Engel contacted the company, which turned out to be Santa Monica-based Skywell. He ultimately ordered a pair of the company’s atmospheric water generators – and a 100-gallon storage water tank to go along with them. Total up-front cost: about $5,000.

And not a moment too soon. Less than two weeks after Skywell’s water system was installed at Engel’s home, Southern California entered a 10-day heat wave. Unlike many of his neighbors, Engel was able to draw water from his Skywell system and the storage tank to save his plants and trees.

“It was a godsend,” he said. For Skywell, this summer’s sizzling temperatures has sparked increased interest in its machines that extract water out of the air.
“We’re getting calls now from concerned homeowners who can only water once or twice a week: neither limit keeps their lawns and plants from dying,” said Ron Dorfman, Skywell’s founder and chief executive. “We can offer them their own private water reserve.”

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“It seemed cool, I mean, extracting water from the air seemed rather science fiction,” said Ron Dorfman, the founder of Skywell.

Just go back to the original “Star Wars” movie that came out in 1977.

“Luke Skywalker’s family, on planet, whatever it was, came from moisture farmers, so people talk about how this is fiction imitating life, whatever it may be” said Dorfman.

So, how does it work?

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