FogQuest Nepal project

The Nepal Water from Fog Project

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Recent visit

Visitors from partner agencies in Nepal and Canada visit the recently completed Danda Bazzar fog collection system.

Photographed May 2002.

For more information on this visit and recent news from Nepal on this project, please click here

Read more about this project in OUTPOST magazine.

Background of the Nepal Water from Fog Project

The Nepal Water from Fog Project (NWFP) was started in the spring of 1997 on the initiative of Kevin Kowalchuk, who had previously worked in Nepal on a film project. Kevin made contact with fellow Canadian Robert Schemenauer and they discussed how a water project using fog collectors might be initiated to help the people in the mountain villages of Nepal. Dr. Schemenauer, working with Environment Canada and later FogQuest, developed the fog collection technology together with a group of university and forestry specialists in Chile. They have carried out projects in many countries and had worked previously with the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) in Ecuador. CECI was approached to be involved in a project in Nepal and subsequently has provided volunteers for the project and other valuable assistance. In May 1997, the first 1 m2 Standard Fog Collectors were set up in Nepal in two locations: Khumjung, in the Everest region and Gotvangan near Kathmandu.

Despite the fact that Nepal is rich in fresh water, access to clean, safe drinking water is a problem. Fifty-three percent of the population has a water supply; however, according to UNICEF data, only fifty percent of these systems are functioning at any one time. Nepal is a hilly and mountainous country where communities are located on ridges and slopes making access to springs and wells a problem for many people. Inhabitants of these communities often have to walk many hours to fetch water. This is usually a job for the women and children. The fog collection technology has the potential to be applied in Nepal to produce clean water in the high elevations where these people live. By so doing, not only will the lives of the people be greatly improved but the development and strength of the traditional communities will be enhanced.

Due to the fact that Nepal is a country with a complex topography and many micro climates, it is necessary to carry out a field study to evaluate the needs of the people in a specific locale and also how much water can be collected in the dry part of the year using fog collectors. The Nepal Water from Fog Project was established with two purposes:

- to assess the potential for fog collection to be used as a water supply in Nepal;

- if the assessment of the water availability is positive, to implement community based fog collection projects.

Successful fog collection in Nepal will introduce an innovative alternative for water gathering in the Himalayan region (especially high hill settlements) while contributing to the development of whole communities by improving their water supply and alleviating a burden of labour that largely falls on women and children.

Partners ( Contributing Agencies)

- Nepal Water from Fog Committee (Canada)

- Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) (Canada)

- FogQuest: sustainable water solutions (Canada)

- Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) (Nepal)

- Nepal Community Development Foundation (Canada)

- Namsaling Community Development Center (Nepal)

News and developments from Nepal

October 2002

In May/June of this year a small group from Canada visited the largest fog collector site in Nepal to date - in the village of Danda Bazzar. (elevation. 7000 ft)

Representatives from NCDF (Nepal Community Development Foundation) and NEWAH (Nepal water for Health) visited the recently completed site. An array of six LFC's (large fog collectors ) has been supplying fifteen households - over 80 people - with fresh water for several months.

The water is currently stored in three seperate 1000 liter tanks. Plans are underway to build a 25,000 liter tank that will expand the number of households that will benefit from this project

One of three arrays of large fog collectors (LFC's) at Danda Bazzar.

Fundraising efforts are underway in Canada to help support a number of new installations.

Close up of collector mesh

photos: Tony Makepeace


Photo Gallery

Fog collection systems have been installed in the eastern Ilam district of Nepal, a district that is known for it's bountiful tea fields.
photo: Bill Brabender


Photos of CECI Volunteer Keith MacQuarrie assembling the first collectors at Danda Bazzar
photos: Mingma Sherpa


A resident from a prior LFC installation in Kalpokhari inspects water from the tapstand.	A young resident of Danda Bazzar poses beside a newly constructed tapstand adjacent to the LFC installation.

photos: Tony Makepeace

New projects

Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) has conducted a study on the water needs of the village of Megma (pictured above) and has determined the climatic conditions to be favourable for a large scale LFC installation.

photo: Mingma Sherpa (NEWAH)

Update September 2004

We are happy to announce the completion of two new fog water systems at the villages of Megma and Tinjure. Our thanks to NEWAH (Nepal Water for Health) and WaterAid Nepal. The system at Megma provides fresh water to the local primary school and is also open to the community. The recently completed system at the village of Tinjure provides water to a monastery and is also open the community. Recent testing of the Tinjure system revealed a bountiful harvest of 500 liters in only twelve hours.

Mingma and Pradeep building the Megma LFC.

Congratulations to Pradeep of NEWAH and his team for completing these projects under difficult circumstances. The eastern section of Nepal has been experiencing ongoing delays and problems due to the Maoist insurgency. We remain optimistic that a political settlement will soon be reached and our projects will resume their normal schedule.

Tap stand at Megma village school.


	Megma village LFC. Note the trench running down towards the school building.
photos courtesy: NEWAH

Photo Gallery

Underground tanks at Pathivara.


Pathivara tap stand.

NEWAH team attaching the mesh.

Pathivara LFC panels.

NEWAH team clearing the LFC site.

Securing the LFC cables with heavy stones.

photos courtesy: NEWAH

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