Technologies of water harvesting from the air: Review

Freshwater resources are becoming increasingly scarce worldwide due to various factors such as climate change, population growth, poor management, and severe droughts. As a result, numerous regions are facing severe water shortages, leading water utilities to provide alternative water sources, augment the supplied water, supply intermittently, and even deliver bulk water under extreme shortage conditions. However, due to frequent interruptions, many households are storing water in building storage tanks to deal with insufficient potable water delivery. Unfortunately, these practices can pose significant risks to the chemical and microbiological quality of the water. As the global population surges, finding alternative freshwater resources has become imperative to meet the overwhelming water demand. Air water harvesting, also known as atmospheric water harvesting, has emerged as a crucial solution. This technology extracts moisture from the atmosphere to produce potable water and offers a sustainable alternative in regions facing limited access to conventional water sources. It provides a reliable water supply in drought-prone areas, is energy-efficient, supports decentralized water distribution, reduces the pressure on natural water sources, and enhances public health by delivering purified water.