CloudFisher turn fog into drinking water

Continuous access to clean water for children in Santa Rosa

Among other things, Peru is known for its sand dunes. "Sandboarding", similar to snowboarding, is a popular pastime among tourists here. But the desert was not always the dominant feature of the landscape in Peru. A spectacular find proves that a long time ago it looked differently here: The 36-million-year-old skull of a gigantic prehistoric whale was discovered (Der Spiegel, 2022). Today, nature has to be inventive to cope with the lack of water. As in the case of the fog drinker beetle, which is only 2 centimetres in size. It stands with its head down in the misty clouds that drift across the desert from the sea. The moisture condenses on its back and runs down narrow channels to its mouthparts in 5 mm drops. In this way, it can absorb an amount of water equivalent to 40% of its weight (enorm, 2022). In Peru, especially in the dry region around Lima, obtaining and storing water is important for the population. (Oxfam Peru, 2022).

Background

The CloudFisher fog collectors imitate the fog drinker beetle and transform moisture from the air into clean water in dry areas with a lot of fog. This would also be possible in the coastal town of Santa Rosa. There is enough fog in this poor settlement near Lima. Santa Rosa is currently not connected to the drinking water supply, and the municipality has no plans to provide water in the future either. The Peruvian capital Lima itself is one of the driest cities in the world. Despite this, over 8 million people live here and in the surrounding districts – in a desert where annual rainfall is only 9 millimetres (Oxfam Peru, 2022). Due to uneven water distribution, Peru is considered one of the most water insecure countries in the world (UNESCO; Americas Quarterly, 2022). Generally, only rich neighbourhoods are connected to a water supply system. In Santa Rosa, people have to buy expensive and often polluted water from tanker trucks. For this, they pay about 20% of their monthly income – significantly more than the rich pay for their tap water (Circle of Blue; INEI, Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica, 2017). The tankers are not subject to government oversight to check their purity and quality. Poor water quality and inadequate hygiene practices lead to diarrhoeal diseases and parasite infestations among the poorer population. Moreover, the school children have too little to eat because, among other things, there is no water for cooking, which has a detrimental effect on their physical and mental development. The water from the fog collectors will improve the situation for the children in Santa Rosa in the long term. The collected fog water runs through channels into water pipes that lead to the water collection stations at two schools. There it can be reliably tapped. Surplus water is stored in a cistern to be used during the months when there is less fog.

The good deed

The installed CloudFisher fog collectors give children at two schools in Santa Rosa, Profam - north of Lima - reliable access to clean water. They also learn how to use the precious resource wisely and sustainably and are taught hygiene practices. After all, proper hand washing helps to prevent the transmission of diseases. If there is any water left over from the CloudFisher nets, it is used to water the plants in the school gardens. This way, enough fresh and nutritious vegetables can be prepared in the school kitchens. In training sessions, the children learn how important a varied diet is for their health. All in all, thanks to your good deed, the children eat healthier, have clean drinking water, get sick less often and can learn better.