News Climate

Even desert cities could pull drinking water from the air 

A water harvesting method long used by small desert communities could scale up for cities

A photograph of Alto Hospicio in Chile's Atacama Desert.

Large-scale fog water harvesting has the potential to relieve water stress at Alto Hospicio, a fast-growing city in Chile’s Atacama Desert, researchers say.

Dr. Virginia Carter Gamberini

By Carolyn Gramling

Rural communities in arid regions have harvested tiny droplets of fog for years as a source of fresh drinking water. Now, researchers say that fog water can be a practical supplement to stave off water stress for larger desert cities.