Sustainable efforts

Water treatment and irrigation

The hotel uses three different types of water treatment on our laundry water, gray water and black water, all of which are low-energy, and allow us to recycle filtered water for irrigation.

Our laundry water passes through a simple filtration system before being distributed in gravity-fed subsurface irrigation lines. We use biodegradable soaps in order to freely irrigate with only a two-filter system. These irrigation lines reduce our water consumption while allowing us to maintain healthy vegetation on the property.

Our kitchen water travels through two grease traps before entering a bio-garden. With approximately six to eight days travel time through the trap and plant system, the water is pumped and then distributed through sub-surface irrigation hoses. We hope to expand this irrigation area in the future. If you see small puddles in the garden near the restaurant, please don't worry – the water is quite clean, it is simply a saturated area.

The treatment system for black water waste is our most intensive, taking place in four stages. After traveling through two septic tanks, the black water is passed through a series of tanks with aeration. Once filtered, the water then enters a large bio-garden for three to six days depending on volume and rainwater. The fourth and final treatment is an extensive planted area where the water is distributed through sub-surface irrigation, where it reenters the earth and water table free of dangerous levels of contamination.

We have built up a natural dike to also hold this area when there are heavy rains in order to ensure the water is absorbed into the earth rather than overflowing into streams or the ocean.