Water Sector Upgrades: Leaving No One Behind!

Issue 25 | 25 May, 2019

WATER SECTOR

UPGRADES Leaving No One Behind !

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04

The WASCO Story

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The John Compton Dam

Water Conservation

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ver time, some slogans and catch phrases may lose their initial impact. That is not to say that the original intended message does not ring true still. One such slogan I believe is “Water is Life.” Over time and use, for some of us it has become cliché; we no longer pause and ponder on the veracity of that statement.

Water is without question one of the most important substances and resources on earth. All plants and animals must have water to survive and if there was no water there would be no life on earth. It is as straight forward as that.

Apart from drinking it to survive we use water everyday - for cooking, washing, bathing, cleaning our homes, offices, schools, flushing toilets and in manufacturing.

Water is also used in farming to irrigate crops and for livestock. And of course we use water to recreate – pools, fountains etc.

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03. Minister Talks Water 04. The WASCO Story 05. An Interview with the Chairman 06. Recent Water Projects 08. The John Compton Dam 10. The Water Resource Management Unit 11. Upcoming Projects 12. PM Says Thanks 13. WASCO Awards Night 14. News Bites

Cover Photo: Students of Anse La Raye Primary now enjoy a regular supply of water. Photo Bill Mortley

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Water is Still Life!

A constant readily available supply of potable water is linked to good hygiene, health and productivity of a country.

It is for this reason that in Saint Lucia there is now greater collaboration among various sectors to ensure that potable water is a priority. These agencies fall under the Ministry of Ariculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Co-operative. They include WASCO, The Water Resource Management Authority, The National Utilities Regulatory Authority and the Department of Sustainable Development. In many instances the Department of Health also plays its role.

Through the efforts of these agencies, in recent times, water borne diseases have been greatly minimized and our water resources and supplies better managed.

In this issue of Our Saint Lucia we focus on water and the integrated use through the various departments as we strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of making potable water accessible to everyone.

However, we all can play our part by seeking to reduce the impact of climate change on our water supply and by putting an end to; polluting our rivers and waters, the indiscriminate garbage disposal and cutting down of trees protecting our watersheds. Let us keep reminding ourselves by our actions that this precious resource called water is indeed still life!

WORKING TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE WATER SECURITY. Message from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperatives – Hon. Ezechiel Joseph.

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aint Lucia joined the rest of the world on March 22, 2019 to observe World Water Day under the theme “Leaving No One Behind.”

This is a theme that the Government of Saint Lucia takes very seriously as we become proactive in delivering a reliable supply of potable water to every community.

The theme is the central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: as sustainable development progresses, everyone must benefit.

As I reflected on World Water Day I recall speaking to the many issues that affect us locally and on a global scale.

Billions of people do not have access to safe water, and the situation is most acute for groups such as women, children, refugees and indigenous people. The United Nations Assembly has recognized the human right to water and sanitation and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realization of all human rights.

In Saint Lucia, significant strides have been made to supply potable water to the population. This action has been implemented through augmenting water availability and implementing measures to protect water quality. Despite the challenges, we are working diligently to ameliorate the situation.

Among the many challenges we face include limited resources as well as mitigating the impacts of Climate Change.

As such, we are incorporating climate change adaptive measures to ensure that no one is left behind. In that regard, we have seen the implementation of some major projects such as The John Compton Dam Rehabilitation, the Dennery North Water Supply Redevelopment, and the Micoud North water supply. We also expect to come on stream shortly the Vieux Fort Water Supply Redevelopment Projects, as well as water improvement projects in communities like Babonneau, Micoud (south), Bouton, Delcer and Anse La Raye.

We are well on the way to completing phase one of the John Compton Dam Project after several delays and setbacks. The desilting of the Dam, which is part of phase two, is expected to commence shortly.

With the Vieux Fort Water Supply Redevelopment Project, we are now receiving bids and as soon as this process is complete we expect to commence the project. In the Mabouya Valley we are now in phase two of the water development project there, as we continue to work assiduously in improving the steady supply of water to all our people.

The implementation of these projects, are in keeping with the strategy to ensure that the population enjoys access to a safe and consistent water supply.

I would like to thank the staff at my Ministry for their diligence and hard work as well as the staff of WASCO, the management team and board of directors, a team that I have the fullest confidence in, for their efforts in helping us realize these goals.

Let me point out, that we have heard the cries over the years from the staff of WASCO in Vieux Fort and we are now working on improving their working environment. This will be done with the construction of a new office block in the near future.

