Extracting freshwater from the air is the only way to meet all our freshwater needs

The Earth has a finite amount freshwater and nature has made sure that we do not run out of it. We can waste freshwater, contaminate it and misuse it but we cannot destroy even a drop of it. All we can do and have done is tap its supply to the extent that our demand exceeds nature's freshwater supply.  


The Water Cycle

The Hydrological Cycle
Source - Britannica.com

Known in scientific circles as the Hydrological Cycle, this cycle continuously delivers freshwater into the atmosphere, rivers, streams, lakes and underground aquifers. This renewing supply is a continuous one and mankind has developed ways to extract freshwater from every source except the atmosphere. 


Freshwater in the atmosphere
There are approximately 10.5 billion acre-feet of freshwater in the atmosphere.
2% of this freshwater exists as liquid droplets while 98% exists as water vapor. 
The freshwater in the air is more than 6 times the freshwater in all the rivers in the world.


Mankind is appropriating 54% of all Freshwater from traditional sources

Source - unwater.org

At the global level, 70% of the freshwater is used for agriculture, 22% by industry and 8% by people for drinking, cooking, sanitation etc.
At a population of 6 billion, mankind is appropriating 54% of all the freshwater in rivers, lakes and underground aquifers.
Our freshwater use has grown at a rate that is twice the rate of population growth. Thus, if these rates of increase continue, when the human population hits 9 billion in 2050, we will be appropriating more than 81% of all the freshwater in all the rivers, lakes and underground aquifers.


Difficult Choices
Thus, we have, simply speaking, just two options:
- Dramatically reduce the amount of freshwater we use, or
- Create or open up a new supply source for freshwater


This blog's efforts are focussed on tapping Nature's hydrological cycle at its freshwater source - the atmosphere.