomale
accettabile per i consumatori
e senza variazioni anomale
Turbidity
Bacteria 37 °C
Total Carbon
(TOC)
Disinfectant
residuo
Residuo fisso
a 180 °C
Hardness
BOD5
300 mg/l
COD
Total Solids
GREY3
BLACK4
Sedimentable Solids
500 mg/l
720 mg/l
10 ml/l
Total Nitrogen 50 mg N/l
Total Phosphorus 7 mg P/l
Oil and Fats 100 mg/l
Surfactans 40 mg/l
Diluted Oxigen 2 mg/l
2:Masotti L., Verlicchi P., Depurazione delle acque di piccole comunità, tecniche naturali e tecniche impiantistiche, Hoelpi, Milano 2005
4: Qab = 80 l/(abitante giorno)
1:D.Lgs. 31/2001
Total Diluted Solids
minerals
organics
500 mg/l
300 mg/l
200 mg/l
Total suspended Solids
BOD5
150 mg/l
COD 280 mg/l
105 mg/l
13 mg/l
3 mg/l
6,5 mg/l
375 mg/l
900 mg/l
650 mg/l
20 mg/l
20 mg/l
135 mg/l
SUSPENDED SOLIDS TOT
PHOSPHORUS TOT
PHOSPHORUS TOT
detergents phosphorus free
NITROGEN TOT
minerals
organics
220 mg/l
55 mg/l
165 mg/l
80%
3: Qab = 170 l/(abitante giorno)
heavy metals
organic matter
emerging pollutants
surfactants
LEGENDA
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
CURRENT
SITUATION
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
Current situation of the water
usage for domestic purposes in
the Turin Area.

9. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
CURRENT
SITUATION
147 litres
196 l
acqua per uso domestico447 l
5.638 l
49 litres
PRODUCTS DOMESTIC
Purposes
FOOD
89,7% 7,1% 3,2%
From ITALY Out of Italy From ITALY Out of Italy From ITALY
wasted water
blue water
green water
grey water
6.281 litres/day
“Virtual” Water
Water Consuption per person in Italy
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
The water consumption for domestic
purpose represents just a small fraction of
the gross water consumption pro capita.

10. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
CURRENT
SITUATION
Drinker at the center of the design process
Informal inquiry:
less than 10% of participants are aware of the daily water consumption
1.324 questionnaires
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
The relationship between man and context is the heart of the project, but not in an
anthropocentric way. The human component has been considered in the design process in
order to guarantee the respect of local culture by increasing awarness on water properties.

11. CURRENT
SITUATION
CONCLUSION
We are over exploiting global water resources
We are not considering all the properties of water
The quality of the Output depends by the quality of the Input
ACTIVITY
QUALITY of
WATER as Input
QUALITY of
WATER as Output
QUALITY of “SOLUTES”
eg. food, detergents, etc.
What I’ve learned from the holistic diagnosis?
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

12. THE VALUE OF
WATER IN THE
HISTORY
BEHAVIOR OF
FREE WATER IN
THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
WATER
BEHAVIOR AT
MOLECULAR
LEVEL
UNDERSTANDING WATER
Water for domestic
purposes
CURRENT
SITUATION
WATER
TODAY
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
Methodology
WATER
TODAY
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
What is water?
The application of the SD methodology to the design of a
water treatment entailed a focus on the understanding of the
water behavior both at molecular and at macroscopic level.

13. THE VALUE OF
WATER IN THE
HISTORY
Water, from being a vital and life giving element has
been deprived from its spiritual value and has been
reduced to a cleaning liquid, to the mere chemical
formula H2O (Illich, 1986), a process defined as
“de-socialization of water”(Van Aken, 2013)
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

14. THE VALUE OF
WATER IN THE
HISTORY
meteoric
water
humidity
wastewater
humus
fertilizer
urine
food
solid waste
feaces
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
Ancient population developed clever techniques
for reusing and recycling wastewater combined
with a deep understanding of the water behavior
in natural environment.

