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PART I

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Overview

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Through our subsidiaries and affiliate, we provide the following services to our customers in the Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, the United States and the British Virgin Islands:

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As of December 31, 2023, the number of water production and water treatment plants we and our affiliate operated in each country, and the production capacities of these plants, were as follows:

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As of December 31, 2023, Ramey Environmental Compliance, Inc. performed operations, maintenance, and monitoring services for 72 wastewater and water treatment plants located in the Rocky Mountain and Eastern Plains Regions of Colorado.

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Strategy

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We are a comprehensive water solutions company that serves a variety of customers through multiple product and service offerings. Presently, we:

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We expect to continue to expand and diversify our products, services and markets to meet the ever-expanding global demand for water.

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Key elements of our strategy include:

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Market expansion. We continue to seek to expand our existing operations in the markets we believe have significant unfulfilled demands for desalinated potable water, water treatment and reuse systems and our other products and services. These markets include the United States and the Caribbean. These markets include the Caribbean and the United States. We may also pursue business in other markets where we believe we can be successful.

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Complementary products, services and businesses. We continue to pursue acquisitions or joint ventures that (i) complement and enhance our existing businesses; (ii) expand our product and service offerings and markets; and (iii) support our objective to be a comprehensive water solutions provider. We continue to aggressively pursue acquisitions or joint ventures that (i) complement and enhance our existing businesses; (ii) expand our product and service offerings and markets; and (iv) support our objective to be a comprehensive water solutions provider.

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Our Company

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We conduct our operations in the Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, the United States, and the British Virgin Islands through our subsidiaries and our affiliate. Our corporate organizational structure as of December 31, 2023 is as follows:

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Retail Segment

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Cayman Water Company Limited (“Cayman Water”). Cayman Water operates under an exclusive retail license granted by the Cayman Islands government to provide water to customers within a prescribed service area on Grand Cayman that includes the Seven Mile Beach and West Bay areas, two of the three most populated areas in the Cayman Islands. Cayman Water owns and operates four seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants. Cayman Water and the Water Authority-Cayman (“WAC”), a government-owned utility and regulatory agency, are Grand Cayman’s only water utilities. Cayman Water and the Water Authority-Cayman (“WAC”) (which is owned by the government) are Grand Cayman’s only water utilities.

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Aquilex, Inc. (“Aquilex”). Aquilex, a U.S. company located in Coral Springs, Florida, provides financial, engineering, information technology, administrative and supply chain management support services to our subsidiaries and affiliate. We include Aquilex in our retail segment for financial segment reporting purposes; however, it provides services to all four of our business segments.

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Bulk Segment

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Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Limited (“CW-Bahamas”). We own 90.9% of CW-Bahamas, which provides bulk water under long-term contracts to the Water and Sewerage Corporation of The Bahamas (“WSC”), a government agency. CW-Bahamas owns and operates our largest desalination plant and one other desalination plant.

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Ocean Conversion (Cayman) Limited (“OC-Cayman”). OC-Cayman provides bulk water under long-term contracts to the WAC, which distributes the water to properties located outside our exclusive retail license service area on Grand Cayman. OC-Cayman provides bulk water under long-term contracts to the WAC, a government-owned utility and regulatory agency, which distributes the water to properties located outside our exclusive retail license service area on Grand Cayman. OC-Cayman operates three seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants owned by the WAC. OC-Cayman built, sold and operates three seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants owned by the WAC.

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Services Segment

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PERC Water Corporation (“PERC”). In October 2019, we purchased, through our wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, Consolidated Water U.S. Holdings, Inc. (“CW-Holdings”), 51% of the equity in PERC, a U.S. company headquartered in Fountain Valley, California. In August 2020, we purchased an additional 10% ownership interest of PERC, increasing our ownership of this subsidiary to 61%. In January 2023, we acquired the remaining 39% ownership interest in PERC. In January 2020, we acquired the remaining 49% equity interest in Aerex. In January 2020, we acquired the remaining 49% equity interest in Aerex. PERC designs, constructs, sells, operates and manages water, wastewater and water reuse infrastructure.

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Ramey Environmental Compliance, Inc. (“REC”). (“AdR”). Effective October 1, 2023, we purchased, through our wholly-owned subsidiary PERC, a 100% ownership interest in REC, a Colorado company headquartered in Frederick, Colorado. REC operates and maintains water and wastewater treatment facilities and provides technical services to clients throughout the Rocky Mountain and Eastern Plains Regions of Colorado.

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DesalCo Limited (“DesalCo”). A Cayman Islands company, DesalCo provides design, management, engineering and construction services for desalination projects as well as management and engineering services relating to municipal water distribution and treatment. Serving as a subcontractor to OC-Cayman, DesalCo designed and constructed the three reverse osmosis plants that OC-Cayman currently operates for (and previously sold to) the WAC and is presently constructing the new Red Gate plant for the WAC.

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Kalaeloa Desalco LLC (“Kalaeloa Desalco”). In September 2021, Kalaeloa Desalco was formed to pursue a project encompassing the design, construction, operations and maintenance of a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant in Oahu, Hawaii. In June 2023, Kalaeloa Desalco signed a definitive agreement with the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to design, build, operate and maintain a 1.7 million gallons per day seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant in Oahu, Hawaii.

Manufacturing Segment

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Aerex Industries, Inc. (“Aerex”). Aerex, a U.S. company located in Fort Pierce, Florida, is an original equipment manufacturer of a wide range of specialized and custom products and systems applicable to desalination, municipal water treatment and industrial water and wastewater treatment. Aerex’s products include reverse osmosis desalination

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equipment, membrane separation equipment, filtration equipment, piping systems, vessels and custom fabricated components. Aerex also offers engineering, design, consulting, inspection, training and equipment maintenance services to its customers.

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Affiliate

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Ocean Conversion (BVI) Ltd. (“OC-BVI”). We own 50% of the voting stock of OC-BVI, a British Virgin Islands company, which sells bulk water to the Government of the British Virgin Islands Water and Sewerage Department. We own an overall 43.53% equity interest in OC-BVI’s profits and certain profit-sharing rights that raise our effective interest in OC-BVI’s profits to approximately 45%. OC-BVI also pays our subsidiary, DesalCo, fees for certain engineering and administrative services. We account for our investment in OC-BVI under the equity method of accounting.

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Discontinued Operations - Mexico Project Development

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Consolidated Water Cooperatief, U.A. (“CW-Cooperatief”), N.S.C. Agua, S.A. de C.V. (“NSC”) and Aguas de Rosarito S.A.P.I. de C.V. (“AdR”). CW-Cooperatief is a wholly-owned Netherlands subsidiary incorporated in 2010. CW-Cooperatief owns 99.9% of NSC, a Mexican company. NSC was formed to pursue a project encompassing the design, construction, ownership and operation of a 100 million gallon per day seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant which was to be located in northern Baja California, Mexico and accompanying pipeline to deliver water to the Mexican potable water system (the “Project”).

