I got it working by using a difference in head lift. Build a series of liquid storages, one on top of the other; hook them up in series. Connect fresh water to the bottom of the tower. Make sure that the fresh water line doesn’t have enough head lift to fill the highest container (you can move your pumps back or make the tower taller to do this). Connect waste water to the tower, with plenty of head lift. When the water level is below the limit of the fresh pump, both fresh water and waste water can enter the tower, and it gradually increases. When the water level is above the limit, fresh water stalls but waste water can still enter, and the water level decreases. As a result, the water level hovers around the limit, and your machines can keep running.

A simpler method with just limiting fresh input with a valve will stop working if the machines aren’t producing constantly, since the pumps will keep bringing in fresh water and fill the pipe when the machines are idle.

I think the fan edit is way better. First of all, the red lips add some much needed contrast to her face. The original makes her all green except for her eyes, which are mostly white and black. The red helps make the green appear more significant and distinct. I think they should change the background too for the same reason.

Hiding the eyes does dehumanize her, but that’s a good thing here. It makes her look sinister, and ascribes some character to her. The smile also helps. Her expression is so blank in the original that you can’t get any idea of what this character is. The fan edit tells a story, where the original is just a person.