15. BEHAVIOR OF
FREE WATER IN
THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
Meandering Mississippi
United States

16. BEHAVIOR OF
FREE WATER IN
THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
Niger River Mali
“Water in its natural state does
not travel in straight lines, it
loves to meander and spread
itself out”
Phil Sedgman

17. BEHAVIOR OF
FREE WATER IN
THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
Why does water, in streams and rivers, always take a meandering course?
Do common principles and rhythms underlie the movement of water,
whether it be in the sea or in a plant - or in the blood of a human being?
…”certain archetypal forms of movement may be found in all
flowing media, regardless of their chemical composition.”
(Theodor Schwenk)
jellyfish
ink injected
in water

18. BEHAVIOR OF
FREE WATER IN
THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
What is the shape of organisms
who live in water?
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

19. How does water want to be moved?

20. O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
OH
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
O
H
H
Emilio Del Giudice and Giuliano Preparata
COHERENT DOMAIN
BULK WATER
Electromagnetic Field
Electromagnetic Field
How water molecules interact?
WATER
BEHAVIOUR AT
MOLECULAR
LEVEL
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
The SD methodology drove the whole research project
through an intense exploration of the complex
properties of liquid water touching a variety of
disciplines from physics to chemistry until
bioengineering and medicine that has opened the
frontiers to a more holistic understanding of water.
In particular the recent hypothesis about the liquid
water biphasic structure according to quantum field
theory (E. Del Giudice, et. al.) and the evidence of the so
called Exclusion Zone (EZ) in the vicinity of hydrophilic
surfaces (G. Pollack, et.al.) inspired the concept of water
as a dissipative structre in which the molecules social
behavior can teach us something really interesting
about the dynamic of a complex system.

21. H+
H+
H+
HYDROGEN
H3
O2
X 6 = 3
X 6 = 2OXYGEN
Net Charge: -1
H+
H+
H+
O--
O--
O--
O--
O--
O--
1/3
1/2
Exclusion Zone Water
EZ Nucleating material
Bulk Water
100 um
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
Exclusion Zone (EZ) in the vicinity of hydrophilic surfaces (G. Pollack, et.al.)

22. WATER
as Complex System
MATRIX of life
Self-Organisation
Biological
Information
Sensitive
Organ
Sensitivity to
external stimuli
Self-cleaning
ability
INTERFACIAL
WATER
WATER
MOVEMENT
BIPHASIC
STRUCTURE
ENERGY
CONTENT
What I’ve learned about water?
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

23. VORTEX
TECHNOLOGY
EXCLUSION
ZONE
INNOVATIVE WATER TREATMENT
LAB TESTING
THE VALUE OF
WATER IN THE
HISTORY
BEHAVIOR OF
FREE WATER IN
THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
WATER
BEHAVIOR AT
MOLECULAR
LEVEL
UNDERSTANDING WATER
Water for domestic
purposes
CURRENT
SITUATION
WATER
TODAY
HOLISTIC DIAGNOSIS
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
Methodology
WATER
TODAY
WATER QUALITY
PARAMETER
ASSESSMENT
WATER
QUALITY
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

24. EXCLUSION
ZONE
NAFION
BULK WATER
EZ WATER
EZ WATER
IN-PUT
CONCENTRATED FRACTION
DILUTED FRACTION
OUT-PUT
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
During the PhD program I had the opportunity to collaborate with
the Pollack Laboratory at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
in order to develop an innovative membrane-less water purification
system based on the Exclusion Zone (EZ) phenomenon. The
purification technology based on the EZ phenomenon has a high
innovation rate since the purification occurs without any physical
filter, which obviates the need for filter replacement or cleaning.

25. EXCLUSION
ZONE
120
100
80
μScm-1
60
40
20
0
EZBULK EZBULK OUTPUTINPUT
Conductivity measurements [μS cm-1]
- 86%
- 91%
- 26%
0,09
0,08
0,07
0,06
0,05
Abs
0,04
0,03
0,02
0,01
0
Natural Organic Matter (UV 254)
- 21%
EZBULK EZBULK OUTPUTINPUT
- 45%
- 43%
1,8
1,6
1,4
1,2
1
NTU
0,8
0,6
0,4
0,2
0
- 47%
EZBULK EZBULK OUTPUTINPUT
Turbidity (NTU)
- 52%
- 25%
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

26. VORTEX
TECHNOLOGY
75%
25%
10 l/min
INPUT
DILUTED
CONCENTRATED
SS efficiency separation (< 0,8 g/cm3
)
coffee
coffee ground
TEST
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
concentrationreduction
SS efficiency separation (> 0,8 g/cm3
)
coffee
TEST
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0
concentrationreduction
SUSPENDED SOLIDS SEPARATION
- 60%
Turbidity (NTU)Natural Organic Matter
(UV 254)
- 43%
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
I’ve also experienced the vortex technology
to clean out suspended solids without any
physical barrier or chemical agent.
Lab testing have proved a separation of Suspended Solids over
the 96-98% in a single pass