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In August 2016, the Public Private Partnership Agreement for the Project (the “APP Contract”) was executed between AdR, the Comisión Estatal del Agua de Baja California (“CEA”), the Government of Baja California as represented by the Secretary of Planning and Finance and the Public Utilities Commission of Tijuana (“CESPT”).

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In June 2020, the Director General of CEA and the Director General of CESPT terminated the APP Contract. As a result of the cancellation of the APP Contract, we discontinued all development activities associated with the Project and commenced active marketing efforts to sell the land NSC purchased for the Project. Accordingly, the assets and liabilities of CW-Cooperatief, NSC and AdR, as well as all expenses we incur in connection with our on-going international arbitration with the Mexico government to obtain reimbursement for the costs we incurred in connection with the Project are reported as discontinued operations in our consolidated financial statements.

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Our Operations

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For fiscal year 2023, our retail water, bulk water, services and manufacturing segments generated approximately 17%, 19%, 54% and 10%, respectively, of our consolidated revenue. For additional information about our business segments and geographical information about our operating revenue and long-lived assets, see Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements at ITEM 8 of this Annual Report.

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Retail Water Operations

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For fiscal years 2023 and 2022, our retail water operations accounted for approximately 17%, and 27%, respectively, of our consolidated revenue. This business produces and supplies potable water to end-users, including residential, commercial and government customers in the Cayman Islands. This business produces and supplies water to end-users, including residential, commercial and government customers in the Cayman Islands.

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We sell water through our retail operations under a license issued in July 1990 by the Cayman Islands government (the “1990 license”) that granted Cayman Water the exclusive right to provide potable water to customers within its licensed service area. Although the 1990 license has not been expressly extended after January 2018, we continue to supply water under the terms of the 1990 license, as discussed in the following paragraphs. Although the 1990 license was not expressly extended after January 2018, we continue to supply water under the terms of the 1990 license, as further discussed in the following paragraph. Although the 1990 license was not expressly extended after January 2018, we continue to supply water under the terms of the 1990 license, as further discussed in the following paragraph. Pursuant to the 1990 license, Cayman Water has the exclusive right to produce potable water and distribute it by pipeline to its licensed service area, which consists of two of the three most populated areas of Grand Cayman: Seven Mile Beach and West Bay.

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The 1990 license was originally scheduled to expire in July 2010 but was extended several times by the Cayman Islands government in order to provide the parties with additional time to negotiate the terms of a new license agreement. The

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most recent express extension of the license expired on January 31, 2018. We continue to operate under the terms of the 1990 license, providing water services to the level and quality specified in the 1990 license and in accordance with our understanding of its legal obligations, treating those obligations set forth in the 1990 license as operative notwithstanding the expiration of the express extension. We continue to pay the royalty of 7.5% of revenue we collect required under the 1990 license. We continue to pay the royalty required under the 1990 license.

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In October 2016, the Government of the Cayman Islands passed legislation which created a new utilities regulation and competition office (“OfReg”). OfReg is an independent and accountable regulatory body with a view of protecting the rights of consumers, encouraging affordable utility services and promoting competition. OfReg, which began operations in January 2017, has the ability to supervise, monitor and regulate multiple utility undertakings and markets. Supplemental legislation was passed by the Government of the Cayman Islands in April 2017, which transferred responsibility for economic regulation of the water utility sector and the negotiations with us for a new retail license from the WAC to OfReg in May 2017. We began license negotiations with OfReg in July 2017 and such negotiations are ongoing. We have been informed during our retail license negotiations, both by OfReg and its predecessor in these negotiations, that the Cayman Islands government seeks to restructure the terms of our license in a manner that could significantly reduce the operating income and cash flows we have historically generated from our retail license.

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See also ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS and ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Material Commitments, Expenditures and Contingencies - Cayman Water Retail License.

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Our retail operations in the Cayman Islands produce potable water at three seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants in Grand Cayman located at our Abel Castillo Water Works (“ACWW”) and West Bay sites. We own the land for our ACWW and West Bay plants. The current aggregate production capacity of the two plants located at ACWW is 3.0 million gallons of water per day. The production capacity of the West Bay plant is 1,000,000 gallons of water per day.

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Electricity to our plants is supplied by Caribbean Utilities Co. Ltd., a publicly traded utility company. We maintain diesel engine-driven standby generators at all three retail plant sites with sufficient capacity to operate our distribution pumps and other essential equipment during any temporary interruptions in electricity supply. Standby generation capacity is available at our ACWW plants and West Bay plant to operate a portion of the water production capacity as well.

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Our distribution system is connected to the distribution system of the WAC. In prior years, during emergencies, we have purchased water from the WAC for brief periods of time and have also sold potable water to the WAC from our retail plants.

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Our pipeline system on Grand Cayman covers the Seven Mile Beach and West Bay areas and consists of approximately 100 miles of potable water pipeline. We extend our distribution system periodically as demand warrants. We have a main pipe loop covering the Seven Mile Beach and West Bay areas. We place extensions of smaller diameter pipe off our main pipe to service new developments in our service area. This system of building branches from the main pipe keeps construction costs low and allows us to provide service to new areas in a timely manner. Developers are responsible for laying the pipeline within their developments at their own cost, but in accordance with our specifications. When a development is completed, the developer then transfers operation and maintenance of the pipeline to us.

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We bill our customers on a monthly basis based on metered consumption and bills are typically collected within 30 to 45 days after the billing date. Receivables not collected within 45 days subject the customer to disconnection from water service. The provision for credit losses has historically represented less than 1% of our total annual retail sales. In addition to their past due invoice balance, customers that have had their service disconnected must pay re-connection charges.

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Historically, demand on our water production and pipeline distribution has varied throughout the year. Demand depends upon various factors, most notably rainfall amounts and the number of tourists during any particular time of the year. In general, the majority of tourists come from the United States during the winter which is also the dry season in the Cayman Islands. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting cessation of tourism to the Cayman Islands significantly reduced demand for our water. In August 2022, the Cayman Islands government lifted the COVID-19 pandemic related travel restrictions that had eliminated tourist travel to the Cayman Islands since March 2020.

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Bulk Water Operations

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For fiscal years 2023 and 2022, our bulk water operations accounted for approximately 19%, and 35%, respectively, of our consolidated revenue. These operations produce potable water from seawater and sell this water to government-owned utilities in the Cayman Islands and The Bahamas, which then distribute the water to end users.

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Bulk Water Operations in the Cayman Islands

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Through our wholly-owned subsidiary OC-Cayman we provide bulk water to the WAC, a government-owned utility and regulatory agency, under two agreements. The WAC in turn distributes that water to properties in Grand Cayman outside of our retail license area.

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The water we provide to the WAC is produced at three seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants in Grand Cayman owned by the WAC but designed and built by DesalCo and operated by OC-Cayman: the North Sound, Red Gate and North Side Water Works (“NSWW”) plants, which have production capacities of approximately 1.6 million, 1.3 million and 2.4 million gallons of water per day, respectively. The plants we operate for the WAC are located on land owned by the WAC.

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Our agreement with the WAC for the North Sound and NSWW plants expire in 2026. Our agreement with the WAC for the Red Gate plant expires in 2034.

