Towing icebergs and catching fog from the air are among ideas governments are considering and practicing to solve water scarcity.
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Credit
Confronting Water Shortages
Satellite imagery of Chennai that circulated across the internet in June starkly demonstrates how drought is affecting the Indian city. The pictures show how the reserves that provide the city with most of its water are nearly dry, contributing to a water scarcity crisis that has hit the 7 million residents hard.
The images from Chennai highlight how water scarcity is reaching into a growing number of countries. An estimated 600 million people across India face high to extreme water stress, according to a 2018 report by NITI Aayog, a think tank affiliated with the government. More than 2 billion people in 53 countries are experiencing high water stress, according to a report from the United Nations released earlier this year.
To combat these crises, many countries are taking measures to conserve water and find solutions to ongoing droughts. And while many of the measures are conventional strategies, from restricting public consumption of water to fixing faulty pipe systems, some of the solutions that have been proposed or implemented have been more creative. Here are five unusual solutions to global water shortages.
Next: Towing Icebergs
2/9
Towing Icebergs
The 2017-18 water shortage in Cape Town, South Africa was one of the worst in recent memory, attracting international attention as people tried to find solutions to the crisis before the city would be forced to shut down its water taps. One idea that was considered by experts was the unusual plan to tow an iceberg from Antarctica across 2,500 miles as a new freshwater source for the struggling region, according to Bloomberg.
Nick Sloane, an expert in marine salvage, came up with the idea, and although the crisis was ultimately averted, concerns about South Africa’s water supply remain and he is still planning to carry out the idea. The project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million, would use two tugboats to encircle an iceberg in a net fashioned with the supermaterial dyneema. The iceberg would then be towed by tankers to South Africa’s western coast, where it would be harvested for fresh drinking water. Sloane is currently working on developing a deal with South Africa to sell the water to them.
1/9
Credit
Confronting Water Shortages
Satellite imagery of Chennai that circulated across the internet in June starkly demonstrates how drought is affecting the Indian city. The pictures show how the reserves that provide the city with most of its water are nearly dry, contributing to a water scarcity crisis that has hit the 7 million residents hard.
The images from Chennai highlight how water scarcity is reaching into a growing number of countries. An estimated 600 million people across India face high to extreme water stress, according to a 2018 report by NITI Aayog, a think tank affiliated with the government. More than 2 billion people in 53 countries are experiencing high water stress, according to a report from the United Nations released earlier this year.
To combat these crises, many countries are taking measures to conserve water and find solutions to ongoing droughts. And while many of the measures are conventional strategies, from restricting public consumption of water to fixing faulty pipe systems, some of the solutions that have been proposed or implemented have been more creative. Here are five unusual solutions to global water shortages.
Next:Towing Icebergs
2/9
Towing Icebergs
The 2017-18 water shortage in Cape Town, South Africa was one of the worst in recent memory, attracting international attention as people tried to find solutions to the crisis before the city would be forced to shut down its water taps. One idea that was considered by experts was the unusual plan to tow an iceberg from Antarctica across 2,500 miles as a new freshwater source for the struggling region, according to Bloomberg.
Nick Sloane, an expert in marine salvage, came up with the idea, and although the crisis was ultimately averted, concerns about South Africa’s water supply remain and he is still planning to carry out the idea. The project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million, would use two tugboats to encircle an iceberg in a net fashioned with the supermaterial dyneema. The iceberg would then be towed by tankers to South Africa’s western coast, where it would be harvested for fresh drinking water. Sloane is currently working on developing a deal with South Africa to sell the water to them.
Next: Moroccan Fog Catchers
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Moroccan Fog Catchers
Since 2013, Morocco has been utilizing a system of nets that catches fog and converts it to water, in response to climate change and a lack of rainfall in the Southern Moroccan region. According to New York Magazine, the fog nets, which were developed by the sustainability non-profit Dar Si Hmad, are installed in the Mount Boutmezguida region, where fog is periodic.
Condensation builds up in the mesh netting and collects in troughs directly under the nets, which is then transported via a piping system. The nets have been greatly beneficial for Morocco; 800 people in 15 nearby villages receive water pumped from the nets.
1/9
Credit
Confronting Water Shortages
Satellite imagery of Chennai that circulated across the internet in June starkly demonstrates how drought is affecting the Indian city. The pictures show how the reserves that provide the city with most of its water are nearly dry, contributing to a water scarcity crisis that has hit the 7 million residents hard.
