CAWASA e-Source Newsletter - Issue 5 : January - June 2013

Caribbean Water and Sewage Association Inc.

January to June 2013 | Vols. 1 & 2 (Special Edition)
July to September 2012 | Vol. 4 No. 3

Caribbean Water Operators
Network in Antigua

E

ngineers,
ngineers, water
water and
and
waste-water
waste-water operators,
operators,
water and waste laborawater and waste laboratory analysts, stakeholders and
tory analysts, stakeholders and
other water and waste-water inother water and waste-water industry professionals from utilidustry professionals from utilities across the Caribbean gathties across the Caribbean gathered in Antigua and Barbuda at
ered in Antigua and Barbuda at
the end of June for their Third
the end of June for their Third
Annual Caribbean Water OpAnnual Caribbean Water Operators Conference.
erators Conference.
The conference was held at
The conference was held at
the island’s Jolly Beach Resort
the island’s Jolly Beach Resort
on June 27 and 28 to discuss
on June 27 and 28 to discuss
matters relating to their profesmatters relating to their professional and organizational resional and organizational responsibilities across the region.
sponsibilities across the region.
The theme for the two-day
The theme for the two-day
conference was Water Re-use:
conference was Water Re-use:
Contributing to Efficient Use of
Contributing
Efficient
of
Water Resources for a Healthy
Water Resources
a Healthy
Environment.
Environment.
The 2013 Water Operators
The 2013 Water Operators
Conference was jointly sponConference was jointly sponsored by the host utility -- the
sored by the host utility -- the
Antigua Public Utilities AuthorAntigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) – as well as by the
ity (APUA) – as well as by the
Caribbean Water and WasteCaribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CAWASA)
water Association (CAWASA)
and the Caribbean Regional
and the Caribbean Regional

Fund for Waste Water Management
Fund for Waste Water Management
(CReW) Project.
(CReW) Project.
The opening session of the conThe opening session of the conference was addressed by Antigua’s
ference was addressed by Antigua’s Tourism Minister, as well as
Public Utilities Minister, Mr John
Maginley, as well the representarepresentatives of as sponsoring
tives of the sponsoring agencies,
agencies, while the feature address
while the Don Degan of Water and
will be by feature address will be
by DonWater Solutions (WWWS) in
Waste Degan of Water and Waste
Water Solutions (WWWS) in CanCanada, who spoke on Internationada, who spoke on International
al Perspectives on Water Re-use.
Perspectives on Water Re-use.
The conference served to update
the knowledge andserved of water
The conference skills to update waste water operators skills of
and the knowledge and through
water and waste fellow operators
interaction with water operators
through interaction with provide
and professionals; and to fellow
operatorsopportunity to access, view
them the and professionals; and
to providethe latest ideas in techniand share them the opportunity
to access, view technology,the latest
cal equipment, and share products
ideas in technical suppliers. techand services with equipment,
nology, products and services with
It also provided Caribbean operasuppliers. the opportunity to share
tors with
their experiences in preparation for
It also provided Caribbean operators Operatorsopportunity toExamithe with the Certification share
their experiences in preparation for
nations, as well as to showcase their
the Operatorsskills through Examipresentation Certification profesnations,presentations showcase their
sional as well as to and competipresentation skills through profestive activities.
sional presentations and competiThe Antigua meeting also altive activities.
lowed participants to showcase

Antigua and Barbuda Minister
Antigua and Barbuda Minister
John maginley
John Maginley addressing the
opening of the conference
opening of the conference

their technical skills through the
The Antigua meeting also allowed participants to showcase
Operators Competition and to
their technical skills through the
identify emerging trends in the
Operators wastewater industry.
water and Competition and to
identify emergingissues considAmong other trends in the
waterby the delegates were: The
ered and wastewater industry.
Enabling Environment for WaAmong other issues consideredand the delegates were: The
ter by Waste Water Services,
Enabling Environment for Water
Water Quality in the Region,
and Waste Water Services, WaApplication of Waste Water Reter QualityUtility Region, Appliuse and in the Development
cation of Waste Water Reuse and
Issues.
Utility Development Issues.
The CAWASA Secretariat
was represented by Secretariat
The CAWASA
Executive
was represented by Executive
Director Victor Poyotte and ProDirector Victor Poyotte and Program Officer Suzanne Joseph
gram Officer Suzanne Joseph
and water operators attended
and water operators attended
from across the Caribbean.
from across the Caribbean.
Participants expressed satisfac Participants expressed satistion with the proceedings of their
faction with the proceedings of
third annual conference and partheir third annual conference
ticularly welcomed the launchand particularly welcomed the
ing at the at the conference of
launching conference of the first
edition edition of H2Operator,
the first of H2Operator, the new
magazine being published by
the new magazine being pubCAWASA with assistance from
lished by CAWASA with assisCReW and CReW and the varitance from the various CAWASA
affiliates. (More on Pages 2, 8,
ous CAWASA affiliates. (More
and 9)
on Pages 2, 8, and 9).