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Bulk Water Operations in The Bahamas

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We sell bulk water in The Bahamas through our majority-owned subsidiary, CW-Bahamas, to the WSC, which distributes the water through its own pipeline system to residential, commercial and tourist properties on the Island of New Providence.

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We supply bulk water in The Bahamas from our Windsor and Blue Hills plants.

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Our water supply agreement with the WSC for our Windsor plant, which has a capacity of 2.8 million gallons per day, expires in August 2033 and requires us to deliver and requires the WSC to purchase a minimum of 16.8 million gallons per week.

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We supply water from the Blue Hills plant, our largest seawater reverse osmosis desalination facility with a capacity of 12.0 million gallons per day, under the terms of a water supply agreement with the WSC that expires in March 2032 that requires us to deliver and requires the WSC to purchase a minimum of 63.0 million gallons of water each week.

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The high-pressure pumps at our Windsor and Blue Hills plants in The Bahamas are diesel engine-driven. Electricity for the remainder of our plant operations is supplied by Bahamas Power and Light Company (“BPL”). We maintain a standby generator with sufficient capacity to operate essential equipment at our Windsor and Blue Hills plants and are able to produce 100% of the production capacity with these plants during temporary interruptions in the electricity supply from BPL.

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Services Operations

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For fiscal years 2023 and 2022, our services operations accounted for approximately 54% and 31%, respectively, of our consolidated revenue.

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We provide design, engineering and construction services for desalination infrastructure projects through DesalCo, an original equipment manufacturer of seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants. DesalCo also provides management and procurement services for desalination plants and engineering services relating to municipal water production, distribution and treatment. DesalCo also conducts research and development. DesalCo sometimes tests new components and technology offered by suppliers in our business and, at times, collaborates with suppliers in the development of their

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products. Presently, DesalCo is providing management and purchasing services to our affiliate OC-BVI in the British Virgin Islands. In the past, DesalCo has provided consulting services to the WSC and constructed the desalination plants sold by OC-Cayman to the WAC. In the past, DesalCo has provided consulting services to the WSC and constructed and sold desalination plants to the WAC. Serving as a contractor to OC-Cayman, DesalCo is presently constructing the new Red Gate desalination plant for the WAC.

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In October 2019, we acquired 51% of the common stock of PERC, a U.S. company headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, which commenced operations in 1998. In August 2020, we acquired an additional 10% of PERC, increasing our ownership of this subsidiary to 61%. In January 2023, we acquired the remaining 39% ownership interest in PERC. In January 2020, we acquired the remaining 49% equity interest in Aerex. In January 2020, we acquired the remaining 49% equity interest in Aerex. PERC designs, constructs and sells wastewater and water reuse infrastructure. PERC develops, builds, and sells wastewater and water reuse infrastructure. PERC also provides management services for wastewater and water reuse infrastructure under long-term operations and maintenance contracts. PERC’s primary markets are California and the Southwest U.S., but it conducts business in other areas of the U.S.

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Effective October 1, 2023, we purchased, through our wholly-owned subsidiary PERC, a 100% ownership interest in REC, a Colorado company headquartered in Frederick, Colorado. REC operates and maintains water and wastewater treatment facilities and provides technical services to clients throughout the Rocky Mountain and Eastern Plains Regions of Colorado.

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Manufacturing Operations

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For fiscal years 2023 and 2022, our manufacturing operations accounted for approximately 10% and 7%, respectively, of our consolidated revenue. Our manufacturing operations consist of Aerex, an original equipment manufacturer and service provider of a wide range of specialized and custom products applicable to desalination, municipal water treatment and industrial water and wastewater treatment. Our manufacturing operations consists of Aerex, an original equipment manufacturer and service provider of a wide range of specialized and custom products applicable to desalination, municipal water treatment and industrial water and wastewater treatment. Aerex’s products include reverse osmosis desalination equipment, membrane separation equipment, filtration equipment, piping systems, vessels and custom fabricated components. Aerex’s manufacturing facility and headquarters are located in Fort Pierce, Florida and substantially all of its customers are U.S. companies.

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Affiliate Operations

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Our affiliate, OC-BVI, sells water to the Government of the British Virgin Islands Water and Sewerage Department (“BVIW&S”). We own 50% of the voting shares of OC-BVI and have an overall 43.53% equity interest in the profits of OC-BVI. We also own separate profit-sharing rights in OC-BVI that raise our effective interest in OC-BVI’s profits from 43.53% to approximately 45%. Sage Water Holdings (BVI) Limited (“Sage”) owns the remaining 50% of the voting shares of OC-BVI and the remaining 55% interest in its profits. Under the Articles of Association of OC-BVI, we have the right to appoint three of the six Directors of OC-BVI. Sage is entitled to appoint the remaining three Directors. In the event of a tied vote of the Directors, the President of the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association, a regional trade association comprised primarily of government representatives, is entitled to appoint a junior director to cast a deciding vote.

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Through DesalCo, we provide certain engineering and administrative services to OC-BVI for a monthly fee and a bonus arrangement which provides for payment of 4% of the net operating income of OC-BVI.

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We account for our investment in OC-BVI using the equity method of accounting.

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OC-BVI sells bulk water to BVIW&S, which distributes the water through its own pipeline system to residential, commercial and tourist properties on the islands of Tortola and Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands.

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OC-BVI owns and operates a desalination plant located at Bar Bay, Tortola with a capacity of 720,000 gallons per day. Pursuant to a water supply agreement with the BVI government, OC-BVI is required to supply up to 600,000 gallons per day to the BVI government. This water supply agreement expires March 2031.

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OC-BVI purchases electrical power to operate this plant from the BVI Electricity Corporation and operates diesel engine-driven emergency power generators which can produce 100% of the plant’s production capacity when the BVI Electricity Corporation is unable to provide power to the plant.

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OC-BVI’s plant on the island of Jost Van Dyke has a capacity of 60,000 gallons per day. This plant operates under a 10-year contract with the BVI government that expired July 8, 2013. Pursuant to the contract, OC-BVI is operating the plant on a year-to-year basis until the BVI government informs OC-BVI of its intention to extend the existing contract or enter into a new agreement. We purchase electrical power to operate this plant from the BVI Electricity Corporation. We purchase electrical power to operate this plant from BVI Electric Co.

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Reverse Osmosis Technology

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The conversion of seawater to potable water is called desalination. The primary method of seawater desalination used throughout the world is reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis is a fluid separation process in which the saline water (i.e. seawater) is pressurized and the fresh water is separated from the saline water by passing through a semi-permeable membrane which rejects the salts. The saline water is first passed through a pretreatment system, which generally consists of fine filtration and, if required, treatment chemicals. Pre-treatment removes suspended solids and organics which could cause fouling of the membrane surface. Next, a high-pressure pump pressurizes the saline water thus enabling approximately 40% conversion of the saline water to fresh water as it passes through the membrane, while more than 99% of the dissolved salts are rejected and remain in the now concentrated saline water. This concentrate is discharged without passing through the membrane, and the remaining hydraulic energy in the concentrate is transferred to the initial saline feed water with an energy recovery device thus reducing the total energy requirement for the reverse osmosis system. The final step is post-treatment, which consists of stabilizing the produced fresh water and/or removing undesirable dissolved gases, adjusting the pH and (if necessary) the mineral content, and providing chlorination to prepare it for distribution.

