Spectra Watermakers

Spectra Watermakers is a manufacturer of energy-efficient reverse-osmosis desalinators that convert seawater into potable fresh water aboard vessels. Its systems are defined by the patented Clark Pump, an energy-recovery device that recovers pressure from the reject brine to drive the membranes, lowering the power required per litre produced.

Reverse-osmosis desalination forces seawater through a semi-permeable membrane at high pressure, leaving salts and impurities behind. The energy cost of generating that pressure is what makes conventional watermakers heavy consumers of onboard power. Spectra's Clark Pump addresses this directly: rather than discharging the high-pressure brine stream as waste, it transfers that residual pressure back into the feed, so a smaller drive motor can sustain the membrane pressure. The result is a meaningful reduction in energy draw for a given volume of fresh water.

For a vessel running on batteries, solar and a limited generator window, that efficiency changes what is practical. Lower power demand means a watermaker can run on a modest electrical system, integrate with renewable charging, and reduce reliance on the engine or genset for water production. Spectra builds systems across this range, from compact units for cruising yachts to configurations suited to commercial-marine duty, all sharing the same energy-recovery principle.

PowerSol carries Spectra reverse-osmosis watermakers and Clark Pump energy-recovery systems for the Southern-African market, supporting boatbuilders, installers and dealers who specify desalination as part of an integrated power and water system. Selecting Spectra alongside the rest of a vessel's energy build keeps water production aligned with the realistic electrical budget rather than working against it.