The images from Chennai highlight how water scarcity is reaching into a growing number of countries. An estimated 600 million people across India face high to extreme water stress, according to a 2018 report by NITI Aayog, a think tank affiliated with the government. More than 2 billion people in 53 countries are experiencing high water stress, according to a report from the United Nations released earlier this year.
To combat these crises, many countries are taking measures to conserve water and find solutions to ongoing droughts. And while many of the measures are conventional strategies, from restricting public consumption of water to fixing faulty pipe systems, some of the solutions that have been proposed or implemented have been more creative. Here are five unusual solutions to global water shortages.
Next:Towing Icebergs
2/9
Credit
Towing Icebergs
The 2017-18 water shortage in Cape Town, South Africa was one of the worst in recent memory, attracting international attention as people tried to find solutions to the crisis before the city would be forced to shut down its water taps. One idea that was considered by experts was the unusual plan to tow an iceberg from Antarctica across 2,500 miles as a new freshwater source for the struggling region, according to Bloomberg.
Nick Sloane, an expert in marine salvage, came up with the idea, and although the crisis was ultimately averted, concerns about South Africa’s water supply remain and he is still planning to carry out the idea. The project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million, would use two tugboats to encircle an iceberg in a net fashioned with the supermaterial dyneema. The iceberg would then be towed by tankers to South Africa’s western coast, where it would be harvested for fresh drinking water. Sloane is currently working on developing a deal with South Africa to sell the water to them.
Next:Moroccan Fog Catchers
3/9
Credit
Moroccan Fog Catchers
Since 2013, Morocco has been utilizing a system of nets that catches fog and converts it to water, in response to climate change and a lack of rainfall in the Southern Moroccan region. According to New York Magazine, the fog nets, which were developed by the sustainability non-profit Dar Si Hmad, are installed in the Mount Boutmezguida region, where fog is periodic.
Condensation builds up in the mesh netting and collects in troughs directly under the nets, which is then transported via a piping system. The nets have been greatly beneficial for Morocco; 800 people in 15 nearby villages receive water pumped from the nets.
Next: Solar-Powered Irrigation
4/9
Solar-Powered Irrigation
One group hit hard by the recent Indian droughts are farmers, who frequently struggle to find water for their crops. A company called Khethworks, which started as a project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is located in the city of Pune, aims to help farmers through their solar-powered irrigation system. According to the company, switching from diesel irrigation methods to the solar-powered irrigation system will increase a farmer’s annual profits by 170 percent.
1/9
Credit
Confronting Water Shortages
Satellite imagery of Chennai that circulated across the internet in June starkly demonstrates how drought is affecting the Indian city. The pictures show how the reserves that provide the city with most of its water are nearly dry, contributing to a water scarcity crisis that has hit the 7 million residents hard.
The images from Chennai highlight how water scarcity is reaching into a growing number of countries. An estimated 600 million people across India face high to extreme water stress, according to a 2018 report by NITI Aayog, a think tank affiliated with the government. More than 2 billion people in 53 countries are experiencing high water stress, according to a report from the United Nations released earlier this year.
To combat these crises, many countries are taking measures to conserve water and find solutions to ongoing droughts. And while many of the measures are conventional strategies, from restricting public consumption of water to fixing faulty pipe systems, some of the solutions that have been proposed or implemented have been more creative. Here are five unusual solutions to global water shortages.
Next:Towing Icebergs
2/9
Credit
Towing Icebergs
The 2017-18 water shortage in Cape Town, South Africa was one of the worst in recent memory, attracting international attention as people tried to find solutions to the crisis before the city would be forced to shut down its water taps. One idea that was considered by experts was the unusual plan to tow an iceberg from Antarctica across 2,500 miles as a new freshwater source for the struggling region, according to Bloomberg.
Nick Sloane, an expert in marine salvage, came up with the idea, and although the crisis was ultimately averted, concerns about South Africa’s water supply remain and he is still planning to carry out the idea. The project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million, would use two tugboats to encircle an iceberg in a net fashioned with the supermaterial dyneema. The iceberg would then be towed by tankers to South Africa’s western coast, where it would be harvested for fresh drinking water. Sloane is currently working on developing a deal with South Africa to sell the water to them.
Next:Moroccan Fog Catchers
3/9
Credit
Moroccan Fog Catchers
Since 2013, Morocco has been utilizing a system of nets that catches fog and converts it to water, in response to climate change and a lack of rainfall in the Southern Moroccan region. According to New York Magazine, the fog nets, which were developed by the sustainability non-profit Dar Si Hmad, are installed in the Mount Boutmezguida region, where fog is periodic.
