Simple elegant solutions can solve critical global issues. The Autonomous Water Device (Solar Well) utilizes well understood properties of solar heating and basic physics to induce the release of moisture held in soil – condense it's vapor to water – then deliver the water via a flexible tube to remotely planted foliage and trees. The simple 24” x 16” AWD has no electrical or moving components, needs no maintenance and can be installed on a slope or flat ground. The Solar Well produces water in remote locations away from the usual natural sources of water (rivers, lakes, wells, springs and streams). It’s intended use is to restore damaged habitats or generate new habitats, thwarting the loss of habitable land and reclaiming habitats lost to drought, natural catastrophes (fires, landslides etc).

A great deal of water is naturally stored in soil. One inch of measureable rain falling on a single acre of land results in 27,154 gallons of water falling on the landscape. Depending on the surface of any given landscape this clean water will either be absorbed into the soil, or run off into creeks, streams, rivers, lakes and oceans.The landscape slope and soil composition play a role in the amount of water that can be captured in the soil.

When water is absorbed into the soil gravity acts on the water to infiltrate downward through the soil to subterranean water tables. After it rains the soil surface exposed to the atmosphere almost instantly begins the evaporation process. The cooler the air temperatures the slower the soil bound water evaporates, the warmer the air, the faster the water held in soil evaporates. Due to the chemical bonding nature of water molecules, the capillary action of water moves it upwards through the soil against gravity to replace the evaporating water exiting the soils surface.

The Solar Well sits on the soil surface capturing evaporating water vapor and condensing it to water long after the surface layers of soil naturally dry out and break the capillary evaporative link. The device maintains this capilary link and functions throughout the driest summer months.