In closing let me just say that we have certainly come a long way in our supply of pipe borne water to various parts of the island as well as reduce significantly the water rationing. However, I also acknowledge that there is still work to be done and it is our pledge to Saint Lucians that not only food security but water security and the protection of our water resources remain of paramount importance to my Ministry and the Government.

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B rief Histor y of

WASCO T

he Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO) was first started in 1965 as the Central Water and Authority (CWA). Under the portfolio of the Ministry of Health (MoH) with responsibility for the provision of potable water supplies and conservation, augmentation, distribution and proper use of water resources including preservation and protection of gathering grounds. The Saint Lucia Central Water Authority was constituted under the provisions of the Water Authority Act. No. 24 of 1964.

Prior to 1965, the water supply was the responsibility of the Castries City Council (CCC). According to the Castries City Council records, pipe borne water was first brought to Castries in April 1848. The inhabitants of the island drew their water from main rivers, small streams or ponds. By 1915 the majority of the other towns and villages had some form of simple pipe borne water supply.

In 1984 the Government of Saint Lucia enacted legislation to make the Central Water Authority (CWA) a statutory body responsible for the combined services of Water and Sewerage. It was renamed; the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), it was established as a statutory body headed by a Board of Directors reporting to the Ministry of Communications, Transport and Public Utilities.

In October 1999, the Government of Saint Lucia restructured the water sector by establishing a new entity - the Water and Sewerage Company, Incorporated (WASCO). WASCO is incorporated under the Companies Act and regulated in accordance with the provisions of the Water and Sewerage Act (2004).

Today the Water and Sewerage Company Incorporated (WASCO) falls under the portfolio of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Co-operatives.

WATER SAFETY Water is a fundamental human need. Each person on Earth requires at least 20 to 50 liters of clean, safe water a day for drinking, cooking, and simply keeping themselves clean.

However polluted water isn’t just dirty—it can be deadly. Some

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1.8 million people die every year of diarrheal diseases like cholera. Tens of millions of others are seriously sickened by a host of water-related ailments—many of which are easily preventable.

The United Nations considers universal access to clean water a basic human right, and an essential step towards improving living standards worldwide.

Water is obviously essential for hydration and for food production—but sanitation is an equally important, and complementary, use of water. A lack of proper sanitation services not only breeds disease, it can rob people of their basic human dignity.

Safety tips for storing and drinking water • • • •

Stored drinking water should be handled with care as it can easily grow bacteria and algae and pose a health risk.

Water quality starts decreasing after three days, depending on storage conditions and container quality.

Use clean and sturdy containers of good quality with screw-closing tops for water storage.

Rinse and sanitize the containers and taps once a week, using unperfumed household bleach.

Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to prevent diarrhea (WHO) Diarrhoea mostly results from lack of safe drinking-water, adequate sanitation and hygiene. A number of interventions are effective in preventing diarrhoeal diseases, thereby positively impacting the nutritional status of those most vulnerable. These are: • • • •

Access to safe drinking water (the management of water from the source to tap); household water treatment and safe storage.

Access to improved sanitation facilities Hand washing with soap at critical times (e.g. after toilet use and before the preparation and handling of food Hygiene promotion, along with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation should be accessible by all.

Interview with WASCO’s Chairman

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rancis Denbow took over the Chairmanship of the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) in August, 2016. Since then the new Chairman, his board and management team has sought to transform and improve the sole provider of potable water and sewerage service to the island. Our Saint Lucia spoke with Mr. Denbow recently, first asking him about the mandate of WASCO. FD: “WASCO which is owned by the Government and People of Saint Lucia has as its mandate to provide a sustainable supply of potable, well treated water that meets WHO standards to residents and commercial enterprises in Saint Lucia.

“We are guided by several policies and among other things we have to ensure that our treatment plants around the island are operating at optimum levels weather permitting.”

Our Saint Lucia: How has weather patterns and climate change affected water supplies?

FD: We have been feeling the impacts of Climate change. Most noticeably, river water levels are not what they were 20 years ago and the rivers are now heavily silted. This has reduced the water supply considerably by about twenty percent and so it is not business as usual for us.

Our Saint Lucia: Besides rain water from rivers and catchment areas are there other sources that WASCO is considering?

FD: We have been considering drilling bedrocks for water beneath the surface.

We have also considered desalinated but it would be a more expensive process.

There would need to be other investments like additional storage tanks and how to dispose of brine. So while we are looking at other areas, the priority for us is to improve on what already exists.

Hamburg Wasser, Germany and with their help we have started executing interventions like teaching workers how to dig and repair busted pipes more efficiently. We are also tackling our sewer lines, which were installed in the 1960’s and have become inadequate.

Our Saint Lucia: Despite some of your challenges WASCO appears to have improved its water supply with fewer complaints from consumers. To what do you attribute this?

