The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) continues to tackle issues affecting the water supply in southwest Tobago.
On Wednesday, WASA and Tobago House of Assembly officials met at the Office of the Chief Secretary to discuss the matter, which was followed by a tour of the Courland Water Treatment Plant and river.
Head of WASA’s Tobago Region, Brian Williams, said the Courland River serves over 22,000 residents and will usually reach over 12 feet in height but it has been reduced to a stream.
“We are standing in the middle of the Courland river at the height of the rainy season. A river that is expected that on a normal day will give us 1.5 imperial million gallons and serve from Plymouth to Crown Point and all the off-takes Buccoo, Black Rock, the works and this is where we are so notwithstanding the challenges. The main challenge that we have is the unavailability of existing resource.”
Meteorologist II Trevis Gardiner further highlighted the reality which has significantly affected the water supply in southwest Tobago.
“For the month of September we would have only recorded approximately 70 millimetres of rainfall at our station in Crown Point. Now that is way below the average amount of rainfall we expect in the month of September.”
WASA’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Jeevan Joseph, reiterated that while the mechanical problems at the Courland Water Treatment Plant were addressed, the situation regarding low river levels remains a challenge.
“We plan to redirect water from other supply zones to help the southwest Tobago communities. We will also publish as immediate as tomorrow schedules, temporary schedules, which will be updated on a weekly basis and published on social media and local social platforms.”
With Tobago’s Carnival period fast approaching, Mr. Joseph said provisions will be made to ensure the thousands expected have a steady supply of water. However, some areas will be affected by a change in schedule.
MP Joel Sampson added: “There are some areas that received water on a 24/7 schedule, but you have to appreciate the fact that there are some areas which do not receive water on that sort of schedule, so we have to transfer some of that water to those areas. Even if it is three days a week, they will be receiving a supply.”
Some areas will have to rely on truck-borne water supply, and Chief Secretary Farley Augustine noted that long-term plans were discussed during Wednesday’s meeting. Among these is the operationalisation of the Goldsborough Water Treatment Facility.
“We were advised that that project is on schedule to be completed sometime 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 from 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. In addition to which WASA is pretty advanced with their planning for desalination in the Charlotteville area.”
Meteorologist Gardiner said the Met Office’s climate section reported that a slight uptick in the amount of rainfall for October to December is expected.