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We use reverse osmosis technology to convert seawater to potable water at all of the desalination plants we construct and operate. We believe that this technology is the most effective and efficient conversion process for our markets. However, we are always seeking ways to maximize efficiencies in our current processes and investigating new, more efficient processes to convert seawater to potable water. The equipment at our desalination plants is among the most energy efficient available and we monitor and maintain the equipment in an efficient manner. As a result of our decades of experience in seawater desalination, we believe our expertise and experience with respect to the development and operation of desalination plants and similar facilities is easily transferable to locations outside of our current operating areas.

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Wastewater Treatment Technology

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Our approach to wastewater treatment integrates advanced technologies and processes to ensure high-quality water reuse while addressing environmental and operational concerns. Typical technology uses include that of micro and ultra filtration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet advanced oxidation systems, often with sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide as oxidizers, to meet the stringent water quality parameters set by California. This is particularly relevant for applications like Title 22 reuse and Indirect Potable Reuse, where safety and quality are paramount.

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We utilize Membrane Bioreactor (“MBR”) technology, which is a wastewater treatment process that has been used for several decades to produce high quality recycled water for non-potable reuse. MBR technology, which integrates micro or ultra-filtration membranes with biological wastewater treatment processes, offers several advantages. These include a reduced physical footprint, which is crucial in areas where space is at a premium, and the production of higher quality treated effluent, which is vital for ensuring the safety and reliability of water reuse. Additionally, MBR's capability to handle more challenging influent makes it a versatile solution for a variety of wastewater treatment needs.

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We employ various methods to improve the aesthetic and environmental integration of our clients’ facilities. We conceal equipment and housing technologies in buildings that are both aesthetically pleasing and odor friendly, thereby addressing two of the common challenges in wastewater treatment facilities: odor and visual impact. This not only enhances the quality of life for nearby residents but also demonstrates a commitment to environmental stewardship.

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Furthermore, the vertical integration of technology within our operations constitutes a strategic approach to improving efficiency in construction and operational phases. We believe this integration leads to cost savings, faster project completion times, reduction of raw material usage, and smoother operational processes.

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Overall, our strategies and technologies reflect a holistic approach to wastewater treatment, emphasizing efficiency, environmental sensitivity, and the production of high-quality treated water for various reuse applications.

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Raw Materials and Sources of Supply

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All materials, parts and supplies essential to our business operations are obtained from multiple sources and we use the latest industry technology. Prior to our acquisition of Aerex, we did not manufacture any parts or components for equipment essential to our business. Aerex has manufactured key components for some of our desalination plants and we expect Aerex to continue to do so from time to time, however, our other businesses are not dependent on Aerex.

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Our access to seawater for processing into potable water is granted through our licenses and contracts with governments of the various jurisdictions in which we operate.

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Seasonal Variations in Our Business

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Demand for our water in the Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands is affected by variations in the level of tourism and rainfall. Tourism in our service areas is affected by the economies of the tourists’ home countries, primarily the United States and Europe, terrorist activity and perceived threats thereof, global health concerns such as COVID-19, and increased costs of fuel and airfare. In the Cayman Islands, we normally sell more water during the first and second quarters of the year, when the number of tourists is greater and local rainfall is less than in the third and fourth quarters. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting cessation of tourism to the Cayman Islands significantly reduced demand for our water in 2021. In August 2022, the Cayman Islands government lifted the COVID-19 pandemic related travel restrictions that had eliminated tourist travel to the Cayman Islands since March 2020. Demand in The Bahamas was not affected to the same degree by the drop in tourism resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The business conducted by Aerex and PERC is generally not subject to seasonal variations.

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Government Regulations, Custom Duties and Taxes

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Our operations and activities are subject to the governmental regulations and taxes of the countries in which we operate. The following summary of regulatory developments and legislation does not purport to describe all present and proposed regulation and legislation that may affect our businesses. Legislative or regulatory requirements currently applicable to our businesses may change in the future. Any such changes could impose new obligations on us that may adversely affect our businesses and operating results. The following paragraphs set forth some of the key governmental regulations in the jurisdictions in which we operate outside of the United States.

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Cayman Islands

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The Cayman Islands have no taxes on profits, income, distributions, capital gains or appreciation. We have exemptions from, or receive concessionary rates of customs duties on, certain capital expenditures for plant and major consumable spare parts and supplies imported into the Cayman Islands under our retail water license. We do not pay import duty or taxes on reverse osmosis membranes, electric pumps and motors, and chemicals, but we do pay duty at the rate of 10% of the cost, including insurance and transportation to the Cayman Islands, of other plant and associated materials and equipment to manufacture or supply water in the Seven Mile Beach or West Bay areas. We have been advised by the Government of the Cayman Islands that we will not receive any duty concessions in any new retail water license signed with the government.

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The Bahamas

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Under the current laws of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, no income, corporation, capital gains or similar taxes are payable by us. We are required to pay an annual business license fee (the calculation of which is based on our preceding year’s financial statements) which to date has not been material to the results of our Bahamas operations. We are also required to pay a value added tax on materials and services we purchase.

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Markets and Service Areas

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We operate in the Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, the United States and the British Virgin Islands. We believe that potential new markets for us include (i) any location where a need for potable water exists and reverse osmosis desalination of seawater or brackish water is an economically viable means of meeting such need; (ii) any location with a need for the water treatment and water reuse infrastructure development and management services we provide; and (iii) those new customers that require specialized water production and treatment products and systems such as those we manufacture.

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Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands government, through the WAC, supplies water to the areas of Grand Cayman that are not within our licensed area, as well as to Cayman Brac. We operate all but one of the reverse osmosis desalination plants owned by the WAC on Grand Cayman and supply water under two agreements held by OC-Cayman with the WAC.

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According to the most recent information published by the Economics and Statistics Office of the Cayman Islands Government, the population of the Cayman Islands was estimated in 2022 to be 81,546 after the 2021 census count. According to the figures published by the Department of Tourism Statistics Information Center, in 2023 as compared to 2022, tourist air arrivals increased over 50% to approximately 429,000 and tourist cruise ship arrivals increased 70% to approximately 1,270,000.

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We believe that our water sales in the Cayman Islands are more positively impacted by stay-over tourists that arrive by air than by those arriving by cruise ship, since cruise ship tourists generally only visit the island for one day or less and do not remain on the island overnight. Our water sales in the Cayman Islands are also greatly impacted by rainfall patterns and amounts on Grand Cayman.

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The Bahamas. The Bahamas government, through the WSC, supplies all of the piped water on the island of New Providence, Bahamas, which includes Nassau, the largest city, political capital and commercial hub of The Bahamas. We supply water to the WSC through the water supply agreements for our Blue Hills and Windsor plants, which are located in Nassau. New Providence is the most populous island in The Bahamas, with more than 70% of the country’s population. A 2022 census placed the population of New Providence at approximately 297,000. According to statistics published by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, in 2023 as compared to 2022, the number of air arrivals increased 17% to approximately 1,327,000 and cruise ship arrivals increased 46% to approximately 3,114,000.

