Peru – Lima: CloudFisher

Asociación PROFAM in Santa Rosa near Lima

Background

In Peru, reliable water connections are rare outside of urban centers. Despite the proximity of the community Asociación PROFAM to the capital city Lima, no water system is available. The population uses plastic tanks to store the water supplied by the water trucks; as there is no government control of the water delivered, the water purchased is often unclean. This water delivery system is expensive, and can cost up to 20% of a family’s monthly income. The water trucks come at irregular times, which requires a family member wait at home, missing work or school hours, just to make sure water can be delivered. Schools face the same challenges and hygiene risks with water from tank trucks.

The inadequate and often contaminated water contributes to health problems and limits the local livelihoods. Children under the age of 5 are particularly vulnerable, and the poor water quality contributes to high rates of illness and mortality. The limited water supply also means that hygiene standards are low, which increases the risk of parasites, diarrheal diseases and malnutrition.

With the city experiencing heavy fog for over 6 months of the year, conditions are ideal for a CloudFisher system to address the persistent lack of potable water.

After many years of research, the WaterFoundation has developed the CloudFisher, an effective and durable fog collector to convert moisture from the air into clean drinking water in areas with high fog density. It is the first fog collector that can withstand high wind speeds and has the additional advantages of easy installation, low maintenance and no energy requirements. 

Project Location

The project is being conducted at the Asociación PROFAM site in Santa Rosa, a coastal community north of Lima. The site was selected due to the community’s water needs and ideal geographic and climatic environmental conditions. The region experiences a lot of fog due to the southeast Pacific anticyclone, strong trade winds, thermal inversion, and high altitude. 

Project Beneficiaries

Around 310 families (with approximately 730 people) and 345 students will benefit from the use of CloudFisher technology. Not only will they have improved access to drinking water, but they will also actively participate in the production of nutritious vegetables by using the surplus water. Another 7,050 families will indirectly benefit from the project water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) training activities and access to community water points.

Project Goal

CloudFisher technology will transform the lives of people in Santa Rosa by providing them with continuous access to water, which will lead to sustainable improvements in their nutrition and health.

Project Activities

• Conducting tests over a 9-month period to determine locations for optimal water collection
• Installation of 37 CloudFisher fog collectors.
• Construction of water storage and distribution system, including water collection points in the community to ensure easy access to water
• Construction of 2 greenhouses and supporting the development of family gardens to use excess water to grow nutrient-rich crops for local consumption
• Conducting nutrition education sessions to promote the use of the vegetables grown and the importance of a varied diet for good health
• Training local water committees to ensure ongoing maintenance of the CloudFisher facility and water system

Local Partner Organization

The non-governmental organization APRODES was founded in 1997 and implements development projects with a focus on sustainability. Its projects focus on environmental, economic and social development and bring together community members, local organizations, public and private institutions in 19 districts of Peru. At the proposed test site, there is an APRODES office with staff who have expertise in hydrology, water management and collection, sanitation, and health. The organization has hands-on experience with fog harvesting projects, which have become a specialty of their work.