Fog Harvesting Nets Bring Clean Water in Chile

Fog catchers make water out of thin air. In one of the driest places on Earth — the Atacama Desert of northern Chile — researchers and envi...

Fog catchers make water out of thin air.

In one of the driest places on Earth — the Atacama Desert of northern Chile — researchers and environmental engineers have found an innovative way to capture water from the air using large mesh nets, a process known as fog harvesting.

The project, led by scientists from the Universidad Católica del Norte and supported by the Chilean government, involves installing vertical mesh panels on hillsides where coastal fog frequently rolls inland from the Pacific Ocean. When tiny water droplets in the fog touch the netting, they condense and trickle down into collection troughs.

Harvesting Fog Help Solve the World’s Water Crisis.

Each square meter of fog-catching net can collect up to 2.5 liters of water per day under optimal conditions. With multiple panels covering large surface areas, entire communities can now obtain a sustainable source of fresh water without the need for groundwater or desalination. The collected water is stored in tanks and used for agriculture, drinking, and hygiene in nearby villages. This is particularly vital in regions where rainfall averages less than 1 mm annually.

How Fog Nets Work

• Fog rolls over the mesh netting during cool mornings or evenings.
• Moisture condenses on the net’s surface fibers.
• Water droplets run down into troughs and are funneled into tanks.
• The water is then filtered and distributed for use.

Technologies like these are now being tested in other arid regions across the globe, including parts of Morocco, Peru, and Namibia. Organizations such as FogQuest have promoted similar systems in underserved areas. Fog harvesting offers a low-cost, low-energy solution to water scarcity in arid climates and provides a model for climate resilience. As climate change intensifies, such adaptive technologies may become essential to ensure water security in drought-prone areas.