DOWASCO Updates its Strategic Plan
The last strategic plan developed by the Dominica Water
and Sewerage Company Ltd
(DOWASCO) covered a threeyear period starting from 1st
April 2007 and ending on 31st
March 2009. In 2013, some
four (4) years after the plan
expired, the Board and management made a decision to
update it.
At the request of DOWASCO,
the Executive Director of CAWASA agreed to review all activities undertaken since the expiration of the plan. The purpose
of the exercise was to determine
the status of implementation of
all post-plan activities, assess the

Executive Director of CAWASA
Victor Poyotte

performance of the utility and to update the plan.
In developing the strategic plan,
the consultant took a five-prong approach which involved an analysis
of base documents made available
by the management of DOWASCO.
The consultant interviewed personnel making up the management team
of DOWASCO and representatives of
key stakeholder organizations.
On Wednesday 17th April 2013,
the consultant facilitated a one-day
stakeholder strategic planning retreat
for the company. The retreat was attended by thirty-two (32) senior management personnel from DOWASCO
and representatives of key stakeholder organizations.

Following a review of notes
compiled from base documents,
stakeholder interviews and the
stakeholder retreat the consultant
compiled a Draft Strategic Plan. A
draft version of the strategic plan
was submitted to management,
Board and other stakeholder representatives for validation.
Based on feedback received, the
consultant revised the Draft Strategic Plan to incorporate additional information provided. The final
version of the Strategic Plan 20132018 which outlines strategic priorities along with activities to be
implemented by DOWASCO was
submitted to the management of
DOWASCO for approval.

thIs
In this Issue
Secretariat Secretariat News
Page 3
Caribbean 150,000-gallon tank to provide daily ‘life
Water Operators Networked and
CAWASA News Pages 2 and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7
water’ to 3,000 Pages 8 and 9
Page 14

Competed in Antigua
Dominica launches US$7.4 million water project 3 and 8
Cayenne hosted successful 11th Water Week Pages Page 4
A Tribute to Mr. Denis Yearwood
Bottled Water quality being assessed
Pure Water
Page 11
2013 World Water Day Feature Page 5 Pages 10 - 12
to serve 3,000 with daily ‘life water’ Page 12 15
for approval
Page

2013 World Water Day Feature
$700,00 tank
Rate Increases with Popular Participation Pages 6, 7 and 10
Page 13

What a wonderful water week
Back Page

$700,00 tank to serve 3,000 with daily ‘life water’
Bottled Water quality being to provide daily ‘life water’ to 3,000
150,000-gallon tank
Dominica launches US$7.4 million water project
assessed for approval


e-Source

Page 2

CAWASA Secretariat News
Two enjoyable days of Networking!
Following is the full text of the official Conference Overview of the Third Annual
Caribbean Water Operators’ Conference held in St. John’s, Antigua on June
27th and 28th 2013 delivered by the CAWASA Executive Director.

T

he hosting of a two-day Caribbean
Water Operators’ Conference is an
important feature on the annual calendar of activities of the CAWASA Secretariat.
After a one year hiatus in 2012 due mainly
to resource constraints we at CAWASA are
indeed grateful for the opportunity to partner with “The Caribbean Regional Fund for
Wastewater Management (CReW)” to make
the third conference a reality.
In this regard, I must express our deepest appreciation to Chris Corbin of UNEP
Caribbean Office and Denise Forest, the
CReW Project Coordinator for demonstrating support for the efforts of the
CAWASA Secretariat to uplift the professional standing of Caribbean Water Operators. One direct influence of this partnership is the deliberate selection of the
conference theme “Water Reuse: Contributing to Efficient Use of Water Resources
for a Healthy Environment.”
We see this conference as providing
Water Operators from the Caribbean with
a unique opportunity to:
• Make independent technical presentations highlighting technological developments in the water sector;
• Make joint technical presentations with
representatives of Associate Members
who are involved in the implementation of projects related to the provision
of water and sewerage services;
• Share experiences and ideas on ways of
improving the work of Operators, Analysts and Technicians as professionals
in their own right; and

