A breath-taking tropical archipelago with towering rock sculptures that loom over sweeping beaches and lush, turquoise waters teeming with marine life, Fernando de Noronha feels untouched by the rest of the world.
The remote volcanic island chain sits out in the Atlantic Ocean some 220 miles (354 kilometers) off the northeastern coast of Brazil. Its protected status means only a limited number of people can set foot on its shores.
For those lucky enough to make the trip, this vibrant natural wilderness has everything.
But until recently, the reality for those actually living on Fernando de Noronha was very different. Despite being surrounded by ocean, the 4,000 islanders struggled for year-round access to clean water. Existing infrastructure – which included a reservoir for collecting rainwater and another smaller system for seawater desalination – was insufficient to meet demand, while droughts during the dry season hit other freshwater sources such as natural springs.
“Anyone looking at those crystalline waters could not imagine that the island goes through periods of severe drought,” explained Artur Ricardo Macedo dos Santos, Business Manager at Compesa, the utility company responsible for water on the island, which is part of Brazil’s Pernambuco state.
“It rains on average four months a year -- from March until June -- and 90% of that rainwater returns to the sea due to the natural drainage of the rocky terrain.”
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