The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) is embarking on additional activities to mitigate and reduce the impact on customers affected by the stoppage of pumping from Bowmanston during bouts of heavy rainfall. These include:
Short–Term Solutions
- By the end of today, Friday, December 22nd, BWA will have installed ten (10) additional Community Tanks in Drax Hall, Greens, Ellerton, Clifton Hall, Gall Hill, Cliff Cottage and Webb Hill, among other districts. More of these Community Tanks are scheduled to be installed in the coming weeks.
- To date, one hundred and ten (110) water tank systems have been installed in the affected areas in St. John – 69 potable water tanks and 41 rainwater tanks to Community Centres, Farms and households.
- To date, one hundred and thirteen (113) water tank systems have been installed in the affected districts in St. George – 86 potable water tanks and 27 rainwater tanks again to Community Centres, Farms and households.
- Fifty (50) additional vulnerable households in St. George and St. John were identified this past week to receive personal tanks. The survey will continue and installation of these systems is expected to take place within the coming weeks.
- Personnel will fill the Reservoir at Bowmanston by Super Tanker with some assistance from the Private Sector to augment the potable water being supplied to customers fed from this source.
- Arrangements have been made and systems are in place to press the Authority’s Water Tanker teams into service to fill the Community Tanks and supply customers as a temporary measure, as needed.
Short to Medium-Term Solution
- BWA will continue to collect the data to be used in design of the permanent solution.
Medium-Term Solutions
BWA will
- Build and install check dams in the gully at Pool Plantation to reduce the amount of sediment that gets into the cave.
- Install an above-ground Tank to supplement the water storage in the existing Reservoir.
- Review and implement a best land use and management programme for the watershed to reduce the soil erosion in the catchment.
- Issue Tenders for the design and installation of the permanent solution.
- Organise for the removal of silt from the cave system.
Long-term Solution
- Installation and commissioning of the permanent solution.
The BWA is encouraging customers in the affected areas to store water for their personal use and the Authority will continue to monitor and disinfect the water to ensure that it remains safe for use by all.
December 22, 2023