Our Saint Lucia: Talk about some of the water projects you have executed so far and those in the pipeline.

FD: We had a changing of the guard at board level in August 2016 and this new board I must say was more focused about the improvements at WASCO. And so we went into the belly of WASCO, we did a management audit and we had an 80% change in management personnel.

Our recruitment procedure was now more focused and strategic for example we employed a qualified legal officer/ corporate secretary and this position helped us push many projects since we now had an in-house legal mind to vet things.

We have also worked assiduously in changing the culture at WASCO, we looked at things like uniforms for staff, building staff morale, resolving outstanding situations with Unions and conforming rates to union agreements. We have a long way to go but relations have improved.

On the financial side WASCO was not in the habit of preparing financial statements. In August of 2018 we had our first ever annual general meeting to look at 2015/2016 financial statements and in June or July we continue the exercise for 2017/2018 and will achieve a milestone of having current AGMs. We have also invested EC$1.5 million to upgrade our computer system and continue to work on our customer service and staff training. In August of 2018 both the Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet and Minister Ezechiel Joseph met with management, toured the offices and met with staff and we were very happy for that.

Our Saint Lucia: What continues to be the biggest challenge for WASCO? FD: The issue of non-revenue water.

That is to say water leakage of already treated water due to underground leaks.

Non-revenue water loss is estimated at 50-60%. We have signed an MOU with

FD: In the history of WASCO I do not believe that we have ever seen so many projects come on stream in such a short space of time.

After more than eight years of delays we were able to start phase 1 of the John Compton Dam project and phase 2 will start soon.

We were able to complete the first phase of the Dennery water project in 2018. This involved a treatment plant at Thomazo and building a water intake. Earlier in May we completed the Micoud South water project, which involved making a tank operational by running the necessary pipes and so residents no longer have to ration water.

We also completed work in Babonneau by changing existing pipes and doubling the capacity at the treatment plant, as well as Canaries where we refurbished the water plant. We were able to install a water storage tank in Bouton to distribute water between Belvedere and Bouton. In Lahot Laborie, we installed a tank also.

Coming up is the mother of all water projects, the Vieux Fort Water Supply Project. This project is in the tendering stage and will comprise the construction of two brand new treatment plants.

Our goal is that wherever we can distribute water we will. We have our challenges – the topography of the land, non revenue water, climate change as I mentioned earlier, indiscriminate disposal and human actions near some of the intakes.

So we have our work cut out for us but we are dedicated to working on our infrastructure so that we can afford Saint Lucians a regular supply of potable water, respond to their complaints on a timely basis and to be a consumer and customer service oriented operation.

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Recently Implemented Water Projects Dennery North Water Supply Improvement Project The Dennery Water Supply Redevelopment Project was officially launched on Friday, February 17th, 2017 at the Grande Riviere Human Resource Centre.

Monday March 15, 2018, marked the inauguration of the project. This project was a collaboration of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the Government and the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) of Saint Lucia, in addition to the funding from the Government of Mexico.

This project improves water quality, and thereby health and living conditions of around 8.000 residents.

The project was executed in collaboration with the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) and the major infrastructural components included the design, procurement and construction of a raw water intake, transmission pipelines, a water treatment plant, pumping stations and distribution systems.

According to the Chairman of WASCO the project was initiated with a grant of US$5 million from the Mexican Government with the Government of Saint Lucia supplementing the cost with US$1.6 million.

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No more murky water for Dennery residents.

Historically the Dennery Valley has been plagued with water issues. Not only has the Government implemented the first phase of the project but it also waived water fees in the tune of EC$2 million for residents who had complained of receiving murky pipe borne water in the past.

WASCO COMPLETES ENHANCEMENTS TO CANARIES WATER TREATMENT PLANT The objective of the project which was completed in December of 2018 was to improve and enhance the water security, quality and supply for approximately nine hundred households and businesses in the village of Canaries.

9. Installation of a 154m perimeter fence 10. Supply and installation of PV Array Solar System, inclusive of 48 hour battery storage, inverter and cabling 11. The project was funded by the Caribbean Development Bank through the St Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) and the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF).

Babonneau residents to receive improved water supply

The improvements took the form of physically protecting the treatment plant site as well as enhancing the treatment process, by introducing elements that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the plant. The scope of works included: 1. The construction of reinforced concrete retaining walls, that run primarily parallel to the Canaries River, to Protect the site’s northern and western boundaries from ongoing erosion.

