Fog collection as a source of fresh water supply in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In order to harvest water contained in fog, the topographical features and the climatic conditions of 27 cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were studied. The topography, altitude and orientation are some of the factors that determined the selection of the site. It was identified that the southwest of the region in the kingdom was the most suitable location for the fog‐collection process. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of fog water collection and the site, three identical standard fog collectors (SFCs) with two different local collection materials were designed and manufactured. Experiments were conducted at two different locations in the area close to Abha, namely Soodha. The maximum amount of water collected was 22.9 L/m2 in a day and 7.25 L/m2 in a 2‐h period. It was found that there was a high probability of fog when the relative humidity was higher than 95%. The results from the chemical analyses of eight sets of fog water samples collected were compared with World Health Organization drinking water standards. It was found that the level of heavy metals was negligible and the level of Fe was marginally high for the first flush only. The study indicates that in terms of both quality and magnitude of yield, fog is a viable source of water and can be successfully used to supplement water supplies in the fog‐prone regions of the kingdom.

Concentration of heavy metals in condensed atmospheric water vapor at three Mexican localities

“…Moreover, the EC values in condensed atmospheric water vapor agree with the report by Gandhidasan and Abualhamayel (2007) and other reports concerning active condensers developed by Bautista et al (2014).…”

“…Similarly, Hg ions were absent in samples collected during the wet season; regardless, this element exceeded the maximum permissible limits determined by the WHO (1994) in those samples where it was detected, especially during the dry season. The concentration of the analyzed ions agrees with reports by Gandhidasan and Abualhamayel (2007) for Arabia, Bautista et al (2014) for Mexico, Patel et al (1998) for India, Joos and Baltensperger (1991) for Switzerland, and Jacob et al (1985Jacob et al ( , 1986 for the USA.…”

“…The pH values obtained in the analysis coincide with reports by Gandhidasan and Abualhamayel (2007) and Bautista et al (2014) stating that the pH value from atmospheric water vapor is within the range of 7.23 and 8.02. However, Kulshrestha et al (2005) report that the average pH value from 10 atmospheric water vapor samples obtained in northeast India was 5.6.…”

“…Igawa et al (1998) state that the ion concentration in atmospheric water vapor depends on air pollution, which is influenced by both natural and industrial sources producing gases and liquid or solid particles in suspension that are transported by the wind (Conner et al, 2001). Schemenauer and Cereceda (1992), Muselli et al (2006), and Gandhidasan and Abualhamayel (2007) note that in addition to the aforementioned factors, ion concentration depends on the material upon which this water vapor condenses. Jacob et al (1985) and Fuzzi et al (1984) declared that air temperature, solar radiation, and altitude have great influence on the concentration of chemical compounds contained in atmospheric water vapor.…”

Exploring Fog Water Harvesting Potential and Quality in the Asir Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“…It was recognized that the Asir region in the Kingdom is the most suitable location for the fog-collection process and could supplement the existing water sources in the region (GANDHIDASAN and ABUALHAMAYEL, 2007;AL-HASSAN, 2009). Prerequisites for the successful implementation of a fog collection project are high incidence of fog, the presence of wind during the fog episode, and a suitable site.…”