Drinking Water in Aruba

There is no need to buy bottled water in Aruba, the island's tap water is pure and refreshing, distilled in the world's second largest saltwater desalination plant. It is very delicious! In fact, Aruban drinking water has been dubbed 'the champagne of the Caribbean', and is even bottled and shipped to nearby Curaçao.

The Desalination Plant

In a world with an acute shortage of fresh water, turning salt water into fresh water has become an art that solves the problem of water supply to people and industries thirsty for high-quality fresh water.

The Aruba Pressed Plate Falling Film (PPFF) desalination plant, commissioned in February 2000, occupies a space equivalent to half the length of a football or soccer field. The plant consists of plate heat exchangers in titanium installed in a vessel of considerable size. This large plant was constructed in three 20-meter (67-foot) sections in Germany and shipped from Belgium direct to the refinery dock in Aruba, where it was assembled. The plant produces 11.2 million gallons of pure, distilled water per day.

The plant at Balashi can be visited, and it is a worthwhile experience for technically interested people! Very friendly guides provide safety helmets and then take you on a tour. Inquire at the tourism bureau or at the gate of water plant for tour hours.