2. The construction of a 2.4 m long by 2.4m wide settlement tank 3. The construction of a 3.0m long by 3.0m wide chemical hut 4. The construction of a 6.0m long by 2.0m wide rubble wall roughing filter 5. Installation of a +/-40m3/h capacity flocculator 6. Supply and installation of a chemical feed system 7. Supply and Installation of a vacuum chlorinator and associated pump 8. General waterproofing repairs, painting and re-sanding of the existing slow sand filter

L-R: WASCO chairman Francis Denbow, Babonneau MP Ezechiel Joseph, WASCO GM, Edmund Regis at the ceremonial opening,

In May of 2018, The Water and Sewerage Company Inc. announced that residents of Babonneau, Cabishe and Hill Twenty, who had been experiencing frequent water supply interruptions could expect an improvement when upgrades on the Hill Twenty treatment plant were completed.

The primary objective of the project was to increase the supply of water to customers to a more consistent and reliable supply. Works included the installation of a ten-inch main that replaced the six-inch pumping main from the Hill Twenty treatment plant to the La Croix water storage tank. The upgrade

Hon. Ezechiel Joseph, WASCO Chairman Francis Denbow, Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet and MP for Micoud South and Taiwanese Ambassador Douglas Shen turn on water at ceremony. has increased capacity and was the first step in satisfying the demand for water in areas that had previously received an intermittent supply.

Residents of La Borne in Monchy have also been benefitting from a more consistent water supply.

Belvedere to Bouton Water Extension project The Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO) and the St. Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) in 2018 started work on the Belvedere to Bouton water extension project.

The project comprises the installation of ten thousand seven hundred (10,700) feet of four (4) inch water mains, from Belvedere to Bouton, Pump house and a 50,000 gallon potable water tank under the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) funded Basic Needs Trust Fund sixth programme (BNTF 7) in the amount of approximately $1.2 million XCD. The Water Extension Enhancement Project will create a more efficient supply of treated water from the treatment plant, as well as a more resilient system to endure manmade and natural disasters.

MICOUD SOUTH WATER PROJECT May 9, 2019 saw the official commissioning of the Ti Rocher/Micoud Water Supply Improvement Project in the memory of an illustrious son of the soil Arsene James.

This project included the laying of a 100mm (4”) PVC and Ductile Iron Pumping Main of approximately 6.88 km (22,571.85 linear ft.) along the entire route – from the WASCO Micoud Treatment Plant at Micoud through to WASCO’s 100,000 Imperial Gallon Tank, located at Morne Desir, Ti-Rocher/Micoud.

Four contractors from Micoud South were awarded contracts for works on this project and funding for this long overdue project was secured from the Taiwanese Government and managed by the team at WASCO. Minister Ezechiel Joseph described the opening ceremony as a very emotional one, keeping in mind that the now deceased former MP for Micoud South had worked tirelessly to see the project come to its fruition.

WASCO TO BENEFIT FROM MOU WITH CUBA TO IMPROVE WATER SUPPLY SERVICES IN ST LUCIA

CUBAHIDRAULICA that aims to improve water supply services in Saint Lucia.

The signing of the MOU took place on Friday March 8th at WASCO’s Lanse Road Headquarters in Castries where the Chairman of WASCO’s Board of Directors Mr. Francis Denbow and Director General of Cubahidraulica Manuel Jorge Font Garcia affixed their signatures.

The signing of the MOU marked the culmination of preliminary talks that began between the parties in July 2018, following an offer from the Cuban Embassy in Saint Lucia for WASCO’s consideration.

Now formalized, the arrangement covers several areas of assistance which will benefit WASCO. These include: • Sharing and exchange of information and methodologies • Exchanges in areas of Human Resource • Assistance in the reduction of non-revenue water • Capacity building and training • Leak detection • Equipment repair and maintenance • Assistance toward laboratory accreditation • Exploration of alternative water sources • Purchase of pipes and fittings. The arrangement is expected to run over a five-year period.

The Water and Sewerage Company Incorporated WASCO is poised to receive technical support from the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources and

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The John Compton

Dam

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he John Compton Dam can easily be described as one of the largest and most ambitious sustainable projects to be undertaken here in Saint Lucia in the last 25 years.

The concrete-face rock-fill dam was built on the Roseau River in the small community of Millet in April 1993 when the project commenced to October 1995 the completion date. The JCD was officially commissioned in 1996. The primary purpose of the dam is to provide the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) a reliable source of water to feed the island.

The dam has a capacity of 660 Million Imperial Gallons and on average 9 million gallons of water is extracted each day.

Over time however, heavy siltation has limited the capacity of the John Compton Dam. Today 1.7 million cubic meters of silt has displaced approximately 500 million gallons of water.