Condensation builds up in the mesh netting and collects in troughs directly under the nets, which is then transported via a piping system. The nets have been greatly beneficial for Morocco; 800 people in 15 nearby villages receive water pumped from the nets.
Next: Solar-Powered Irrigation
4/9
Credit
Solar-Powered Irrigation
One group hit hard by the recent Indian droughts are farmers, who frequently struggle to find water for their crops. A company called Khethworks, which started as a project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is located in the city of Pune, aims to help farmers through their solar-powered irrigation system. According to the company, switching from diesel irrigation methods to the solar-powered irrigation system will increase a farmer’s annual profits by 170 percent.
Next: Filtering Salt Out of Seawater
5/9
Filtering Salt Out of Seawater
In 2018, scientists at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Sydney developed a filter that will help desalinate water. The filtration system is made out of graphene, a material that researchers describe as being more effective at separating multiple contaminants from water. The researchers are hoping to find partners to help scale the technology so it can be used for household and urban water filtration.
1/9
Credit
Confronting Water Shortages
Satellite imagery of Chennai that circulated across the internet in June starkly demonstrates how drought is affecting the Indian city. The pictures show how the reserves that provide the city with most of its water are nearly dry, contributing to a water scarcity crisis that has hit the 7 million residents hard.
The images from Chennai highlight how water scarcity is reaching into a growing number of countries. An estimated 600 million people across India face high to extreme water stress, according to a 2018 report by NITI Aayog, a think tank affiliated with the government. More than 2 billion people in 53 countries are experiencing high water stress, according to a report from the United Nations released earlier this year.
To combat these crises, many countries are taking measures to conserve water and find solutions to ongoing droughts. And while many of the measures are conventional strategies, from restricting public consumption of water to fixing faulty pipe systems, some of the solutions that have been proposed or implemented have been more creative. Here are five unusual solutions to global water shortages.
Next:Towing Icebergs
2/9
Credit
Towing Icebergs
The 2017-18 water shortage in Cape Town, South Africa was one of the worst in recent memory, attracting international attention as people tried to find solutions to the crisis before the city would be forced to shut down its water taps. One idea that was considered by experts was the unusual plan to tow an iceberg from Antarctica across 2,500 miles as a new freshwater source for the struggling region, according to Bloomberg.
Nick Sloane, an expert in marine salvage, came up with the idea, and although the crisis was ultimately averted, concerns about South Africa’s water supply remain and he is still planning to carry out the idea. The project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million, would use two tugboats to encircle an iceberg in a net fashioned with the supermaterial dyneema. The iceberg would then be towed by tankers to South Africa’s western coast, where it would be harvested for fresh drinking water. Sloane is currently working on developing a deal with South Africa to sell the water to them.
Next:Moroccan Fog Catchers
3/9
Credit
Moroccan Fog Catchers
Since 2013, Morocco has been utilizing a system of nets that catches fog and converts it to water, in response to climate change and a lack of rainfall in the Southern Moroccan region. According to New York Magazine, the fog nets, which were developed by the sustainability non-profit Dar Si Hmad, are installed in the Mount Boutmezguida region, where fog is periodic.
Condensation builds up in the mesh netting and collects in troughs directly under the nets, which is then transported via a piping system. The nets have been greatly beneficial for Morocco; 800 people in 15 nearby villages receive water pumped from the nets.
Next:Solar-Powered Irrigation
4/9
Credit
Solar-Powered Irrigation
One group hit hard by the recent Indian droughts are farmers, who frequently struggle to find water for their crops. A company called Khethworks, which started as a project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is located in the city of Pune, aims to help farmers through their solar-powered irrigation system. According to the company, switching from diesel irrigation methods to the solar-powered irrigation system will increase a farmer’s annual profits by 170 percent.
Next:Filtering Salt Out of Seawater
5/9
Credit
Filtering Salt Out of Seawater
In 2018, scientists at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Sydney developed a filter that will help desalinate water. The filtration system is made out of graphene, a material that researchers describe as being more effective at separating multiple contaminants from water. The researchers are hoping to find partners to help scale the technology so it can be used for household and urban water filtration.
Next: Recovering Water from Power Plants
6/9
Recovering Water from Power Plants
Infinite Cooling is a U.S based company that started at MIT that seeks to recover water from power plants’ cooling tower exhausts. According to the company, power plants use nearly 39% of the country’s total water withdrawals. Their patent-pending technology uses electric fields to capture the water from the plumes leaving the towers. The company says this technology will reduce the water wasted by plants by 20-30%.
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