Icebergs and fog to beat global water scarcity

Subject :Environment

Section :climate change

As climate change worsens and with population rising worldwide, water shortages are a top threat to human development and security, making use of unconventional water resources both timely and important.
Unconventional Water Resources involve 5 methods such as:
- Harvesting water from air and ground
- Tapping deep groundwater
- Reusing used water
- Moving water physically
- Developing new water.
Fog harvesting and micro-catchment rainwater harvesting have been marked as low-cost and low-impact methods.
Efficient fog harvesting systems — wherein moisture in fog is collected through rocks, flora or mesh nets — can yield within 20 litres per square metre per day, for a decade.
Micro-catchments, on the other hand, have shown potential for households or farmlands in dry environments with low rainfall.
Icebergs, the world’s largest source for freshwater can be towed to water scarce countries for use.