• Offer solutions to many of the challenges facing Caribbean water and
sewerage utilities.
On behalf of the CAWASA Secretariat
I am also pleased to announce the introduction of the first issue of the Caribbean H2Operator. From 2014 onwards,
we intend to publish this document as an
Annual Magazine to highlight the work
undertaken by regional Operators in the
course of delivering water and sewerage
services to citizens of the Caribbean.
Let me take advantage of this opportunity to congratulate Mrs. Suzanne Joseph, Program Officer at the CAWASA
Secretariat on the successful publication
of the magazine. It was her idea and she
deserves full credit for seeing the initiative through.
The conference is also an opportunity
to bring you up to date with the performance of Operators in the annual certification examinations held twice a year in
February and June.
As you may know CAWASA offers certification examinations in seven (7) categories
namely: water treatment, water distribution,
water laboratory, wastewater treatment, collection and very small water systems. In six
(6) of the above-mentioned categories, Water Operators/Analysts are allowed to register to sit examinations in four (4) different
classes ranging from Levels 1-1V but in the
case of “Very Small Water Systems” the examinations is in Level 1 only.
In the ten years since the introduction
of the certification examinations a total

H20

S

Another valuable CAWASA initiative

ince joining the CAWASA Secretariat, I have placed a great deal of
emphasis on improving the competences and professionalism of Water
Operators from member utilities. I chose
this approach because it is my firm belief
that the day-to-day work performed by
Operators is of the utmost importance to
the delivery of quality water service.
As a key stakeholder group, the Operators are fully involved in managing the
collection of water at the intakes, supervising water storage facilities, treating of
water at the treatment plants, testing the
quality of water at the laboratories and
coordinating the distribution of water
that flows through the various systems.
In 2003, the Secretariat entered into an

T

agreement with the Association of the
Board of Certification (ABC) to provide
testing services in support of the annual
Operator Examination and Certification
programme.
Five years ago, the Secretariat initiated
the Caribbean Water Operators’ Conference to provide a forum for Operators to
network and share knowledge, skills and
experiences.
This inaugural issue of the H2O Operator Caribbean magazine is yet another major initiative taken by CAWASA aimed at
highlighting the role of Water Operators
in the water sector.
The Secretariat wants to take this opportunity to encourage Water Operators
to make full use of the magazine as a me-

of three hundred and twenty-nine (329)
Operators have successfully completed
the annual examinations and qualified
for certification. Of these, twenty-one (21)
Operators have completed Level 3while
nine (9) have completed Level 4.
Of significance to you is that the performance in the field of wastewater management is to say the least very discouraging
for CAWASA. The statistics show that,
while only two operators have completed
Level 3 in Wastewater Treatment none
have reached Level 4.
In the Wastewater Collection category
two Operators have completed Level 3
while only one has reached Level 4. With
regards to Wastewater Laboratory, one
Operator has completed Level 3 and one
has reached Level 4.
Over the next two days the conference
will focus on four sub-themes as follows:
The enabling environment for delivering
efficient water and wastewater services;
Regional water quality; The application
of wastewater reuse; and Utility development initiatives.
Another major feature of the conference is a Business Session which is intended to allow CAWASA’s Associates
operating in the sector to make presentations on various topics relating to projects
being implemented or other organizational activities.
In this regard, I wish to acknowledge
the support of Seven Seas Water, Cole Engineering, Singer Valve, WASA-Trinidad,
and Theobalds Engineering.
PROFILE
Brief Profile of the organization:
CAWASA INC.

The Caribbean Water and Sewerage Association
Inc. CAWASA), is a regional association of thir-teen
(13) water and sewerage utilities in the Carib-bean.
CAWASA was incorporated in St Lucia in May 2010
as the successor to the Caribbean Basin Water
Management Programme Inc (CBWMP Inc) which
was incorporated in St Lucia in November 2001.

WHO SHOULD BE CERTIFIED

Operators, Analysts of water and wastewater utilities, hotels, breweries, other water related groups and
independent candidates who meet the education and
operating experience requirements.

