Bonaire’s path to clean drinking water

One community fighting water scarcity is the island of Bonaire, which can be found off the coast of Venezuela in the southern Caribbean region. Bonaire is committed to producing 100 percent of its own drinking water – and it is well on its way with the help of advanced, chemical-free desalination through the construction of a new reverse osmosis (RO) plant in Hato, designed and built by IDE...

IDE’s SWRO desalination technology leverages a patented direct osmosis cleaning (DOC) process that is based on a natural bioflocculation process, which generates ecofriendly coagulation. Bioflocculation harnesses nature to create flocs, generated by the reaction between certain bacteria and algae and subsequently excretes a sticky substance called extracellular polymeric substances (EPS).

As water shortages become more severe worldwide, it is critical for regions to invest in sustainable, environmentally friendly desalination solutions. Other regions should follow the island of Bonaire’s path to deliver to its inhabitants affordable, energy-efficient, chemical-free clean water.

Gregory Shtelman is a project manager with IDE Technologies, headquartered in Kadima, Israel. Serving IDE since 2006, Shtelman is currently leading the planning, design, and execution aspects of a mega-sized RO plant in Israel.