B-Corp resort using sustainable desalination.

The stylish and eco-chic beach club, Blue Apple is tucked away on the southern shore of Tierra Bomba island, about half an hour by boat from the Colombian mainland. Known for its lively weekend dance parties amongst locals and tourists alike, Blue Apple is equally as dedicated to outstanding hospitality as she is to creating both environmental and social impact through the hotel’s initiatives.

Their two biggest priorities are energy and water. The island we’re Blue Apple is on is not connected to mains water – all water comes to the island on boats, and these barges are powered by diesel. Besides the environmental impact, this also come with a high price tag and variable water quality.

Blue Apple has finally found the right desalination solution that will enable them to produce their own water with a very low impact, which barely puts any salt back into the ocean. Solar panels have now become affordable for a business of their size. The next step is to go to zero waste. Zero waste is a very tricky thing to really achieve, but the process of trying to move there is a really good way of engaging our staff about wastefulness and looking for alternatives.

Colombia.
Beach resort using sustainable desalination.

0
kWh of energy
0
m³/day of fresh water
0
% of total savings
0
t/yr of CO2 savings

”A reliable, affordable supply of clean freshwater for an island hotel like ours which has no access to mains water, has until now been an unimaginable dream. For 8 years, we relied on diesel-fuelled water barges – noisy, polluting and often disrupted by rough seas – to bring water to the island. Our clients hated them, our water costs were exorbitant and we never had enough for luxuries like ornamental garden irrigation. It was a constant source of stress. We considered desalinisation early on but never came across industry colleagues with a positive experience in Colombia. We were warned against fragile, expensive machinery that no one local could maintain, high energy costs and impossible-to-replace membranes. From our first conversation, EWM stood out from other manufacturers. They provided a clear operational budget that covered maintenance, spares and repairs for the first few years, as well as the information necessary to do a cost comparison against our current spending – even taking into account increased energy use. They assisted with the preparation, guiding us through borehole placement and depth. The team is not only knowledgeable about their own product but has a good understanding of people, culture and the realities of operating in a location like ours. Installation and training were thorough, friendly and patient. The post-installation support is exceptional, even with a multilingual mix. We are making significant savings and have an abundance of high-quality water which more than covers our needs. Our dream came true. .”

Portia Hart, Founder | , Blue Apple Beach Club & Hotel

Project media.

Energy-efficient desalination.

Water use.

Compact & without chemicals.

Water production in Colombia.

Reliable savings.

Save up to 75% on water expenses.