Making More Water

Can we simply produce more water? The answer depends on what exactly is meant by “producing” more water. There is plenty of oxygen gas in the atmosphere to create more water; however, hydrogen gas is not readily available in our environment—at least not in the required concentrations and locations. Hence, we are left to produce more usable freshwater either from recycling unusable freshwater (e.g., inaccessible or polluted) or from seawater, both of which require a huge amount of energy. There are a number of techniques available for capturing currently inaccessible water. Condensation is a method of converting water vapor to liquid water by cooling ambient air; however, it can be powered by solar energy alone. Additionally, practices such as permaculture, gray water usage, fog capture, and rainwater harvesting have a tremendous potential to maximize water efficiency and to return us to a more “hands-on” relationship with water.