Project to harvest water from fog in the offing

Punjab Forest Dept gets inspiration from successful trials in several countries

LAHORE:

The Punjab Forest Department plans to work on a project to convert fog into water in hilly, desert and other suitable areas for drinking and horticulture needs.

Forest Department Chief Conservator Saqib Mahmood said on Sunday that many countries had been working on the 'fog collector' method for the past 30 years. The experiments have been successful in several countries, including Malaysia, Chile, Peru, Ghana, South Africa, Eritrea, Morocco, the United States and some in the Middle East.

The countries were not only watering plants but also getting drinking water from fog collectors, the official explained.

Though a number of counties were obtaining water for drinking as well as for plants through the method, it was still being done on an experimental basis, he said.

Saqib Mahmood said many countries were getting benefits from the method, but the trial would be the first of its kind in Pakistan.

It will be started as a pilot project and around 100 saplings will be planted. The department had given the green signal to start work on the pilot project, he said, adding that some areas of Rawalpindi were considered to be most suitable for the purpose.

The chief conservator explained, "This method is very successful in areas where the amount of water in fog is high, particularly in hilly areas. The vapours in the air take the form of water droplets and this phenomenon is most observable on thin, flat, exposed objects, including plant leaves and grass blades.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2023.