IMPLEMENTATION OF A PILOT SYSTEM FOR HARVESTING FOG WATER FOR A SINGLE FAMILY SOLUTION IN THE “RINCON DE LA VITTORIA”

Abstract

The constant contamination of natural resources and the effect of climate change are the factors that generate water deficits in many countries of the world. In Tarija, Bolivia, the provision of water for human consumption is increasingly critical due to the contamination of various water sources. The use and application of cheap and easy-to-operate technologies and mechanisms are a solution that allows the generation of more significant volumes of water to reduce the water deficit; the harvesting of water from the mist is one of these technologies that makes it possible to improve the supply of water in dispersed family nuclei and rural areas. This work shows the results achieved in an experimental pilot process for implementing water harvesting from dew and fog in the Rincón de la Vittoria area of the Department of Tarija, Bolivia. The prototype, which consists of a 1.5 m2 frame with a plastic mesh placed at the height of 2.5 m from the ground, shows that it can capture up to 15% of the average daily supply required by Bolivian Regulations for the design of drinking water systems, being a viable alternative to reduce the water deficit.