STEPS TO BECOME A CERTIFIED OPERATOR
1. Apply to CAWASA
2. Register for Tutorials
3. Submit application
4. Pay Exam fees
5. Take the Exam

EXAMINATION ROLE OF THE
OPERATOR/ANALYST
Pre-examination Role

•Take an interest in your professional development
and in the certification programme;
•Participate in training and other scheduled
activities in preparation for the examination;
•Obtain all text books and study material
recommended for examination preparation;
•Utilize all training facilities made available by the
Utility/organization in support of examination
preparation;
•Register and sit the examination in accordance
with instructions provided by the CAWASA

Post-examination Role

•Register for remedial training if
unsuccessful in the examinations;
•Continue professional development
after receiving certification;
•Participate in professional development activities
for 2.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) over
the two years;
•Submit a completed renewal application form
along with the renewal fee and relevant documentation no later than six (6) months before the expiry
date of the certificate.

Finally, the conference offers Operators
the opportunity to showcase their technical knowledge and skills by participating
in a few specialized competitive engagements. This will be followed by a site visit
to a reverse osmosis plant.
In closing, I must point out that the
Program Officer Secretariat worked very
closely with the host utility, the Antigua
Public Utilities Authority (APUA).
Let me take this opportunity to thank
Mr. Ivan Rodrigues and his administrative and technical support staff for their
valuable assistance thus far with the arrangements for the conference.
It will be remiss of me if I did not take
time off to recognize the hard work put
in by Mrs. Suzanne Joseph our Program
Officer in order to bring this conference to
reality. She singlehandedly coordinated
the activities leading up to the conference
and as you can expect will continue to
administer the affairs of the conference to
ensure its eventual success.
I look forward to two enjoyable days of
networking with participants, presenters
and sponsors. Thank You

WHY CERTIFICATION?
To Perform your job Better!
Advance your Career!
COURSES OFFERED
CLASSES I—IV
1. Water Distribution
2. Water Treatment
3. Wastewater Treat-ment
4. Collection
5. Water Laboratory
6. Wastewater Labora-tory
7. Very Small Water System
8. Small Wastewater System

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:
Career Advancement opportunities
Higher Wage earning opportunities
Competitive advantage of non-certified Operators
Recognition as a professional Operator

EMPLOYER BENEFITS:
Cadre of certified professionals
Motivate employees to expand
knowledge/skills
Increase competence level of employees
Ensure continuing education for
employees

CARIBBEAN
Volume 1 • Issue 1

Antigua’s Tourism Minister John
Maginley addressing participants
at the opening ceremony

Annual Newsletter of the Water Industry Operators of the Caribbean

June 2013

1
dium for creating awareness of their job
responsibilities.
It is anticipated that the Operators will
use the magazine as a tool for educating
H2Operator Volume 1 Issue 1 2013

persons working within and outside of
the water sector. By contributing articles
on national or regional projects implemented, they can demonstrate how the
water-related challenges encountered
were tackled and solved, clarify their
role as water sector professionals, update readers on progress made with the
certification examinations and with the
application of the knowledge and skills
acquired.
I also wish to point out that Mrs. Suzanne Joseph, Programme Officer attached to the CAWASA Secretariat, deserves all credit for the publication of this
magazine. She came up with the idea and
coordinated the activities related to this
inaugural issue. Kudos to her, are fully
in order.
Now, it’s my distinct pleasure to invite you to find and read this first edition
from cover to end and to share the contents with others.
Victor Poyotte
Executive Director, CAWASA

CaribDA hosts successful Curacao workshop

he Caribbean Desalination Association hosted a two-day workshop at
the University of the Netherlands
Antilles in Curacao, N.A. on June 26-28,
2013. Attendees learned about the importance of comprehensive solutions, efficient management systems, plant retrofitting opportunities and enjoyed a tour of
the RO-Sta. Barbara Facility.

Letter from CaribDA
Publications Chair

I hope the year is proving to be a
productive and meaningful year so far.
I am very pleased to share this April
edition of CaribDA, chock full of the
regions’ latest business and news related to the desalination industry. But
first, I have an interesting technological

breakthrough story that I’d like to talk
about.
When we refer to water treatment,
we think seawater and brackish water
desalination, or reuse, right? I can’t
help but think that there are other
sources out there. In fact, it’s called produced water. Produced water is natural
water from underground formations,
brought to the surface during oil or gas
production. Produced water is one of
the potential sources for water treatment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the water to oil / gas
ratio (WOR) averages seven barrels of
water to one of oil. In the worst cases,
the WOR reaches 50 to 1.
You see, early in the life of an oil well,
oil production is high and water production is low. Over time, oil production de-