Hurricane Tomas in 2010 and a severe Christmas Eve Trough of December 2013 created large landslides in the reservoir that have contributed largely to the current situation. These weather conditions caused large volumes of

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sediments to be deposited into the JCD reservoir and covered the lower intake of the water supply.

Since then several studies, consultancies and proposals have been undertaken towards desilting the dam. However, no action was ever taken until 2018, when the Government finally engaged contractors to rehabilitate the John Compton Dam.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Co-operatives, Honourable Ezechiel Joseph, stated that the project was “long outstanding” noting that the project has in fact been under discussion for almost eight years.

Phase 1: The John Compton Dam Rehabilitation Project

“I am here today with the support of a Cabinet and a Prime Minister and Parliamentary representative who understand the impact of water,” stated Minister Joseph. “I am sure with your continued support we will be in a position to deliver.”

In May of 2018 it was announced that in keeping with the Government of Saint Lucia’s plans to build a resilient Saint Lucia, the essential desilting work on The John Compton Dam (JCD) would commence with Phase 1.

Chairman of WASCO, Mr. Francis Denbow, explained that the project was divided into two phases and will be done with a loan secured from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for US$10.167 million.

The Water and Sewerage Company Incorporated (WASCO) were the ones spearheading the JCD Rehabilitation Project which would see the construction of a Sediment Disposal Area (SDA) as sediment removal in the JCD reservoir is critical and urgent.

The first component included the preparation and construction of the sediment disposal area and building and repairing of access roads at the site which will be done by local contractor, Mega Contracting Inc. The second component will include the dredging of the reservoir and installation of pipes to the sediment disposal area downstream.

Speaking at the ceremony to mark the commencement of the project,

Mr. Denbow explained that “the sediment disposal area can only be worked upon during the drier months of the year.”

“The preliminary works in the sediment disposal area must first start for the dredge to operate in the ensuing rainy months to dispatch the sediment to the SDA. One needs to understand that a dredge cannot operate throughout the year in the absence of rainfall as the reservoir water level could be significantly reduced if it is not continually replenished,” he explained.

Preparing Sediment site

Assembling Dredge Pipes

2018. Once completed, the SDA will be used to dispose of the sediment from the reservoir when the dredging of phase 2 begins.

Speaking recently to “Our Saint Lucia” WASCO’s chairman explained that the sediment disposal areas should have been completed to date. “However from October to the end of 2018 we had continuous rain and the heavy equipment could only work sometimes one day a week. The rains and conditions of the soil did not permit heavy equipment to work and this has caused us major delays,” he explained.

According to WASCO’s Chairman Francis Denbow the Second phase JCD 2, went out to competitive bidding with VINCY winning the contract to dredge.

Testing of suction dredge

The Roseau watershed and JCD reservoir provide water security for approximately 93,000 residents of Castries, Gros Islet, parts of Anse La Raye and Babonneau.

Phase 2: The John Compton Dam Rehabilitation Project Work on the second phase of the John Compton Dam Rehabilitation Project, JCD02 – Dredging of the Reservoir and Transport of Sediment is set to begin in June 2019.

The announcement was made by WASCO’s representatives, as well as the contractor for JCD02, VINCI Construction Maritime et Fluvial, who met with residents of Tete Chemin Millet, Vanard, Jacmel and environs during a Town Hall Style meeting at the Millet Infant School on Sunday April 14th 2019.

The meeting was necessary to alert residents about the hauling of heavy equipment which will be transported through their communities in preparation for the JCD rehabilitation works.

Specialized experts including three divers have been contracted to conduct the under-water works.

“We are expected to start dredging by mid-June, but the sediment area which had to be put in place is behind schedule and so we are now trying to ensure that this is good and ready,” Denbow says.

The crew will be responsible for the removal of woody debris from the reservoir among other responsibilities. Permanent onshore pipelines will also be laid from the reservoir to the Sediment Disposal Area (SDA) in preparation for the suction dredging.

We had to get 14 trailer trucks to get equipment and parts to assemble, we had to strengthen the bridges, we had town hall meetings with residents to tell them what is going on, we had to devise a traffic management plan and now that we have everything in place we are ready to go in June, weather permitting of course,” he went on to say.

JCD01 began in May 2018 but the works have been hindered due to heavy rains specifically during the last quarter of

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Jason Ernest Acting Director WRMA

Managing the Island’s Water

Resources!

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ater resources are increasingly under pressure from impacts of population growth, increasing water withdrawals, increasing economic activity, improper land use management practices, high levels of pollution, infrastructural development, and the effects of climate change.

In 2005 the legislative framework for a Water Resource Management Authority was formed and was revised in 2008 The WRMA falls under the Department of Forestry within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Co-operatives.