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British Virgin Islands. The British Virgin Islands are a British Overseas Territory and are situated east of Puerto Rico. They consist of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands, of which Tortola is the largest and most populated. The British Virgin Islands serve as a hub for many large yacht-chartering businesses.

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Competition

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Cayman Islands. Pursuant to our license granted by the Cayman Islands government, we have the exclusive right to provide potable, piped water within our licensed service area on Grand Cayman. The last express extension of this license expired on January 31, 2018. However, we continue to operate under the terms of this license, providing water services to the level and quality specified in the 1990 license and in accordance with its legal obligations, treating those obligations set forth in the license as operative notwithstanding the expiration of the express extension. Negotiations for a new license are on-going.

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We are the only non-government-owned public water utility on Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands government, through the WAC, supplies water to parts of Grand Cayman located outside of our licensed service area. Although we have no competition within our exclusive retail license service area for potable water, our ability to expand our service area is at the discretion of the Cayman Islands government. We have competed with such companies as SUEZ/Veolia, IDE Technologies and small local contractors for bulk water supply contracts with the WAC and expect to compete with these and other companies for any new water supply contracts awarded by the WAC. We have competed with such companies as SUEZ/ Veolia, IDE Technologies and small local contractors for bulk water supply contracts with the WAC and expect to compete with these and other companies for any new water supply contracts awarded by the WAC.

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The Bahamas. We have competed with companies such as SUEZ/Veolia, IDE Technologies, and TSG for the contracts with The Bahamas government to build and operate seawater desalination plants in the past. We expect to compete with these companies and others for any future water supply contracts in The Bahamas.

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British Virgin Islands. In the British Virgin Islands, SUEZ/Veolia operates seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants in West End, Tortola, and on Virgin Gorda and generally bids against OC-BVI for projects. Seven Seas Water owns and operates a 2.75 million gallon per day desalination plant in Parakeeta Bay, Tortola for the British Virgin Islands government. We expect that OC-BVI will be required to compete against SUEZ/Veolia, Seven Seas Water, TSG and other parties for any future business opportunities that may arise in the British Virgin Islands. We expect that OC-BVI will be required to compete against SUEZ/Veolia, Seven Seas Water and other parties for any future business opportunities that may arise in the British Virgin Islands.

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United States. Aerex competes in the highly fragmented industry for manufactured water production and treatment equipment and systems against a large number of manufacturers, fabricators and service providers, many of which have greater resources than Aerex.

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PERC and REC compete in the highly fragmented industry for water treatment and water reuse infrastructure development and management against a large number of companies, many of which have greater resources than PERC and REC.

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Environmental and Health Regulatory Matters

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Cayman Islands. With respect to our Cayman Islands operations, we operate our water plants in accordance with Cayman Islands laws and regulations. We are licensed by the WAC to extract seawater from wells and discharge concentrated seawater, which is a byproduct of our desalination process, into deep disposal wells.

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Our Cayman Islands retail water license and bulk water operating contracts require our potable water to meet the World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality and contain less than 200 mg/l of total dissolved solids.

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The Bahamas and British Virgin Islands. With respect to our Bahamian operations and OC-BVI’s British Virgin Islands operations, we and OC-BVI are required by our water supply contracts to take all reasonable measures to prevent pollution of the environment. We are licensed by the Bahamian government to discharge concentrated seawater, which is a by-product of our desalination process, into deep disposal wells. OC-BVI is licensed by the British Virgin Islands government to discharge concentrated seawater into the sea.

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At several of our locations, hydrogen sulfide gas is present in the seawater and we are contractually obligated to operate our plants in a manner designed to prevent the emission of airborne gas into the environment.

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United States. Consistent with other U.S. companies, Aerex, PERC, Kalaeloa Desalco and REC must comply with various federal laws and regulations, such as those administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as state and local laws and regulations.

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We are not aware of any existing or pending environmental legislation which may negatively affect our operations. Presently, we do not have any outstanding issues with any regulatory authority.

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Human Capital

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We are committed to a work environment that is welcoming, inclusive and encouraging. To achieve our plans and goals, it is imperative that we attract and retain top talent. In order to do so, we aim to have a safe and encouraging workplace, with opportunities for our employees to grow and develop professionally, supported by strong compensation, benefits, and other incentives. We have historically experienced low employee turnover.

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As of March 20, 2024, we employed a total of 293 persons, 63 in the Cayman Islands, 209 in the United States, 19 in The Bahamas and two in The Netherlands. We also managed the five employees of OC-BVI in the British Virgin Islands. We have 20 management employees and 52 administrative and clerical employees. We have 14 management employees and 40 administrative and clerical employees. The remaining employees are engaged in engineering, purchasing, plant maintenance and operations, pipe laying and repair, leak detection, new customer connections, meter reading and laboratory analysis of water quality. We have no collective bargaining agreements with our employees, and none are represented by labor unions. We consider our relationships with our employees to be very good.

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Available Information

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Our website address is http://www.cwco.com. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report, and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this Annual Report.

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We have adopted a written code of conduct and ethics that applies to all of our employees and Directors, including, but not limited to, our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the charters of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee, Environmental and Social Governance Committee and the Corporate Governance Guidelines of our Board of Directors are available at the Investors section of our website. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the charters of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee and the Corporate Governance Guidelines of our Board of Directors are available at the Investors section of our website.

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You may access, free of charge, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, plus amendments to such reports as filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on our website and on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. In addition, paper copies of these documents may be obtained free of charge by writing us at the following address: Consolidated Water Co. Ltd., Regatta Office Park, Windward Three, 4th Floor, West Bay Road, P.O. Box 1114, Grand Cayman, KY1-1102, Cayman Islands, Attention: Investor Relations; or by calling us at (345) 945-4277.

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Investing in our common stock involves risks. Before investing in our common stock, you should consider carefully the factors discussed below and the information contained in this Annual Report. Each of these risks, as well as other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, and cause the value of our common stock to decline, which may result in the loss of part, or all, of your investment.

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Our exclusive license to provide water to retail customers in the Cayman Islands has not been expressly extended and we are presently unable to predict the outcome of our on-going negotiations relating to this license.

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We sell water through our retail operations under a license issued in July 1990 by the Cayman Islands government (the “1990 license”) that granted Cayman Water the exclusive right to provide potable water to customers within its licensed service area. Although the 1990 license has not been expressly extended after January 2018, we continue to supply water under the terms of the 1990 license, as discussed in the following paragraphs. Although the 1990 license was not expressly extended after January 2018, we continue to supply water under the terms of the 1990 license, as further discussed in the following paragraph. Although the 1990 license was not expressly extended after January 2018, we continue to supply water under the terms of the 1990 license, as further discussed in the following paragraph. Pursuant to the 1990 license, Cayman Water has the exclusive right to produce potable water and distribute it by pipeline to its licensed service area, which consists of two of the three most populated areas of Grand Cayman Island: Seven Mile Beach and West Bay. In 2023 and 2022, we generated approximately 17% and 27%, respectively, of our consolidated revenue and 26% and 44%, respectively, of our consolidated gross profit from the retail water operations conducted under the 1990 license. In 2021 and 2020, we generated approximately 33% and 32%, respectively, of our consolidated revenue and 47% and 44%, respectively, of our consolidated gross profit from the retail water operations conducted under the 1990 license.

