razzam1999
Tourist
Reged: 10/26/05
Posts: 2
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Aruba has NO fresh water anywhere, or at least not anywhere near enough to support it's population. So, this factory puts a massive pipe into the ocean, sucks in the saltwater, and then turns it into fresh water. Not sure how, but my guess would be evaporation by boiling collecting the steam - etc.
When I vacationed here - the bath water was a yellow color -> lot's of bubblebath made me forget. And the hotel ran out of water twice in a week.
ARUBA is 'one happy Island!" - it's perfect. Out of the hurricain zone, 80F degrees year-round, always a slight breeze, mostyly sunny hardly any rain.
Edited by Lrae (10/27/05 12:26 AM)
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Villain
Tourist
Reged: 10/28/05
Posts: 10
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I'm not positive that's the Desalinization and Power Plant. I believe that's the Lago Oil Refinery.
The Balashi Power Plant is located NW of a large "inlet" further NW from here. The island isn't that big, so you could just follow the coast west and north from here.
Interesting side note, the Balashi plant is also where they bottle their water and world famous beer, called... oddly enough... Balashi Beer. You can ususally find it in your specialty shops.
I've never heard of them running out of water before, but the process is rather costly. That's why there's a need for the bottled beer. *grin*
Also, the water is very clean. I'm not sure what hotel you were staying at, but I wouldn't go back. The desalinization process produces some of the cleanest water on earth, so I'm surprised about the yellow water.
Most locals also do not use water heaters. The "cold" water that flows through the pipes is anywhere between 65 and 75 degrees F.
-Villain
P.S. I'm working on a quick list of interesting points on Aruba, sans any Natalee Holloway references. I'll post a link as soon as it's up.
Um, it's up, so take a look.
Edited by Villain (10/28/05 07:39 PM)
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Bandit795
Tourist
Reged: 09/27/05
Posts: 5
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Quote:
I'm not positive that's the Desalinization and Power Plant. I believe that's the Lago Oil Refinery.
I'll check that out when I'm at home. I don't have google earth here.
Quote:
I've never heard of them running out of water before, but the process is rather costly. That's why there's a need for the bottled beer. *grin*
Not really, it's two different companies. Balashi is made by Meta corp n.v. and the water Desalination and power plant is called WEB Aruba n.v.
Quote:
Also, the water is very clean. I'm not sure what hotel you were staying at, but I wouldn't go back. The desalinization process produces some of the cleanest water on earth, so I'm surprised about the yellow water.
Some hotels are known to screw up the water. Marriott for example.
Quote:
Most locals also do not use water heaters. The "cold" water that flows through the pipes is anywhere between 65 and 75 degrees F.
But I do!! These days the water is damn cold because of the rainy days.
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Drbuzzo
Tourist
Reged: 12/10/05
Posts: 17
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I've been there a while back and the snorkeling at this location is very good, but the entire vista is dominated by the oil refinery. Seing the flarestacks, tanks and colums amoung the palm tress and the clear blue sky makes it a little surreal. I thought it was kind of cool that it looked like an industrial scifi setting, but I did miss the natural bueaty too.
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Perroux
Tourist
Reged: 07/27/05
Posts: 2
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The location you have pointed out is actually the coke barn for the Valero Aruba Refinery. Directly to the south, you will see two tall structures, which are the two coker units. This explains all of the black dust around these units as well.
I am including the correct location of the Desalination plant.
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Bandit795
Tourist
Reged: 09/27/05
Posts: 5
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Yep that's it alright. The best tapwater in the world. I'm drinking it right now straight from the faucet... :-)
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Gerardo64
World Explorer
Reged: 09/07/05
Posts: 1240
Loc: Argentina
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I lived for a year at the island and never had any problem with the water. Perfectly clear, but not "cold" anyway...
--------------------
 Clic Aquí.
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IamSmitty
First Post
Reged: 01/28/06
Posts: 1
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That is the Lago Rfinery. Closed down around 1982. Esso laid off the entire work forse and paid huge servernce in cash (what a week that was for the casinos). A company called Enercon was contracted to build an oil fired oil heater which is probably still in service to date. Ships off load and store oil at the Lago refinery. That oil has to be heated so that it becomes thin enough so that it can be pumped the 5 miles to Balashi power/distillation plant. If you look hard enough you can trace the pipe line route.
I went down there to start up that oil heater. What sould have been a week job took over a month (the refinery workers helping me were being fired when they finished this project). It was a "tough" job hanging out in beautiful Aruba for a month all expenses paid.
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puretone
Tourist
Reged: 10/31/05
Posts: 30
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no oil refinery at this placemark. it is listed as "California Lighthouse" go figure....
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puretone
Tourist
Reged: 10/31/05
Posts: 30
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this placemark is wrong, the placemark you have created is actually the oil refinery now operated by Valero
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