Jason Ernest is the Acting Director of the WRMA. He explained the objectives and mandate of the Authority.

“The agency came out of a project funded by the EU looking at water for irrigation and the agricultural sector. But then we realized the importance of water to not only human activity, but the environment and so with the whole advent of Climate change, it was felt that the resource should be studied, managed and conserved,” Jason Ernest says.

The mandate of the WRMA is quite broad. Ernest highlights some of these.

“We issue abstraction licenses, because in Saint Lucia, water belongs to the state - water flowing in the rivers, ponds, lakes, depressions and so on. So WASCO has to get a license from us to extract raw water as well as industries and persons requiring large quantities of water.

“We are also responsible for advocacy and awareness towards the protection and conservation of water resources of Saint Lucia.

“There are 37 watershed areas on the island and we are responsible for monitoring, surveying and characterizing these watersheds and preparing watershed management plans.”

Downloading of rainfall data in Roseau While the WRMA is responsible for the regulation, monitoring and control of raw water, another agency, the National Utilities Regulatory Commission, is responsible for setting up rates and tariffs for potable water supplied by WASCO.

Current Initiatives “We are presently looking to optimizing our hydro meteorological network. Because we work with the MET office and we also measure rain fall and water levels. We have instruments near rivers that help us quantify the water resource. So we have a project coming on where we are looking to optimize that network to get the data in real time.

“We also have an ongoing rainwater harvesting consultation and out of that we have developed a training manual for persons interested in setting up rain water harvesting systems.

“In addition, we recently completed a watershed management plan and waste water policy for Castries and this is awaiting approval by Cabinet.

Challenges The WRMA is faced with some challenges, but none as prevalent as combating the indiscriminate disposal of solid and liquid waste.

“In everything that we do, one of the things we still need to concentrate on is the littering campaign. Our focus continue to be one of advocacy and public awareness and we do this through various exhibitions - we work with schools, community groups, but the engagement needs to be constant.

“Overall our advocacy needs to educate persons about not polluting our waters and rivers, the overuse of pesticides and fertilizers, poor soil conservation practices and siltation of our rivers. It’s a culture that we really have to change and to show our citizens that this precious water resource needs to be protected by all.

The WRMA also works with the department of environmental health and other agencies in setting water quality standards.

These standards must also be met by spring water bottling companies here, which the WRMA works closely with, in terms of extraction licenses, measuring water flows and the equitable distribution.

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Stream flow measurements in Cul De Sac

WATER PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE Regular supply of water for residents of Dennery through Modern water facility.

Dennery North Phase 2 Following the completion of Phase 1 of the Dennery North Water project, work has continued as part of the second phase.

This phase is expected to cost US$12 million and will include the laying of 15 km of new pipes throughout the Dennery valley and additional module to the existing plant.

The project will also provide booster pumps in hilly areas like Morne Panache and a storage tank in Aux Lyon.

“At the end of the day the Dennery valley will be the most modern with a supply of 1.5 million gallons of good quality water,” Chairman of WASCO Francis Denbow says.

It is expected that Phase 2 of this project will be completed by December 2019.

The Vieux Fort redevelopment water supply project.

This project is now at the tendering stage, with bids coming to a close in June 2019.

“Once we are able to select a competitive bidder we will start that project which will include two brand new treatment plants,” WASCOs chairman Francis Denbow says.

The project will also involve the laying of 25 km of hdp pipes to produce 4-5 million gallons of water per day (1.5 currently being produced). The Project should last 18-24 months and has a design cost 67-70 million dollars. However this cost may vary following the tendering process.

Overall, this project will involve new intake, rehabilitation of an existing intake, new fully equipped conventional water treatment plants, pump stations, transmission mainlines and treated water storage tanks.

Ongoing Work in Bouton, Soufriere.

The Water and Sewerage Company Inc. WASCO is moving ahead with plans to improve water distribution to residents of Bouton, following a high Court judgement in its favour in November of 2018.

The High Court of Saint Lucia dismissed the court actions filed against the Water and Sewerage Company Incorporated (WASCO) concerning the Belvedere / Bouton Water Supply Project.

The land earmarked for the project had been vested in the crown; however, as a result of an injunction filed by the previous land owner in April 2018, preparatory works on the project came to a halt, until the matter was resolved in court.

This project entails the installation of a 50,000-gallon storage tank, 3.27 kilometers of four inch PVC and ductile pipeline, construction of a pump house and the installation of a water pump at the tank location, to increase the water supply availability, reliability and sustainability to residents of Bouton.

