WATER SOLUTIONS

by Camille Alleyne

Barbados is surrounded by water. It is, therefore, unfortunate that there was a water crisis plaguing this beautiful island.

Water is essential to life. It is used for cleaning, washing, bathing, cooking, drinking and farming, among other things. For a few years, some residents have complained of having discoloured water, and this has impacted on the water quality available for consumption.

Having sufficient water to irrigate our kitchen gardens is also important, and the amount used for our crops should not impinge on our drinking supply.

The question is, considering all of this: how can we safely sustain access to sufficient amounts of quality water for our well-being?

What is Potable Water?

Potable water is water that is safe for cooking and drinking. It is better to conserve our potable water for consumption, and collect waste water for use otherwise. Householders are encouraged to research water preservation, collection, recycling and purification solutions. This way, we can learn how to conserve our drinking water and recycle rain water in ways that can contribute to the production of our own food.

Solutions for you to Consider

Water Harvesting

Water harvesting is the age-old process of collecting rainwater, instead of allowing it to run off. Agriculturist, Gloria Lavine, is very concerned about the amount of water that runs off into the sea, without being harvested. That is why she practises water harvesting - on a domestic level. She says, that in a single, sustained, moderate to heavy downpour lasting 15 minutes, she can easily yield 55 gallons of water. “I have a fairly big roof - about 1000 square feet of impermeable surface; and for every 1 inch of rainfall, I can collect as much as 620 gallons of water,” she explained. That is a lot of water, so in the rainy season, it can provide enough for her crops and for the animals she rears.

Householders can harvest water on this level, and this will significantly assist them with their activities.

Grey Water Recycling

Another solution is grey water recycling. This is a more technical procedure. Greywater is the wastewater from our basins, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers. It is not potable water but it is not sewage, either. There are ways for greywater to be collected, but it will require specialists to advise and install the necessary systems. One way to utilise greywater is to collect it, allow the sediments to settle, then properly treat it before using it for purposes such as: flushing toilets, cleaning yards, washing vehicles and of course, irrigating our kitchen gardens.

Producing our own food is vitally important, and our food security is dependent on our water security. Let us implement certain methods, such as water harvesting and grey water recycling, to cut out wastage. That way, we will have enough for the crops we cultivate, and the animals we raise.