Thingswater

Thingswater is a neologism used in online discussion and some design discourse to describe the intersection of water and ordinary objects—the ways water and artifacts relate, co-occur, or influence one another. The term is not standardized and has no single formal definition, and it is often used descriptively rather than as a field name.

In practice, thingswater can refer to collections or inventories of water-related objects such as vessels, pumps, and filtration devices; to analyses of how water interacts with objects during use (spillage, corrosion, diffusion); or to design approaches that integrate water as a functional or aesthetic component.

In maker communities and contemporary art, thingswater appears in projects that document or repurpose water-related artifacts. In sustainability and product design, the term may guide discussions about lifecycle, stewardship of water resources, and material choices that influence water footprint.

Because it is informal and flexible, the term can be ambiguous; readers should rely on context for precise meaning. Related topics include water, water art, sustainability, and the circular economy.