Water
The BVI demonstrates international best practice by continuing the long-standing tradition of rainwater harvesting, a practice woven into our history and embedded in the territory’s planning regulations. Through Town and Country Planning, most residential buildings are legally required to include cisterns, ensuring a decentralized water supply that showcases a time-tested solution for island living. We have successfully installed rainwater harvesting systems at fourteen schools, providing a reliable source of water specifically for their school gardens. We have also established sustainable water harvesting systems at our EcoParks. Together, these developments showcase how we continue to adapt traditional resilience for a sustainable future.
OPPORTUNITY
Ocean water pollution by chemical loads and untreated sewage, as well as a lack of natural freshwater sources, presents unique challenges for the BVI. Plastic is the highest litter fraction on our islands. This leads to increased microplastics in our water supply and more breeding sites for mosquitoes carrying diseases. Plastic litter also blocks drains which can cause flooding.
OUR APPROACH
Green VI works collaboratively with stakeholders, experts, and government to advance sustainable water management. We facilitate this through research into safer technologies and have installed drinking water and rainwater harvesting systems in our schools.
FEATURED PROGRAMMES
Education
Through our outreach programmes we educate on water issues in the BVI and advocate clean, safe water. This includes water harvesting and generation, efficient use and reducing chemical loads and microplastics entering our land and marine water supplies.
Advocacy & Research
Green VI advocates safe and sustainable water management practices. We are conducting research to identify best practices in water generation technologies and safer products for our homes, schools, and workplaces. We are also collaborating with stakeholders for the safe management of Sargassum to protect heavy metal accumulation in our coastal waters and water tables. Strategies including vermiculture and anaerobic digestion are being explored.
Green Certification
Green Certification incentivizes, guides and educates businesses in best green operation practices. Learn more about how to start greening your business and become Bronze, Silver, Gold and Leader Accredited. Developed in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, the programme also provides critical financial support to environmental betterment through its Green Fund and will guide the “green” component of the BVI Public Service’s Strategic Policy.
EcoParks
Green VI’s EcoParks demonstrate rainwater harvesting systems, irrigation systems, and air-to-water generators, showcasing sustainable water management practices that can be replicated across the Territory.
BugOut
This Virgin Gorda community-driven initiative reduces the breeding sites of the Aedes aegypti mosquito that causes diseases such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. Outreach education, clean ups and community participation are integrated into safe, data driven vector control operations. After three years of success on Virgin Gorda, we’re now working closely with the BVI Government to roll out a BugOut pilot on Tortola.
EDUCATION
Through our outreach programmes we educate on water issues in the BVI and advocate clean, safe water. This includes water harvesting and generation, efficient use and reducing chemical loads and microplastics entering our land and marine water supplies.
ADVOCACY & RESEARCH
Green VI advocates safe and sustainable water management practices. We are conducting research to identify best practices in water generation technologies and safer products for our homes, schools, and workplaces. We are also collaborating with stakeholders for the safe management of Sargassum to protect heavy metal accumulation in our coastal waters and water tables.
GREEN CERTIFICATION
Green Certification incentivizes, guides and educates businesses in best green operation practices and provides Bronze, Silver, Gold and Leader Accreditations. Developed in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, the programme provides critical financial support to environmental betterment through its Green Fund, and will guide the “greening” of the BVI Public Service’s Strategic Policy.
ECOPARK
Green VI’s EcoParks will demonstrate how humans and the natural world can live in harmony – through innovation and symbiosis. The aim is to create Centres of Excellence that are sustainable, scalable and replicable models. They will feature best practices for Materials Management, Food Security, Renewable Energy, Water Management and Education – all designed to engage and inspire visitors.
BUGOUT
This Virgin Gorda community-driven initiative reduces the breeding sites of the Aedes aegypti mosquito that causes diseases such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. Outreach education, clean ups and community participation are integrated into safe, data driven vector control operations. After three years of success on Virgin Gorda, we’re partnering with the Government on a BugOut pilot on Tortola.
AIR TO WATER GENERATORS
GALLONS OF DRINKING WATER GENERATED P/A
WATER HARVESTING SYSTEMS
WATER HARVESTING CAPACITY (GALLONS)
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGIES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTER
At Green VI, we choose to view a problem as an opportunity, and so our next exciting project is to design, test and implement an Anaerobic Digester that can convert a mixture of organic waste, sewage, and possibly Sargassum, into methane – a form of energy that is perfect for powering our Glass Studio furnace. Our new location will have the space and support needed to demonstrate this remarkable transformation of a waste stream into renewable energy.
GENERATING WATER
We demonstrate innovative water generation technologies, including air-to-water generators and filtration systems linked to local water supplies or cisterns. These are installed at 11 schools to provide safe drinking water and reduce the reliance on plastic bottles. At our EcoParks, we showcase various scales of air-to-water generation, including a 1,000-liter system at our Tortola location, to provide sustainable water solutions. Additional water technologies are demonstrated such as the waves for water system that is a low cost filtration solution based on dialysis technology and requires no electricity. Solar Air to Water technology, such as the Zero Mass Water, is one of the alternatives to be explored.
SCHOOL WATER SYSTEMS
In an effort to reduce single use plastic water bottles at schools, we are working with partners toward setting up water systems that will provide clean, accessible water for students.
WASTE
Humans are the only species to generate waste and it is through producing waste (in solid, liquid and gas forms) that we pollute the systems we depend on for survival. Waste is a problem on island environments where space and topography severely limits landfill space.
Recycled Glass Sprouts @ Pockwood Pond Photo: Hezikiah Maddox