General Manager Edmund Regis remarked that “WASCO is very happy with this decision” and reassured the “the company is dedicated to ensuring that improvements are made to the water distribution system supplying residents of Bouton, Belvedere and Colombette”.

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Saint Lucia to benefit from regional rainwater harvesting project

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renada, Haiti, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia were in December of 2018 earmarked for the installation of rainwater harvesting systems to strengthen their climate resilience through the management of water challenges.

Technical experts in the water and health sectors from the region, convened for an inception meeting here, for a “Rainwater Harvesting, Mapping, and Manual Development and Training Consultancy”, led by the Investment Plan of the Caribbean Regional Track of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR). The planning meeting was hosted by the Environmental Health and Sustainable Development (EHSD) Department of the Caribbean Public Health Agency, (CARPHA) from December 10 -11.

Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet speaking earlier in May at the commissioning of the Ti Rocher/Micoud North water project.

The two-day forum, finalized plans to provide training for more than 80 rainwater harvesting professionals across the region and develop criteria for selection of three vulnerable communities to benefit from the installation of rainwater harvesting systems valued at approximately US$100,000.

Regional support for the initiative is supplemented by St. Georges University in Grenada in the form of rainwater harvesting monitoring and surveillance.

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet continue to praise efforts of Natural Resource Minister and WASCO Natural Resources Minister Ezechiel Joseph and the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) were earlier this year commended by Prime Minister Allen Chastanet for their ongoing efforts to redevelop and upgrade Saint Lucia’s watersupply network.

They were praised for projects in Dennery, Micoud, Canaries and Joseph’s constituency of Babonneau, as well as upcoming works in Vieux Fort and Soufriere.

“Hats off to Hon. Ezechiel Joseph who is the Minister for Natural Resources and the Management and Staff of WASCO for their dedication to delivering these projects,” the prime minister said back in February.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister and the Government of Saint Lucia again congratulated the Minister and WASCO for their hard work and commitment to improve the water supply across Saint Lucia.

Some of the multiple projects that have been undertaken since 2016 were cited including;

L-R Clive Carpenter, GWP Consultants; Shermaine Clauzel, Caribbean Public Health Agency; Professor Adrian Cashman, GWP; Ainsley Henry, Investment Plan for the Caribbean Regional Track of the PPCR; Lyndon Robertson,Caribbean Public Health Agency; Dr. Lindonne Glasgow, St. George’s University and Adrian Theobalds, Theobalds Consulting form the Rainwater Harvesting Project Team.

Among the many priority areas for the Caribbean Regional Track of the PPCR, is rainwater harvesting (RWH), seen as critical, in light of forecasts pointing to extended drought periods, in an era of global warming exacerbated by more frequent El Nino events in the Caribbean.

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the recent completion of the Ti Rocher/Micoud Water Supply Improvement Project which had been delayed for about 10 years. the ongoing rehabilitation of the John Compton Dam the Dennery North water supply project now in its second phase. the ongoing project for Bouton Soufriere commencement of the long awaited Vieux Fort Water Supply Project, currently in the tendering stage, which will benefit many more communities. the recent completion of water improvement projects in Babonneau, Millet, La Borne Monchy, Morne Fortune, Choiseul, Canaries and Dennery.

CSR Tammy Loctor (right) receiving her award from GM

WASCO Thanks Employees

Brad Gideon (left) all smiles with his award

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n December of 2018, the board and Management of the Water and Sewerage Company inc. (WASCO) recognized the efforts, hard work and team building of staff at a gala awards ceremony.

Chrytsal Jameson accepts her award from a Director

According to General Manager Edmund Regis, it was a night set aside to celebrate WASCO’s Employees who had worked hard to improve customer service and the overall development of the company.

Team member of the year Tiana Justin

“This is a night set aside by the Board and Management for us to come together as one to celebrate our collective achievement and to recognize teams and individual achievements,” Regis said.

The awards and dinner ceremony was held at the Financial Centre, Pointe Seraphine.

Dorcia Callendar HR Manager accepts award from Minister Ezekiel Joseph

Over twenty employees were recognized for their outstanding service including long service, excellence in customer service and department of the year.

Ashell Lawrencia accepts her team member award

Chairman of WASCO Francis Denbow congratulated employees for their sterling contribution over the last year, which he described as challenging, with the company being tasked with the implementation of several water projects.

An elated Alexander Lucien.

On the Right

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperative Hon. Ezechiel Joseph was also present. “WASCO is very critical to the social and economic development of Saint Lucia. You are in a company that provides a very essential commodity –water and I want you to always be mindful of this and to continue the good work you have done in making WASCO a model company,” he told staff.

