Atmospheric water generator at VI Clean Coasts Eco-Certified business, Red Hook Dive Center in St. Thomas
VI Clean Coasts has introduced innovative water generator technology to the U.S. Virgin Islands, aiming to reduce single-use plastics and enhance sustainable practices across the territory.
According to a release issued Thursday, the initiative, which provides filtered drinking water from atmospheric water generators, marks a significant step in promoting eco-friendly solutions to address local water needs.
The atmospheric water generator, capable of producing eight gallons of filtered drinking water daily from water vapor, does not require a traditional water supply connection, VI Clean Coasts made known. The technology was introduced to the U.S. Virgin Islands this summer after a successful field trip to Tortola, where Green VI demonstrated the solution to the Virgin Islands Conservation Society. The water generator also doubles as a dehumidifier, leading to lower air-conditioning usage by reducing humidity.
Red Hook Dive Center, a VI Clean Coasts Eco-Certified business, was the first to benefit from this technology in the U.S. Virgin Islands, states the release. The dive center received the water generator through a seed grant, awarded in recognition of its efforts to minimize single-use plastics and polystyrene in its daily operations. Following several weeks of testing, the dive center now relies on the unit for all its drinking water needs and encourages visitors to refill their water bottles at the facility.
Local organizations and businesses interested in learning more about the atmospheric water generator or the VI Clean Coasts Eco-Certification program are invited to visit the Virgin Islands Conservation Society’s website at viconservationsociety.org. The Eco-Certification program offers participants the opportunity to apply for a seed grant to fund eco-friendly projects, among other benefits.
The introduction of this technology is part of a broader sustainability initiative by VI Clean Coasts, a program co-managed by the Virgin Islands Conservation Society and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Coastal Zone Management. VI Clean Coasts aims to support schools, businesses, residents, and marinas in the U.S. Virgin Islands in making sustainable changes. The program includes four core initiatives: Eco-Certification, Refill Bottles Not Dumpsters, Blue Flag, and Eco-Schools.
Currently, over 90 local businesses participate in the Eco-Certification program, all of which have committed to eliminating polystyrene from their operations. Through the Refill Bottles Not Dumpsters initiative, the program has successfully installed 23 water filling stations throughout the territory, including 15 at local schools, significantly reducing plastic waste by diverting over 90,000 single-use water bottles.
The Virgin Islands Conservation Society, a 501(c)(3) organization, says it has been dedicated to the conservation and sustainable development of the Virgin Islands since 1968. The nonprofit is the local affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation and is part of the global Foundation for Environmental Education network, which implements internationally recognized programs such as Eco-Schools and Blue Flag in the territory.
