Some interesting info I read in the local paper since it's 'water wise' week here. Not saying this would be the same for everyone, but food for thought. "Running a tap for 5 minutes can be equivalent to running a 60 watt bulb for 14 hours". As mentioned, your idea works fine, but as far as efficiency? Folks would have to do a bit of math depending on where they live to see if this method would really be as efficient as an alternative such as a chiller or fan blowing across the water surface.
One way or another you and I (the consumers) end up paying for the power to run the large pumps municipalities, cities or other water providers use to get potable water to our tap. Aside from or regardless of the actual abundance (or scarcity) of water, it still has to be pumped to your house. And in BC, that often means uphill, meaning plenty of head pressure to overcome. All you folks with sumps know what that means. Multiply the fraction of a horsepower of your little pump by several thousand (or more!) and it puts things into perspective. Then there's the issue of how that power is produced, in BC mostly dams, elsewhere.... coal, nuclear.... If you don't have a water meter, the city raises your property tax or the landlord raises the rent to cover his/her expenses.
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