In the heart of the Atacama Desert, where water is as scarce as rain, a new study is making waves in the water, sanitation, and drainage industry. Virginia Carter, a researcher from the Escuela de Gobierno y Administración Pública at Universidad Mayor in Santiago, Chile, has been exploring an unconventional solution to water scarcity in arid urban lands. Her research, published in ‘Frontiers in Environmental Science’ (translated to ‘Frontiers in Environmental Science’), focuses on Alto Hospicio (AH), a city where the main source of drinking water comes from underground aquifers, last recharged about 10,000 years ago.
Carter’s study, which assesses the potential of fog water collection, offers a glimmer of hope for cities grappling with water scarcity. The research uses two methods: in-situ data collection using Standard Fog Collectors (SFCs) and the AMARU model, which estimates fog collection in space and time. The findings are compelling. Fog water collection is feasible in the northeast and southeast areas surrounding the city, where fog collection rates reach up to 10 liters per square meter per day.
This discovery could revolutionize water management strategies in arid urban lands. “Fog water has the potential to serve as an effective alternative water source for populations lacking access to drinking water from a public water source, and for activities such as irrigation of urban green spaces, human consumption, and hydroponic farming,” Carter explains. This could significantly impact the energy sector, as water is a critical resource for energy production. By providing an alternative water source, fog collection could reduce the strain on traditional water supplies, ensuring a more stable and sustainable energy sector.
The implications of this research are vast. As cities continue to grow and water demand outpaces supply, non-renewable water systems exacerbate social inequalities. Carter’s study offers a pathway to rethinking water management strategies from nonconventional resources. “Incorporating atmospheric water into local city policies and promoting further research on estimating the fog water potential in the AH metropolitan zone are key recommendations for policymakers,” Carter advises.
The study’s findings could shape future developments in the field, encouraging more research into atmospheric water collection and its potential as a complementary urban water supply. As cities continue to grapple with water scarcity, fog collection could become a vital tool in the water management toolkit. The energy sector, in particular, could benefit from this research, as it seeks to ensure a stable and sustainable water supply for energy production.
