A trifecta of disparate information gave me this very cool idea. Data point one: It gets hot in Arizona in the summer. It gets so hot that it is impossible to sit outside at a restaurant. Unless the restaurant has misters. Misters really cool things down.
Data point two: I recently read Where the Water Goes by David Owen an excellent book if you’re interested in western water policy issues. And he pointed out that because of the way the Colorado River water is allocated Arizona has more water than it can use from the Colorado River. We are using much of it to replenish the aquifer.
Data point three: A few times a week in the early morning I hike up Piestewa Peak from a side trail and the first hundred yards or so is through an area that is sprinkled at night. It is fifteen or twenty degrees cooler than the trail a few steps farther along.
Misters have been shown to work in small spaces and we have plenty of water. Why not install really large misters all over Phoenix. They would look like cell towers, the pumps could be solar powered and the water would come from the Colorado. The result would be a cooler city with higher humidity and more outside activities in August.
Win Win Win
This idea lends itself to a moderate scale trial in a place like Old Town Scottsdale. Or a new housing development where even if it didn’t work it might help sell some houses.
Picture credit: Misters at Blanco a Fox restaurant in my neighborhood.