Is Baltic sea water the new gold? Can the sea water become the lifeline for the drought-threatened hundreds of thousands of people who live along the Baltic coast or each summer visit the hundreds of archipelago islands?

The answer to the above questions is a likely yes, thanks to world-leading Swedish technology being used in a unique project on the island of Sandhamn designed to help save the island’s threatened water reserves and tourism-driven economy. The project has seen Bluewater, a world leader in water purification technologies and solutions, join with the local Värmdö municipality and the Royal Swedish Yacht Club KSSS to help beat climate change-driven water shortages.

“Two high performing Bluewater water purifying stations have gone on stream in Sandhamn capable of daily providing 14,000 liters of chilled still or sparkling water taken directly from the Baltic sea,” says Anders Jacobson, President and chief strategy officer company Bluewater.

Anders Jacobson said Bluewater has installed the water stations at its own cost to deliver water free of charge to thirsty island residents or tourists. The water stations will showcase solutions are already available to the acute problem faced by many islands and coastal communities in the Baltic Sea.

The Bluewater water stations also complement a unique water harvesting system developed by the company earlier this summer for the royal yacht club that is designed to meet the needs of the many hundreds of visiting yachtspeople who flock to the island every year. Using water pumped directly from the sea, the system is already delivering over 45,000 liters of water a day.

We find it extremely positive that Swedish technological ingenuity can help Sandhamn at a time when drinking water access threatens both local residents and their tourist driven livelihood, said Deshira Flankör, chairperson of Värmdö Municipal Council . She added that it was excellent that business and local government can cooperate and find ways to tackle common problems facing communities.

“We will follow the project closely to find similar solutions for the rest of the archipelago.”

Bluewater founder and CEO Bengt Rittri says the water stations are good example of how human ingenuity can achieve a balance between sustainability, environmental integrity and still spur local economic growth.

“Bluewater harnesses its own patented second-generation reverse osmosis technology to remove practically all pollutants from water sources, using purifier units that are incredibly compact, use little electricity and require minimal maintenance,” Bengt Rittri added.