Collecting water from mountain fog

Giant nets intercept moving fog.

Credit: WaterAid / Newah

For many communities living in the hills of Nepal, collecting water is a full time occupation. Having settled high on ridgelines above suitable fresh water sources, many women and children spend up to six hours a day carrying water from springs at lower elevations.

To ease this burden, WaterAid's partner organisation Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) have pioneered a new technology that collects fresh water from an unlikely source: fog.

A steady trickle of fresh water is captured from the morning fog.

Credit: WaterAid / Newah

In Eastern Nepal, the environment is characterised by the presence of water laden fog which forms in the summer months.

Atmospheric water is abundant and clean so fog represents a viable water source that can be collected with simple, passive technology.

Giant mesh nets suspended on ridgelines intercept moving fog, and millions of water droplets trickle down into tanks that can be accessed by villagers. So far three communities in Eastern Nepal have benefited from this new technology, collecting as much as 5,000 litres of fresh water per day for drinking and sanitation.

As a result, foggy days can save the communities from the drudgery of their treks down steep terrain for water.

"If the fog stays like this for three hours then today I won't have to go to fetch water" says Chandra Maya Limbu of Dhoje Danda in Dhankuta.

With the time saved from water collection, communities can pursue other income generating activities, and children have increased time to devote to studies.

A woman collects fresh water from beneath the mesh screens.

Credit: WaterAid / Newah

Due to the simple technology, fog collection systems can be managed by the communities themselves. Community project management committees are locally elected to oversee operation and maintenance and caretakers are trained to carry out repairs and maintenance, ensuring that the benefits of the fog water system last well into the future.

A recent study by NEWAH highlighted the potential for expansion of this technology to other hill communities, and new projects are currently in development. WaterAid is jointly funding these activities.

For more information download NEWAH's leaflet Fog Water Collection in Nepal ( PDF 96Kb)