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The 1990 license was originally scheduled to expire in July 2010 but was extended several times by the Cayman Islands government in order to provide the parties with additional time to negotiate the terms of a new license agreement. The most recent express extension of the license expired on January 31, 2018. We continue to operate under the terms of the 1990 license, providing water services to the level and quality specified in the 1990 license and in accordance with our understanding of its legal obligations, treating those obligations set forth in the 1990 license as operative notwithstanding the expiration of the express extension. We continue to pay a royalty of 7.5% of the revenue we collect as required under the 1990 license.

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In October 2016, the Government of the Cayman Islands passed legislation which created a new utilities regulation and competition office (“OfReg”). OfReg is an independent and accountable regulatory body with a view of protecting the rights of consumers, encouraging affordable utility services, and promoting competition. OfReg, which began operations in January 2017, has the ability to supervise, monitor and regulate multiple utility undertakings and markets. Supplemental legislation was passed by the Government of the Cayman Islands in April 2017, which transferred responsibility for economic regulation of the water utility sector and the negotiations with us for a new retail license from the WAC to OfReg

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in May 2017. We began license negotiations with OfReg in July 2017 and such negotiations are ongoing. We have been informed during our retail license negotiations, both by OfReg and its predecessor in these negotiations, that the Cayman Islands government seeks to restructure the terms of our license in a manner that could significantly reduce the operating income and cash flows we have historically generated from our retail license.

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We are presently unable to determine what impact the resolution of our retail license negotiations will have on our cash flows, financial condition or results of operations but such resolution could result in a material reduction (or the loss) of the operating income and cash flows we have historically generated from our retail operations and could require us to record impairment losses to reduce the carrying values of our retail segment assets. Such impairment losses could have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition and results of operations.

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Periodically, our Bahamas subsidiary experiences substantial delays in the collection of its accounts receivable. As a result, our Bahamas subsidiary could have insufficient liquidity to continue operations, and our consolidated financial results could be materially adversely affected. As a result, our Bahamas subsidiary could have insufficient liquidity to continue operations, and our consolidated results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

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CW-Bahamas’ accounts receivable balances (which include accrued interest) due from the WSC amounted to $26.9 million as of December 31, 2023. Approximately 80% of this December 31, 2023 accounts receivable balance was delinquent as of that date. The delay in collecting these accounts receivable has adversely impacted the liquidity of this subsidiary.

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From time to time (including presently), CW-Bahamas has experienced delays in collecting its accounts receivable from the WSC. When these delays occur, we hold discussions and meetings with representatives of the WSC and The Bahamas government, and as a result, payment schedules are developed for WSC’s delinquent accounts receivable. All previous delinquent accounts receivable from the WSC, including accrued interest thereon, were eventually paid in full. Based upon this payment history, we have not provided for a material allowance for credit losses for CW-Bahamas’ accounts receivable from the WSC as of December 31, 2023.

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In a report dated October 6, 2022, Moody’s Investor Services (“Moody’s”) downgraded the Government of The Bahamas’ long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings to B1 from Ba3. Moody’s also lowered The Bahamas’ local currency ceiling to Baa3 from Baa2 and its foreign currency ceiling to Ba1 from Baa3. Moody’s iterated these ratings in April and October 2023, noting that such ratings are “stable.”

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If CW-Bahamas is unable to collect a significant portion of its delinquent accounts receivable, one or more of the following events may occur: (i) CW-Bahamas may not have sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations; (ii) we may be required to cease the recognition of revenue on CW-Bahamas’ water supply agreements with the WSC; and (iii) we may be required to provide a material allowance for credit losses for CW-Bahamas’ accounts receivable. Any of these events could have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

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The profitability of our contracts is dependent upon our ability to accurately estimate construction and operating costs.

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The cost estimates we prepare in connection with the construction and operation of our water plants, the water infrastructure we construct and sell to third parties, and our manufacturing contracts, are subject to inherent uncertainties. Additionally, the terms of our water supply contracts may require us to guarantee the price of water on a per unit basis, subject to certain annual inflation and monthly energy cost adjustments, and to assume the risk that the costs associated with producing this water may be greater than anticipated. Because we base our contract prices in part on our estimation of future construction, manufacturing and operating costs, the profitability of our plants and our manufacturing and operations and maintenance contracts is dependent on our ability to estimate these costs accurately. Because we base our contract prices in part on our estimation of future construction and operating costs, the profitability of our plants and management contracts is dependent on our ability to estimate these costs accurately. The cost of materials and services and the cost of the delivery of such services may increase significantly after we submit our bid for contract, which could cause the gross profit for a contract to be less than we anticipated when the bid was made. The profit margins we initially expect to generate from an operations and maintenance contract could be further reduced if future operating costs for that contract exceed our estimates of such costs. The profit margins we initially expect to generate from a plant could be further reduced if future operating costs for that plant exceed our estimates of such costs. Any construction, manufacturing, and operating costs for our contracts that significantly exceed our initial estimates could have a material adverse impact our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

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Certain of PERC’s contracts with its customers may be terminated at any time at the customer’s convenience or with relatively short advance notice. The termination of any of these contracts prior to their full performance may result in us realizing less than the full consideration payable under the contract and may negatively impact our financial results.

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Certain of PERC’s contracts with its customers, and substantially all of its contracts with governments or municipalities, may be terminated at any time at the customer’s convenience with no or relatively short advance notice. Our business is highly dependent on the purchase of our products and services by government and municipalities, and we believe that contracts with similar termination provisions will continue to be a source of a substantial portion of our revenue for the foreseeable future.

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If a customer terminates one of our contracts for convenience, we generally may recover, at most, our incurred or committed costs, settlement expenses, and payment for work completed or products delivered prior to the termination. As such, the termination of any of these contracts prior to their stated term may result in us realizing less than the full consideration payable under the contract. If any such contract is terminated prior to us performing a substantial portion of the work to be performed or delivering a substantial portion of the products to be delivered, prior to the termination, such termination may have a material adverse impact on our consolidated results of operations.

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A significant portion of our consolidated revenue is derived from our water supply agreements with the WSC. The loss of the WSC as a customer would adversely affect us.

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One bulk water customer, the WSC, accounted for approximately 17% of our consolidated revenue for 2023. If, for financial or other reasons, the WSC does not comply with the terms of our water supply agreements our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

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Our operations are affected by tourism and are subject to seasonal fluctuations and other factors beyond our control that could affect the demand for our water.