Decosta Christope accepts for Amenda Williams

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News Bites

NEW X-RAY MACHINE FOR ST. JUDES Patients at the St. Jude Hospital are expected to benefit from an improvement of diagnostic imaging services following the handover of floor mounted X-ray machines.

Chairman of the St. Jude Board Wayne Harrow says he is confident that the equipment will allow the staff to provide cost effective and high quality diagnostic service to the people in the south of the island.

Minister for Health & Wellness Sen. Hon. Mary Isaac says she is extremely appreciative of the work undertaken by the staff of St. Jude hospital despite the daily challenges.

Supervisor of the Radiology Department at the St. Jude hospital Shenelle St. Louis expressed gratitude for the commissioning of the x-ray machine and gave assurance that they will put them to good use.

Saint Lucia Summer Festival Launched in Trinidad Fresh off the heels of Saint Lucia Jazz in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) has launched the rest of the Saint Lucia Summer Festival in its second largest Caribbean market, Trinidad, on May 24.

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With the Caribbean being a primary source market, in keeping with the Caribcation strategy which is laserfocused on the region, the campaign will thereafter continue in other islands as the SLTA aims to increase the number of visitors who get the opportunity to experience Saint Lucia’s limitless sources of inspiration.

adventures around Saint Lucia in January of 2019.

Elle’s feature on Saint Lucia will also be circulated in 12 other international versions of the magazine around the world.

Saint Lucia Set to Welcome Direct American Airlines Flight from Chicago Saint Lucia is extending its reach into the US Market through the introduction of a non-stop American Airlines flight from Chicago. The weekly Saturday service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) will begin on December 21, 2019.

American Airlines continues to recognize the growing demand for airlift into Saint Lucia from the US market. The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority is very pleased with the introduction of each flight service as this provides additional travel options for business and leisure travelers.

Saint Lucia recently made the cover of other international magazines including Today’s Bride and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.

US GOVERNMENT OPIC DELEGATION VISITS

Saint Lucia Shares ELLE Italia Cover with Dutch Super Model Rozanne Verduin Saint Lucia is proudly featured on the cover of Elle Italia, the international magazine. Elle Italia is the Italian edition of the French magazine Elle which focuses on fashion, beauty, health and entertainment.

The cover page features blonde Dutch model, Rozanna Verduin in a brightly coloured pirogue just outside Soufriere, with Saint Lucia’s iconic Pitons prominently featured in the background.

Photographer, Mradukant “Max” Vadukul has captured Verduin’s spirited

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet with Delegation in Vieux Fort

On Wednesday May 22, the Government of Saint Lucia led by Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet, hosted the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) delegation. The delegation, led by acting president and CEO of OPIC, Mr. David Bohigian, visited some sites for investment in Saint Lucia. Sites visited included the Vieux Fort Port Development site and the Cul De Sac container port site. The group also met with Invest Saint Lucia, SLASPA and the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce.

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Office of the Prime Minister www.facebook.com/opmsaintlucia www.instagram.com/opmsaintlucia

Government of Saint lucia

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Allen Chastanet

Ezechiel Joseph

Lenard “Spider” Montoute

Guy Joseph

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www.facebook.com/lenardspidermontoute May 12. Thanks Alton Crafton for this comprehensive report. Yesterday was indeed a great commencement of 2019 Gros Islet Domestic Season.

The 2019 Gros Islet Domestic Cricket Tournament sponsored by the District Representative the Honorable Lenard Spider Montoute bowled of on Saturday, May 11 in grand style at the Gros Islet Playing Field.

Sarah Flood Beaubrun

www.facebook.com/sarahfloodbeaubrun758

Stephenson King

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Fortuna Belrose

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Herod Stanislas

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Mary Isaac

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May 14. Caribbean states tackle health and climate change The presentation of the third Global Conference on Health and Climate Change report is expected to provide the government with recommendations on how to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change.

Dominic Fedee

www.facebook.com/dominicfedee

May 20. You would have heard both Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet and I announce the launching of Village Tourism in Gros Islet, Anse la Raye and Soufriere during this year’s Budget Debate.

Under the Village Tourism project, each village will have its own theme, such as wellness, art & craft and local traditions.

Bradly Felix

www.facebook.com/bradlyfelix758

May 16. It’s always wonderful when my young people come together.

My office has recently been taking strides to connect with my young people and this Youth Dialogue provided great insight into the concerns of our young people. This also provided me with great information as to the where I need to focus for my young people. A special thanks to everyone who made this possible. Let’s keep moving Choiseul !

Edmund Estephane

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Dr. Gale T C Rigobert

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Beware of Fake Facebook Accounts and Profiles. Use only the official accounts as seen here to follow our Ministers.

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