I haven't been able to figure out how to keep my older GE washer (wwa7050b) from spilling water while filling. It seems to have a weird blue device whose job it is to spill water on the floor -- see the attached image. The fill valve attaches to this device with a hose, and another hose runs from this device to the washer tub to fill it with water.

But this thing is open to the air, with a hole in the side of it where water overflows onto the ground while the things fills.

At first I though, "Oh, ok. I guess this is the way they regulate the fill rate on this washer -- I guess I need to turn down the faucets that hook up to the fill valve until it stops leaking." But it never stops leaking, unless maybe I turn the water down to a tiiiiiiny trickle, which seems way too little water.

Can anyone explain this thing to me?

thank you!
-dan