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Demand for our water in the Cayman Islands and The Bahamas is affected by variations in the level of tourism and local weather, primarily rainfall. Tourism in our service areas is affected by the economies of the tourists’ home countries, primarily the United States and Europe, terrorist activity and perceived threats thereof, global health concerns such as COVID-19, and increased costs of fuel and airfare. In the Cayman Islands, we normally sell more water during the first and second quarters of the year, when the number of tourists is greater and local rainfall is less than in the third and fourth quarters. A downturn in tourism or greater than expected rainfall in the locations we serve could adversely impact our results of operations and cash flows. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting cessation of tourism to the Cayman Islands through August 2022 significantly reduced demand for our water.

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Performance shortfalls under any of our bulk supply contracts could result in penalties or cancellation of the contract.

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Our bulk water supply agreements require us to meet specified minimum quality, quantity and energy consumption guarantees. Membrane fouling or other technical problems could occur at any of our plants, and if we are unable to meet the guarantees due to such technical problems, we could be in default of the supply agreement and subject to various adverse consequences, including financial penalties or cancellation of the agreement.

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Our operations could be harmed by natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes.

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A natural disaster could cause major damage to our equipment and properties and the properties of our customers, including the large tourist properties in our areas of operation. For example, in January 2020, Grand Cayman experienced an earthquake which damaged three of our eight storage tanks. Any future disaster could cause us to lose use of our equipment and properties and incur additional repair costs. Damage to our customers’ properties and the adverse impact on tourism could result in a decrease in water demand. A natural disaster could also disrupt the delivery of equipment and supplies,

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including electricity, necessary to our operations. These and other possible effects of natural disasters could have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

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Contamination of our water may cause disruption in our services and adversely affect our revenue.

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Our feed water and/or processed water may become contaminated by natural occurrences and by inadvertent or intentional human interference, including acts of terrorism. If our feed water and/or processed water becomes contaminated, we may have to interrupt our supply of desalinated potable water until we are able to install treatment equipment or substitute the flow of water from an uncontaminated water source. In addition, we may incur significant costs in order to treat contaminated feed or processed water through expansion of our current treatment facilities, or development of new treatment methods. An inability by us to substitute feed water from an uncontaminated water source or to adequately treat the contaminated plant feed water or our processed water in a cost-effective manner may have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

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Potential government decisions, actions and regulations could negatively affect our operations.

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We are subject to the local regulations of the countries in which we operate, all of which are subject to change. Any government that regulates our operations may issue legislation or adopt new regulations, including but not limited to:

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As new laws and regulations are issued, we may be required to modify our operations and business strategy, which we may be unable to do in a cost-effective manner. Failure by us to comply with applicable regulations could result in the loss of our authorizations to operate, the assessment of penalties or fines, or otherwise may have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Unforeseen environmental costs could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations concerning environmental protection, including laws addressing water quality and contamination, the discharge of pollutants into the air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, and the cleanup of contaminated sites. We are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations concerning environmental protection, including laws addressing water quality and contamination, the discharge of pollutants into the air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, and the cleanup of contaminated sites. In particular, we face increasing complexity in our operations as we adjust to new and future requirements relating to water quality, the composition of our other products, their safe use, the energy consumption associated with our operations, and climate change laws and regulations. If we were to violate or become liable under environmental laws or if our products become non-compliant with environmental laws, we could incur substantial costs or face other sanctions, which may include restrictions on operating in certain jurisdictions. Our potential exposure includes fines and civil or criminal sanctions, third-party property damage, personal injury claims and clean-up costs. Further, liability under some environmental laws relating to contaminated sites can be imposed retroactively on a joint and several basis, and without any finding of noncompliance or fault. The amount and timing of costs to comply with environmental laws are difficult to predict. In addition, any complaints or lawsuits against us based on water quality and contamination may receive negative publicity that can damage our reputation and adversely affect our business and trading price of our common stock. In 20 Table of Contentsaddition, any complaints or lawsuits against us based on water quality and contamination may receive negative publicity that can damage our reputation and adversely affect our business and trading price of our common stock.

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If we fail to abide by laws, rules and regulations relating to human and workers’ rights, we could be subject to various actions and our reputation, business and financial results could be adversely affected.

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We are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations concerning human rights, including laws prohibiting discrimination, harassment, and forced or child labor, and establishing wage and hour standards. If we were to violate or become liable under human or workers’ laws, we could incur substantial costs or face other sanctions. Our potential exposure includes fines and civil or criminal sanctions or liability. The amount and timing of costs to comply with human and workers’ rights laws are difficult to predict. Additionally, the success of our business depends on earning and maintaining the trust and confidence of our customers, suppliers, stockholders and the communities in which we operate, our ability to compete for future opportunities, and our reputation among existing and potential clients and partners. Our reputation is critical to our business and could be impacted by events that may be difficult or impossible to control, and costly or impossible to remediate. For example, alleged or actual failures by us or our employees to comply with applicable human or workers’ rights laws, rules or regulations, expectations and perceptions of our employment and environmental, social and governance practices, threatened or actual litigation against us or our employees, or the public announcement and potential publicity surrounding any of these issues, even if inaccurate, satisfactorily addressed, or if no violation or wrongdoing actually occurred, could adversely impact our reputation and relationships with customers, suppliers, stockholders and the communities in which we operate, and our ability to renew or negotiate new agreements for projects. Any such failure or reputational harm could have an adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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We rely on the efforts of key employees. Our failure to retain these employees could adversely affect our results of operations.

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Our success depends upon the abilities of our Executive Officers. In particular, the loss of the services of Frederick W. McTaggart, our President and Chief Executive Officer, could be detrimental to our operations and our continued success. Mr. McTaggart has an employment agreement expiring on December 31, 2026. Each year, the term of this agreement may be extended for an additional year. However, we cannot guarantee that Mr. McTaggart will continue to work for us during the term of his agreement or will extend his employment agreement with us.

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Our business could be adversely affected by cyber threats or other interruptions in information technology, communications networks and operations.

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As part of our operations, we rely on computer systems to process transactions and communicate with our customers, suppliers and other third parties. We rely on continued and unimpeded access to secure network connections to communicate between locations and on reliable internet connections to communicate with external parties. We have physical, technical and procedural safeguards in place that are designed to protect information and protect against security and data breaches as well as fraudulent transactions and other activities. Despite these safeguards and our other security processes and protections, we cannot be assured that all our systems and processes are free from vulnerability to evolving and increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks, to other physical breaches or to inadvertent data disclosure by third parties or by us. A significant data security breach, including misappropriation of customer, supplier or confidential employee information, could cause us to incur significant costs, which may include potential costs of investigations, legal, forensic and consulting fees and expenses, costs and diversion of management attention required for investigation, remediation and litigation, substantial repair or replacement costs. We could also experience data losses that would impair our ability to manage our business operations, including accounting and project costs, manage our water and distribution systems or process transactions and have a negative impact on our reputation and loss of confidence of our customers, suppliers and others, any of which could have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and our business in general.

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We are exposed to credit risk through our relationships with several customers.