creases and water production increases.
The cost of managing such a large volume
of water is a key consideration to oil and
gas producers. Previous nationally produced water volume estimates are in the
range of 15 to 20 billion barrels (bbl; 1 bbl
= 42 U.S. gallons) generated each year in
the United States. This is equivalent to a
volume of 1.7 to 2.3 billion gallons per day
(CE Clark and Veil – September/2009)
Produced water properties (both
physical and chemical) and volume
vary considerably depending on geographic location of the field, the geological formation, the type of hydrocarbon product being produced, and
the lifetime of a reservoir. The major
concerns of produced water are: salt
content, oil and grease, various natural inorganic, and organic compounds

or chemical additives used in drilling
among other processes involved in oil
and gas upstream production. Therefore, produced water treatment could
be a challenge.
I naturally think, are we ready for
this new application? Is there a scalable and environmentally sound solution to desalt produced water? For
more on this and related topics, see
this recent coverage from NBC news.
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at: jmpinto@
energyrecovery.com In the meantime,
I hope I’ve given you some food for
thought.
Sincerely,
Juan Miguel Pinto
CaribDA Publications Chair


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S

CROMWELL WILLIAMS
CROMWELL WILLIAMS
MOVES ON…
MOVES ON…

t Kitts and Nevis, CAWASA and
t Kitts and Nevis, CAWASA and
the Caribbean will miss a sterling
the Caribbeanthe water cause in
champion of will miss a sterling
champion Federation, who in
the twin-island of the water cause left
the position as General Manager at left
twin-island Federation, who the
his
his position as General Manager at the
Water Services Department of St Kitts
Water Services Department of St Kitts
in July 2013 to take up an assignment in
in July 2013 to take up an assignment in
the USA.
the USA.
Mr. Cromwell Williams is a qualified
Mr. Cromwell Williams is a qualified
Civil Engineer with over 15 years expeCivil Engineer with over 15 and Project
rience in Civil Engineering years experience in Civil mainly in Water Supply
Management, Engineering and Project
Management, He also hasWater10 years
Management. mainly in over Supply
Management. the also has over 10grantexperience in He reviewing and years
experience in the reviewing and granting permits for land development and
ing permits for land development and
construction projects.
construction projects. as General ManMr. Williams served
Mr. Williams Water Engineer Manager and Chief served as Generalof the
agerKitts Chief Water Engineer of the
St. and Water Services Department
St. Kitts Water to July 2013. The utilfrom July 2001 Services Department
from July 2001 to July 2013. The utility has over 14,000 connections and $8
ity has over 14,000 connections a team
million in annual sales. He led and $8
million in annual sales. He led a team
of three Civil Engineers and about 20
of three Civil Engineers and designing
technicians in the planning, about 20
technicians and groundwater systems
of surface in the planning, designing
of a total workforce of 115 employees.
in surface and groundwater systems
in aworked as Engineer,115 Kitts Water
He total workforce of St. employees.
He worked as Engineer, St. Kitts Water
Services Department from October 1999
Services Department from October 1999

to June 2001 and as Engineer, St. Kitts
to June Works Department from Kitts
Public 2001 and as Engineer, St. SepPublic 1995 to August 1998. from September Works Department
tember 1995a Master of1998.
He holds to August Science Degree
in He holds a Master of Science Degree
Hydrogeology and Groundwater
in Hydrogeology from the University
Resources which and Groundwater
Resources which from the University
of London in September 1999. He also
of London in September 1999. He also
holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in
holds Engineeringof Science Degree in
Civil a Bachelor which he obtained
Civil the Faculty of Engineering, Unifrom Engineering which he obtained
from the the Westof Engineering, Trinversity of Faculty Indies based in University of Tobago in June of 1995. Trinidad and the West Indies based in
idad and Tobago in June of 1995.served
Professionally, Mr. Williams
as Professionally, the St. Kitts Building
a member of Mr. Williams served
as a member1995the St. Kitts Building
Board from of to 1998; a member
Board Caribbean Development Bank of the from 1995 to 1998; a member
of the Needs Trust Fund (CDB-BNTF)
Basic Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund (CDB-BNTF)
Project Advisory Committee from 1996
Project Advisory Committee from 1996
to 1998.
to He has been a member of the Carib1998.
He Water and member of the Caribbean has been a Wastewater Associabean(CWWA) from 1999 to theAssociation Water and Wastewater present
tion served as Vice-President of present
and (CWWA) from 1999 to the the Asand served as Vice-President of therepsociation from 2007-2008 and also Association the St. 2007-2008 and also represented from Kitts Water Services Deresented the St. Kitts Water Services Department on the Board of the Caribbean
partment on the Board of the Caribbean
Basin Water Management Programme
Basin Water Management Programme
Inc. (CBWMP), now the Caribbean WaInc. (CBWMP), now the Caribbean Wa-

