- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 14/Aug 02:33

Desalcott to shut down for maintenance next week

THE Desalination Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Desalcott) has kept good on its promise as it announced it will shut down for maintenance works in August instead of its typical period of the last quarter of the year. A statement from the company said the shutdown is scheduled for August 18 to 24 and has advised WASA of its plans. In July, Desalcott agreed to conduct its maintenance in August instead of between September and November following discussions with WASA and the Ministry of Public Utilities. The plant provides 40 million gallons of water to WASA daily, which is sent to the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and to augment the supply to residents of Central and South Trinidad. Those who will be impacted include residents living in Caroni, St Helena, Charlieville, Chaguanas, Cunupia, Carapichaima, Couva, Claxton Bay, Marabella, Gasparillo, San Fernando, Cocoyea, Union Hall, La Romaine, Woodland, Palmiste, Phillipine, Rambert Village, South Oropouche, Fyzabad, Avocat, Siparia, Penal, San Francique, Rousillac, Aripero and La Brea. To mitigate against the shortfall in supply, WASA said it would redistribute water supply from its Caroni and Navet water treatment plants, implement temporary supply schedules (which could be found on WASA's social media pages), ensure storage at critical service reservoirs before the shutdown, increase water trucking capacity and place special emphasis to supply health institutions, homes for the aged and other special-needs organisations. Despite those measures, WASA also urged customers to make preparations of their own, such as establishing a system of storing water and limiting consumption during the shutdown. It said the limited truck-borne supply would be available upon request, with priority being placed on the special-needs institutions. To request, it said customers can do so through the customer portal on its website wasa.gov.tt or through the call centre at 800-4420/4426. "WASA regrets the inconvenience caused and thanks customers for their patience and understanding." The authority said further information could be sought through e-mailing corporatecommunications@wasa.gov.tt. In November 2023, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who was opposition leader at the time, slammed Desalcott for scheduling the shutdown during the Divali season, a period where Hindus would need a supply to prepare their homes for the festivity. "And may I say I find it very insensitive for Desalcott, in the middle of the Divali celebrations, to go down on a lockdown and maintenance? You have 365 days, 52 weeks of the year, and you choose Divali week to lock down and shut off the water,” she said in her feature address at the Divali Nagar. WASA later denied this claim, saying instead it increased its draw from Desalcott from 40 million gallons per day to 42 million over the period. It questioned where Persad-Bissessar got her information that the plant was being shut down. Persad-Bissessar's criticism came days after residents of Tenant Trace, Woodland, set fire to the road over dry taps for three months. They said it hindered their preparation for Divali. Desalcott's shutdown in 2024 began on November 11, one day before floods inundated several parts of Penal. Residents' cleanup efforts were stymied by the lack of water in their pipes. Those who had stored in tanks for the shutdown instead opted to use the water to return their homes to normal. On November 13, WASA diverted water to Rock Road and environs to assist with cleanup. The post Desalcott to shut down for maintenance next week appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.