The Atacama Desert Is One of the Driest Places on Earth. Despite This, Scientists Are Trying to Extract Water From Its Air

Oceans and seas contain more than 96.5% of the water on our planet, according to estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey. In contrast, the atmosphere holds a mere 0.001% of this total. Clouds, fog, and moisture in the air represent around 3,100 cubic miles, which accounts for 0.04% of the planet’s fresh water.

In drought-prone areas, every drop of water can be crucial.

Harvesting water from fog. In a study published in Frontiers in Environmental Science, researchers successfully tested a method for harvesting water from fog. The system can collect between 8 and 204 gallons of water per square foot per day.

Arid area. To evaluate this method, the research team focused on Alto Hospicio, a municipality in the Atacama Desert in Chile. This region is known for having some of the Earth’s driest areas, with rainfall averaging barely one millimeter per year.

The city depends on underground aquifers for its water supply. However, these aquifers haven’t been adequately recharged for between 10,000 and 17,000 years. As the city grows rapidly, around 10,000 residents live in informal settlements. Moreover, many of them lack access to a reliable water supply.

“The collection and use of water, especially from non-conventional sources such as fog water, represents a key opportunity to improve the quality of life of inhabitants,” author Virginia Carter Gamberini said in a press release.

A “new” method... The study demonstrated the potential of this technology. Over the course of a year, the research team tested these mechanisms in the city of Alto Hospicio, achieving yields of between 8 and 204 gallons per square foot per day. Notably, during peak season between August and September 2024, researchers reached more than 400 gallons per square foot per day.

“This research represents a notable shift in the perception of fog water use–from rural, rather small-scale solution to a practical water resource for cities,” Carter Gamberini pointed out. She added, “Our findings demonstrate that fog can serve as a complementary urban water supply in drylands where climate change exacerbates water shortages.”

However, researchers acknowledge some limitations of the mechanism. One notable constraint is its applicability, which is restricted to high elevations outside city limits.

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…that isn’t so new. Carter Gamberini also explained that fog water harvesting isn’t a completely new concept, but it may be a convenient method to implement in the current context.

Fog water harvesting systems like the one used in the study allow moisture-laden air to pass through a fine mesh. Some of this moisture adheres to the mesh’s fibers and then drips into a pipe that directs it to a storage tank. The water collected in the tank can be used for several purposes, including human consumption and agriculture.

Lessons learned. The feasibility of fog water harvesting is influenced by the geographical characteristics of the area. As such, both climate and orography can affect the effectiveness of this method.

Image | Sandro Meier

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