Mr Cromwell Williams
Mr Cromwell Williams

ter and Sewerage Association Inc. (CAter and Sewerage Association Inc. TreaWASA). And he also served as (CAWASA).the CBWMP from 2000as 2003.
surer of And he also served to Treasurer of the CBWMP been a member of
Mr. Williams has from 2000 to 2003.
Mr. Williams has of Civil Engineers
the American Societybeen a member of
the American Society of of St. Engineers
(ASCE) and a member Civil Kitts De(ASCE) and a member Planning Board
velopment Control and of St. Kitts Development Control and Planning Board
since 2002. He has also functioned as
since 2002. He has Point functioned as
the National Focal also for UNESCO
the National Focal Point for UNESCO
International Hydrologic Programme
International Hydrologic Programme
(IHP) from 2002 to the present and as
(IHP) from 2002 to the present and as
National Focal Point for the OAS InterNational Focal Point for the OAS InterAmerican Water Resources Network
American Water Resources Network
(IWRN) since 2002.
(IWRN) since 2002.

He has a number of accomplishments
in He has a number of accomplishments
the water sector including an analyin the water sector including an analysis of projected supply and demand
sis groundwater from 2000 to 2001, the
for of projected supply and demand
for groundwater from2002 and2001, the
preparation between 2000 to 2004, of
preparation between 2002 and grounda project proposal to increase 2004, of
a project proposal25%increase groundwater supplies by to and supervision
water supplies by 25% an US$8 million
of implementation of and supervision
of implementation of an US$8 Project”
“Water Supply Improvement million
“Water Supply procurement of wellinvolving the Improvement Project”
involving the procurement of welldrilling equipment, the successful drilldrilling equipment, increase production
ing of eight wells to the successful drilling of eight wells to increase gallons per
capacity by about 1 million production
capacity by about 1 million gallons per
day.
day. Williams initiated Geographic
Mr.
Mr. Williams initiated Geographic
Information System (GIS) mapping of
Information infrastructure, mapping of
the water System (GIS) introduced
the water the revenue collection syschanges in infrastructure, introduced
changes in thethe use of collection system including revenue Handheld Detem including the usenumber of public
vices and initiated a of Handheld Devices and initiated a number of public
awareness campaigns that resulted in
awarenessin wastage and unaccounted
reduction campaigns that resulted in
reduction in wastage and unaccounted
for water.
for water. attended a number of short
He has
He has attended a number of short
courses and workshops relating to wacourses and workshops relating to also
ter resources management and has water resources management and has also
received a number academic, education
received a number academic, education
and training awards as well as a special
and training awards as well Minister of
commendation from Prime as a special
commendation fromDenzil L. Douglas
St. Kitts-Nevis, Dr. Prime Minister of
St. Kitts-Nevis, Dr. Denzil L. Douglas
for initiative in raising public awarefor initiative in raising public awareness of water issues.CAWASA wishes
ness of water issues.CAWASA wishes
Mr Williams well.
Mr Williams well.

Sharing experiences on the banks of the Maroni River
Sharing experiences on the banks of the Maroni River

