March 22, 2020

WASA to implement schedules and other measures to ensure citizens have access to water

By Newsroom

The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has acknowledged the need for water for personal hygienic purposes. WASA has decided to create various schedules of water distribution to ensure that all communities can have access to water.

In a statement the utility company said:

“In this regard, the Authority has been making adjustments to its 2020 Water Supply Management Plan, in order to meet the additional demand created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of the steps being taken involve the following:

Redistribution of water from unaffected areas with high pressures, to more water stressed area located on the periphery of the water distribution system. To accomplish this, Water Supply Schedules are being amended and will be published on the Authority’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages from Friday 27 th March, 2020.

The use of water from the Authority’s four main impounding reservoirs i.e. Arena, Navet, Hollis and Hillsborough, is being closely monitored and managed to ensure maximum water availability and production at this time.

Measures have been taken to ensure optimum water production from ground water sources, by closely monitoring and servicing existing wells equipment. The Authority is continually liaising with Desalcott – owners of the Point Lisas Desalination Plant and Seven Seas International – owners of the Point Fortin Desalination Plant, regarding optimization of their plant operations and production during this period.

The Point Fortin Desalination Plant is however experiencing challenges with a high algae broom in the Gulf of Paria, which is negatively impacting production at the facility. The Authority has been making the necessary system adjustments, in order to minimize this impact.

The Authority’s water trucking fleet is being expanded, in order to cater for greater demand from harshly impacted communities/ customers. The prevailing Dry Season conditions over the past weeks have begun to negatively impact production at several of the Authority’s water treatment facilities throughout Trinidad and Tobago. This as the country continues to experience below normal rainfall for the period January to February 2020 as follows:

Navet – 25.8% and Hollis – 14.7%; while rainfall at Arena, North Oropouche and Hillsborough were marginally below normal for the same period.

Based on projections of rainfall by the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service and the need for potable water to counter the Covid-19 pandemic, the Authority has none the less increased its releases from its major impounding reservoirs by approximately 18 million gallons daily.”

 

 

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