Water Harvesting in Chile

The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the driest places on earth. The Andes mountains block rain from falling, but the area is often covered with a layer of fog called camanchaca. The fishing village of Caleta Chungungo lies on the edge of the desert and once recieved its water supply from a nearby iron mine. When the mine closed water had to be brought in on trucks and there was never enough for villager’s needs. In order to collect water in the clouds above a fog collecting system was installed near the location of the old mine. Large mesh nets were set up on the slopes, and when the fog hits the mesh the water in the clouds condenses and runs into a trough which collects into a reservoir. The water harvesting system provides the village with potable and irrigation water, enough to meet their needs.

Source: Smithsonian