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We are subject to credit risk posed by possible defaults in payment by our bulk water customers in the Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands. We are also subject to credit risk posed by possible defaults in payment by our customers in the United States. Adverse economic conditions affecting, or financial difficulties of, those parties could impair their ability to pay us or cause them to delay payment. We depend on these parties to pay us on a timely basis. Our

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outstanding accounts receivable are not covered by collateral or credit insurance. Any delay or default in payment could adversely affect our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

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We are exposed to the risk of variations in currency exchange rates.

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Although we report our results in United States dollars, a significant portion of our revenue is earned in other currencies. These currencies have been fixed to the United States dollar for more than 20 years. Consequently, we do not employ hedging strategies against the foreign currency exchange rate risk associated with conducting business in foreign currencies while reporting in United States dollars. If any of the existing fixed exchange rates for these other currencies becomes a floating exchange rate and any of these currencies depreciate against the U.S. dollar, our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

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We may not pay dividends in the future. If dividends are paid, they may be in lesser amounts than past dividends.

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Our shareholders may receive dividends out of legally available funds if, and when, they are declared by our Board of Directors. We have paid dividends in the past but may cease to do so at any time. We may incur increased operating or development expenses or capital requirements or indebtedness in the future that may restrict our ability to pay dividends. We may also be restricted from paying dividends in the future due to restrictions imposed by applicable corporate laws, our consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, covenants contained in financing agreements, and other factors considered by our Board of Directors. We may not continue to pay dividends in the future or, if dividends are paid, they may not be in amounts comparable to past dividends.

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Service of process and enforcement of legal proceedings commenced against us in the United States may be difficult to obtain.

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We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and most of our assets are located outside of the United States. In addition, six of our 14 Directors and Officers reside outside the United States. In addition, seven of our 17 Directors and Executive Officers reside outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to execute service of process within the United States upon us and such other persons, or to enforce judgments obtained against such persons in United States courts, and bring any action, including actions predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the United States securities laws. In addition, it may be difficult for investors to enforce, in original actions brought in courts or jurisdictions located outside of the United States, rights predicated upon the United States securities laws.

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Based on the advice of our Cayman Islands legal counsel, we believe no reciprocal statutory enforcement of foreign judgments exists between the United States and the Cayman Islands, and that foreign judgments originating from the United States are not directly enforceable in the Cayman Islands. A prevailing party in a United States proceeding against us or our Directors and Officers would have to initiate a new proceeding in the Cayman Islands using the United States judgment as evidence of the party’s claim. A prevailing party in a United States proceeding against us or our Officers or Directors would have to initiate a new proceeding in the Cayman Islands using the United States judgment as evidence of the party’s claim. A prevailing party could rely on the summary judgment procedures available in the Cayman Islands, subject to available defenses in the Cayman Islands courts, including, but not limited to, the lack of competent jurisdiction in the United States courts, lack of due service of process in the United States proceeding and the possibility that enforcement or recognition of the United States judgment would be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands.

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Depending on the nature of damages awarded, civil liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (or the Securities Act), or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or the Exchange Act), for original actions instituted outside the Cayman Islands may or may not be enforceable. For example, a United States judgment awarding remedies unobtainable in any legal action in the courts of the Cayman Islands, such as treble damages, would likely not be enforceable under any circumstances.

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The relatively low trading volume of our stock may adversely impact the ability to sell our shares.

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The average daily trading volume of our common stock in 2023 was approximately 131,600 shares, a much lower trading volume than that of many other companies listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. A public trading market having the desired characteristics of depth, liquidity and orderliness depends on the presence in the market of willing buyers and

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sellers of our common stock at any given time. This presence in turn depends on the individual decisions of investors and general economic and market conditions over which we have no control. Due to the limited volume of trading in our common stock, an investor in our stock may have difficulty selling larger volumes of our common stock in the manner, or at the price, that might be attainable if our common stock were more actively traded.

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None.

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ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY

Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy

Our information technology (“IT”) and cybersecurity programs are crucial to maintaining secure operations, which enable us to deliver on our promise to customers and maintain stakeholder trust. Our Vice President of Information Technology (“VP IT”) is responsible for establishing, implementing, and executing our cybersecurity program and strategy. Our VP IT has more than 25 years of IT, IT audit, and cybersecurity experience, and is involved in assessing the latest developments in cybersecurity, including potential threats and innovative risk management techniques. All IT staff are obliged to include cybersecurity as part of their everyday considerations and tasks.

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Our cybersecurity program is a critical component of our enterprise risk management process overseen by our Board of Directors, and we have integrated cybersecurity-related risks into our overall enterprise risk management framework. Additionally, cybersecurity-related risks are included in the risk universe that the risk management function evaluates to assess top risks to the enterprise on an annual basis.

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Our IT department proactively identifies, manages, and mitigates cyber risk in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:

The standards set in our cybersecurity program include the implementation of controls that are aligned with industry guidelines and applicable regulations to identify threats, deter attacks, and protect our information security assets. These standards are guided, in part, by the relevant National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and American Water Works Association (AWWA) frameworks and guidance. We use various tools, security measures and technologies to aid in seeking to protect our network perimeter and internal systems from unauthorized access, intrusion, or disruption. Assessments are conducted across our systems, networks, and data infrastructure to identify potential cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.

We have policies and procedures in place for selecting and managing our relationships with third-party service providers and other business partners, including monitoring compliance with our agreements and regulatory and legal requirements. We also actively engage with industry participants and related communities as part of our continuing efforts to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of our information security policies and procedures. In addition, a monitoring and detection system has been implemented to help identify cybersecurity threats and incidents. Our cybersecurity program also focuses on providing training and awareness to our employees and contractors on cybersecurity best practices.

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Cybersecurity Governance

Our Board of Directors considers cybersecurity risk as part of its risk oversight function and has delegated to the Audit Committee oversight of cybersecurity and other IT risks. The Audit Committee oversees management’s implementation of our cybersecurity risk management program.

The Audit Committee oversees the management of our cybersecurity risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures. At each quarterly meeting, the Audit Committee receives an update from our VP IT and other members of management on relevant topics, including cybersecurity program maturity progress, new capabilities implemented, testing results, key cyber risk metrics (e.g., simulated phishing testing and vulnerability management) and notable incidents or events should they occur. On an annual basis, our Board of Directors meets with our VP IT and our third-party cybersecurity consultant to review our cybersecurity strategy. In accordance with our cybersecurity incident response plan, our Board of Directors is promptly informed of potentially material cybersecurity incidents, including with respect to our third-party service providers.

Although we have experienced cybersecurity incidents from time to time that have not had a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations, there can be no assurance that a cyber-attack, security breach, or other cybersecurity incident will not have a material adverse effect on us in the future.

Our management team supervises efforts to prevent, detect, mitigate, and remediate cybersecurity risks and incidents through various means, which may include briefings from internal security personnel; threat intelligence and other information obtained from governmental, public or private sources, including external consultants engaged by us; and alerts and reports produced by security tools deployed in the IT environment.

For a discussion regarding risks from cybersecurity threats that have or are reasonably likely to affect the company, see the risk factor titled “Our business could be adversely affected by cyber threats or other interruptions to information technology, communications networks and operations.” in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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