Fog Capture and Its Potential Use Irrigation and Human Consumption, Lima - Peru

Abstract

– Fog catchers could be an alternative to make up for the lack of water in shanty towns, either for irrigation or human consumption. These have demonstrated average catchments of up to 9 l/m 2 /d generated during the winter, and technologies such as baked clay filters can treat any type of water showing high efficiency in the elimination of pathogens, metals and other contaminants. Therefore, the present investigation aimed (1) to determine the volume of water generated by 2 standard fog catchers, (2) to evaluate the quality of collected water with potential use in irrigation, and (3) to evaluate the quality of collected water treated by baked clay filters with potential use for human consumption. Results show that the maximum collected water volume for the two fog catchers are 17.1 l/m 2 /d and 21.1 l/m 2 /d respectively. Characterization of the directly captured fog water sample can be used in irrigation without restriction. Fog water captured and filtered through a clay filter meet maximum permissible limits for human consumption according to peruvian regulations, except for fluoride (1.50 mg F - /L) and pH (10). However, it’s suggested to treat the water with another alternative. Species recommended for shanty towns are Molle serrano ( Schinus molle ), Tara ( Caesalpinia spinosa ) and Tipa ( Tipuana tipu ) because they can adapt to extreme conditions of aridity and stress, and require low amounts of water.