Freshwater scarcity and the need for effective space cooling present significant challenges, particularly in arid (>40 °c dry bulb temperature (dbt), <30% relative humidity (rh)) and semi-arid (30–40 °c dbt, 30–50% rh) regions. in this regard, atmospheric water harvesting (awh) systems using active cooling condensation (acc) represent a promising method to address these issues. conventional awh systems relying on acc are effective in warm-humid climates but face significant limitations in hot-dry environments, where water harvesting is challenging despite high energy consumption. to address these challenges, a modified awh system was developed to efficiently capture atmospheric moisture in extremely hot-dry conditions (arid), such as those observed in jaipur and jaisalmer, and warm-dry conditions (semi-arid) in places like patna and delhi, india. additionally, the system addresses the problem of space cooling in such climates, providing a dual benefit of thermal comfort and freshwater generation. the system underwent thorough testing, including 36 experiments on a conventional awh system operating with a typical 1 tr refrigeration cycle under diverse air inlet conditions (dbt: 18–49 °c; rh: 12–95%). a matlab-simulink-based awh model was developed and validated for parametric analysis. insights from these experiments and simulations led to the design of a modified awh system that integrates an ultrasonic humidifier (160 w power input) positioned strategically before the evaporator section of the refrigeration unit. the mist from the humidifier cools incoming dry air via evaporative cooling before it enters the evaporator. this relatively cool and humid air facilitates significant atmospheric water harvesting compared to standalone awh systems. the modified system operates with minimal initial water input and eliminates the need for a perpetual water source, ensuring suitability for arid regions. experimental results demonstrated their transformative impact. while conventional systems harvested up to 2.5 l/h in warm-humid conditions (20 °c dbt, 94% rh) but failed in hot-dry environments (49 °c dbt, 12% rh, 0 l/h), the modified system achieved 0.5 l/h under the same extreme conditions. in warm-dry climates (35 °c dbt, 21% rh), water harvesting improved by up to 70% compared to classical systems. the system's dual functionality extends to space cooling applications, offering thermal comfort in addition to water generation, making it particularly beneficial for residential, commercial, and relief settings in arid and semi-arid regions. its compatibility with grid power or off-grid energy sources like solar or biomass ensures adaptability for remote and resource-scarce areas. by merging refrigeration cycles with ultrasonic humidification the modified awh system addresses both freshwater scarcity and space cooling challenges, creating a sustainable and versatile solution. future design optimization could further enhance its efficiency and impact, revolutionizing water harvesting and cooling technologies in regions where such solutions were previously unattainable.