Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 03/Oct 07:51

WASA to divert supply as dry taps frustrate Crown Point

As Tobago continues to be plagued with challenges with the availability of water, officials of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) say they have a short-term plan, which takes effect October 3, and a long-term solution. At a tour of the Courland Water Treatment Plant on October 1 in Plymouth, WASA’s CEO Jeevan Joseph acknowledged the suffering of the Crown Point district and said water supply will be diverted from elsewhere to ease the plight of residents and businesses. Meteorologist II Trevis Gardiner said the island is experiencing way below the average amount of rainfall expected in the month of September. He said, “One positive is that the climate section of the MET service recently would have given the outlook for October to December and they’re expecting a slight uptick in the amount of rainfall or precipitation that we would get on the island, and that is based on climatic factors. "However, after that we transition into the dry season. Being that we are at this time of the year and we’re already experiencing water issues or we are seeing the low amount of rainfall we got from September – it’s not a positive sign.” Joseph said having met with Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and his executive council, a way forward has been charted. “We identified the problems that occurred, which was low rainfall levels and the low river levels and the Courland Water Treatment plant. Also, we had mechanical and electrical problems with our intake pumps and our high-lift pumps.” He said though the latter issue has been addressed, the challenges remain. “We still remain with the low levels, which we have to deal with. One of the ways we’re going to be dealing with that is that we plan to redirect water from other supply zones to help the south-west Tobago community. We will also publish temporary schedules, which will be updated on a weekly basis and published.” He said with the October carnival approaching, the authority will be amend the schedule, redirecting water from other supply zones into the south-west communities to mitigate the excess demand created by the increase in visitors. “With that, we think we charted a way forward and had some mitigation solutions.” Speaking with the media prior to the tour, Augustine denied rumours of nefarious activities causing the low water supply. “It is not because Brian (Williams – head of WASA Tobago Affairs) wicked, why you’re not getting water. It is not because Kamla (Persad-Bissessar PM) spiting we, why you’re not getting water. It is not because WASA doing what they’re doing, why you’re not getting water. It is a case where we just don’t have enough.” Tobago West MP Joel Sampson Joel Sampson said he has been plagued with calls and messages on the issue. He said the island has had little to no rainfall over the past couple of months. “Here in Tobago, we rely heavily on ground water supply to feed to areas in need, especially in south-west where we have the influx of foreigners, local guests from time to time." He said officials "have been trying their best to ensure that we receive some sort of supply. There are some areas which will be affected by the changes in terms of the schedules.” Crown Point, Lowlands businesses frustrated On October 2, Newsday spoke to several business owners in Crown Point and Lowlands about how the water supply is affecting them. Lowlands chicken farmer Jesse David describes the past month as frustrating. “This is the first time water has gone basically for a whole month, without any form of warning, without any form of notification – nothing like that.” He said his chicken business has been hit hard as there was no water supply feed the animals. He said he has had to tote in his own supply to keep the chickens alive. Restaurant owner at Shore Things Cafe in Lambeau, Gisselle Beauburn, said, “We have been lucky that we didn’t have to (temporarily) close down, which in previous years we have had to. This has not happened recently, but the regularity of low pressure or no pressure is a bit much.” She said in 2024 a similar water problem caused her to shut her doors. However, she has bought multiple tanks and pumps. She said WASA has been very responsive to their needs with a truck-borne supply. Kay Trotman, owner of Native Abode guesthouse in Crown Point, said she braced herself for a reoccurrence after her experience last year. “I have a whole tank farm – I have more than six 5,000-gallon tanks, so I have really not felt the effects of this issue, personally. Water comes from the main to my tanks and then to my property, so I’m good.” Trotman, head of the Bed and Breakfast association, said other establishments have not been so fortunate and are feeling the pinch. “One property has had to shut down some of his rooms. He had ten rooms and now only five are operating and he has people in-house. He is still being impacted at this time.” On October 1, Augustine told members of the media that he visited the plant to get a first-hand view. “Importantly, we discussed long-term solutions. We were here in 2024, so the real talking point for us is getting beyond treating with this temporarily to solving this problem permanently.” He recalled that in 2024 under the previous central government, lands were provided at the Lure Estate for the construction of the water treatment facility at Goldsborough. “We’ve always been partnering with WASA regardless of who is in power at the central government. "We were advised that that project is on schedule to be completed some time around July next year – that’s part of the long-term solution, because that will allow us to collect water from that middle region in Goldsborough and be able to free up some of the supplies in Hillsborough and be able to send the water from Richmond further East and allow us to transport more water towards Tobago West where the challenge is primarily.” He said, in addition, WASA is advanced in its planning for desalination in the Charlotteville area. “We know that’s an area that forever has been without and so we’re looking at how that can solve the problem there.” The post WASA to divert supply as dry taps frustrate Crown Point appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.