Katanama's Solar-Powered Desalination Plant
About
Overview
Location
La Guajira, Colombia
Type
Solar-PV powered desalination
Capacity
6,300 GPD
Product quality
Potable
Distribution
Local
Technology type
Reverse osmosis
Land footprint:
Output:
Solar energy and fresh water
Facilities
3
Project description
In collaboration with ZOA, Boreal Light has successfully inaugurated a second desalination plant in the Katanama community, located in the heart of Alta Guajira, Colombia. This plant boasts an impressive capacity of producing 1000 liters of potable water per hour using solar power, ensuring a constant supply of safe and clean water for over 300 children attending the Katanama educational institution. Among these students, approximately 150 are boarders who now benefit from a healthier and more conducive learning environment.
How we reuse water
Groundwater wells located near the ocean often encounter saltwater intrusion as they pump more and more water. As a result, water that was once fresh can become salty and undrinkable over time and require treatment. Because desalination requires significant electricity to run high pressure pumps, solar energy is an ideal way to generate ‘off-grid’ energy that is both reliable and cost effective for desalination. This allows groundwater that would otherwise be unuseable to become a reliable source of additional water.