27. VORTEX
TECHNOLOGY
PLANT GROWTH EXPERIMENT
Dry Mass [gr.]
3
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
Copper vortex
Free vortex
Control
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

28. VORTEX
TECHNOLOGY
EXCLUSION
ZONE
INNOVATIVE WATER TREATMENT
LAB TESTING
THE VALUE OF
WATER IN THE
HISTORY
BEHAVIOR OF
FREE WATER IN
THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
WATER
BEHAVIOR AT
MOLECULAR
LEVEL
UNDERSTANDING WATER
Water for domestic
purposes
CURRENT
SITUATION
WATER
TODAY
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
Methodology
SYSTEMIC
PERSPECTIVE
WATER
TODAY
WATER QUALITY
PARAMETER
ASSESSMENT
WATER
QUALITY
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

29. According to this systemic vision, water has been interpreted as an open
and self-regulating living system, an interpretation at the basis of the
recognition of some peculiar properties of water such as the ability to
carry information, to self depurate and structure itself in relation to the
stimuli received: the recognition of the intelligence of water, something
that goes beyond what the chemical formula H2
O can express.
How does water want to be treated?
RE THINKING WATER FLOW AND TREATMENT WITHIN THE HOUSE
SYSTEMIC
PERSPECTIVE
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

30. RE THINKING WATER FLOW AND TREATMENT WITHIN THE HOUSE
SYSTEMIC
PERSPECTIVE
ACTIVITY
#1
ACTIVITY
#2
SPECIFIC QUALITY of
WATER as Input
WATER
TREATMENT
QUALITY of
WATER as Output
QUALITY of “SOLUTES”
eg. food, detergents, etc.
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

31. 15
SPRING
WATER COOKING
and
DRINKING
DRY
WC
WATER
STORAGE
PERSONAL
CARE
WASHING
PHYTODEPURATION
PLANT GROWTH
CLEANING
OTHER
SOURCES
METEORIC
WATER
RE THINKING WATER FLOW AND TREATMENT WITHIN THE HOUSE
15
liter/day
SYSTEMIC
PERSPECTIVE
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017
The research started from the exploration of the
liquid water abilities in self-cleaning and
self-organization at molecular level, and leaded
to the design of a water system that drastically
reconsiders the water usage at domestic level.
The new house system is here considered as a
"living organism" where water is treated using
membrane-less and chemical-free purification
modules that take advantages of the
spontaneous solutes rejection in the vicinity of
some hydrophilic surfaces or in a free-vortex.

32. BULK WATER
EZ WATER
EZ WATER
VORTEX PRE-TREATMENT
SUSPENDED SOLIDS SEPARATION
STORAGE
EGG-SHAPE CONTAINER
PURIFICATION
VORTEX WATER and
EXCLUSION ZONE
TREATMENT
VORTEX
TREATMENT WITH
VORTEX TECHNOLOGY
FLOW FORM
TREATMENT WITH
VORTEX TECHNOLOGY
15
SPRING
WATER COOKING
and
DRINKING
DRY
WC
WATER
STORAGE
PERSONAL
CARE
WASHING
PHYTODEPURATION
PLANT GROWTH
CLEANING
OTHER
SOURCES
METEORIC
WATER
15
liter/day
RE THINKING WATER FLOW AND TREATMENT WITHIN THE HOUSE
SYSTEMIC
PERSPECTIVE
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

33. "The true foundation of all culture is the knowledge
and understanding of water. Water is the substance or
cause of all creation and for this reason is the original
accumulator, which readily absorbs both earthly and
cosmic substances and conveys them to the body in a
purely objective form. This must be done in such a
way that the attributes will in no way be modified and
that change as such can only first come about in the
effect, which the organically correctly structured body
mediates and imparts. For this reason a good spirit
dwells in a healthy body. Conversely a body full of
vitality can be created, maintained and further
developed by healing the inhering spirit."
Viktor Shauberger
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017

34. Thank you for
your attention
Dario Toso, PhD
info@dariotoso.it
Dario Toso | RSD6, Oslo 2017