Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
MIST OPPORTUNITIES
A couple of years ago, while watching CNN, I noticed a simple yet effective way to capture water from fog. It sounds pretty crazy I know, but since then it has always stuck in my head. I had never thought about doing more research because I thought there wouldn’t be any need. Quick reality check: isn’t the Western Cape experiencing its worst drought in more than a century? We need water more than just about anything else right now.
After diving into some pretty amazing research, I noticed that there are proven methods of how we can capture water from a new source such as fog. That being said, the projects I have seen so far are below average. Yes, they still catch water, but I honestly believe we could be capturing a great deal amount more with new materials, technology and recycling.
We are in the process of seeking funding in order for us to create our first fog farm here in the Western Cape. We are looking to set up about a hundred H2O catchers in a pilot project to get the best results in the near future. I firmly believe that, if this fog farm is in the right area, we could supply enough water for small towns. We could possibly even bottle the water.
Based on research that has been done into fog catchers, they have proven to be able to capture anywhere from 100 litres a day all the way through to 10 000 litres a day. It all depends on the sizes and amounts of fog. This is a method of sourcing water and we need this water now. All we need to do is innovate a little and we will witness compelling results.
We are looking at building our H2O catchers in three different dimensions, based on location. We will also be testing different mesh materials used to capture water from fog. These things can take place only once we find the people that can help us achieve this goal.
When this project is a success in the Western Cape, we will proceed into other areas of South Africa and into Africa. Get on this waterway with us and play your part in helping us solve the water crisis in South Africa. GRANT VANDERWAGEN BY EMAIL