Cayenne hosted successful 11th Water Week
with heavy Caribbean participation

C

aribbean delegates from several
aribbeanFrench and Butch-speakEnglish, delegates from several
English, French and Butch-speaking islands and territories had a
ing islands and this year when
rare experience earlier territories had a
rare participatedearlier this of water acexperience in a week year when
they
they participated in ofweek of water activities on the banks a the Maroni River.
tivities President of ofthe Communaute
The on the banks the Maroni River.
The President
the Communaute
D’Agglomerationof de Centre Littoral
D’Agglomeration de Centre Alexan(CACL) Cayenne, Rodolphe Littoral
(CACL) Cayenne, Rodolphe 11th Wadre, invited CAWASA to the Alexandre, invited Cayenne fromthe 11th Water Week in CAWASA to April 22-16,
ter Week in Cayenne from Suzanne Jo2013. Programme Officer April 22-16,
2013. attended the Officer SuzanneCAseph Programme Conference on Joseph attended the Conference on CAWASA’s behalf.
WASA’s behalf.
Delegates attended from Martinique,
Delegates Suriname, Santo DominGuadeloupe,attended from Martinique,
Guadeloupe, Lucia, St Martin and Haiti.
go, France, St Suriname, Santo Domingo, France, St Lucia, St Martin and Haiti.
The opportunity for the CACL, the SIThe opportunity for the CACL, the SIAEAG and SICSM -- initiators of these
AEAG was afforded-- initiators of these
days – and SICSM with the possibility
days – was afforded with the possibility
for institutional partners of the Caribfor institutional partners of the Carib-

Rodolphe Alexandre
Rodolphe Alexandre

Theme and logo for Cayenne’s 11th Water Week.
Theme and logo for Cayenne’s 11th Water Week.

bean and the Amazon and professional
bean and the Amazon and professional
sanitation, drinking water and waste
sanitation, drinking water and waste
management, to meet again.
management, to meet again.
Panel discussions, technical visits,
Panel discussions, technical many
sales presentations were among visits,
sales presentations were among many
opportunities to exchange experiences
opportunities to exchange experiences
and share knowledge. These days were
and share knowledge.public, days were
open to the general These especially
open to the general studentsespecially
schoolchildren and public, training
schoolchildren and students An edufor careers in the environment. training
for careers in the environment. An educational exhibition and events were also
cational exhibition and events were also
planned.
planned.
The AGGLO (urban community centerThe AGGLO (urban community cencoast), organized the 11th edition of
ter coast), organized to 26 April 2013 of
Water Days from 22 the 11th edition in
Water Days from 22 to 26 April 2013 in
Cayenne.
Cayenne.
Indeed, this year CACL had the honor
Indeed, thisthis event, whichthe honor
of hosting year CACL had annually
of hosting this event, which from the
brings together professionals annually
brings together professionals from the
sectors of water, sanitation and waste
sectors of water, sanitation and waste
throughout the Caribbean.
throughout the Caribbean. year of co2013 is the International
2013 is in International year of cooperation thethe field of water and it is
operation in the field of of thisand it is
natural that the theme water edition
natural that the theme of Cooperation
was “Sharing the Amazon this edition
was “Sharing the Amazon Cooperation
and the Caribbean”, which promised
and the Caribbean”, which promised
exchanges and returns particularly rich
exchanges and returns particularly rich
experience.
experience. is competent in its terriThe CACL
The the management of drinking watory in CACL is competent in its territorywastewater and sanitation is fully in
ter, in the management of drinking water, wastewaterpromote cooperation in
this desire: to and sanitation is fully to
this desire: to promotewater by an exmeet the challenges of cooperation to
meet the challenges of water by an exchange of innovative practices, sharing
change of innovative practices, sharing
of experiences and expertise.
of Rodolphe Alexandre , President of
experiences and expertise.
Rodolphe Alexandre , President of
Community of Agglomération of C
Community of Agglomération of to
between Littoral, invited the public C
between Littoral, invitedthe water secdiscover the Zephyr to the public to
discover the Zephyr to the water sector and to meet the various professional
tor and to meet the various event aimed
Antilles and Guyana. This professional
Antilles many challenges and potential
to raise and Guyana. This event aimed
to cooperation challenges and potential
of raise many in the field of water.
of Several thematic and cultural highcooperation in the field of water.
Several thematic and cultural high-

lights such as conferences, educational
lightsrecreational workshops, exhibiand such as conferences, educational
and and visits were also hostedexhibitions recreational workshops, at the
tionsWater day celebrations.
11th and visits were also hosted at the
11th Water day celebrations.
The Issues: What are the issues of waThe Issues: What are the issues What
ter production across the planet?of water production sustainable planet? What
techniques for across the management
techniques for sustainable management
and quality of the resource? What soand quality of the resource? What solutions for access to drinking water on
lutions for access to drinking waterCaour Amazonian territories and the on
our Amazonian territories and the Caribbean?
ribbean? were – and still are -- quesThose
Those were at the heart of discustions that are – and still are -- questions at the11th Waterheart of discussions that are at the Day, organized
sions at the11th Water Day, organized
by the Urban Community Centre coast
by the Urban Community Centreunion
(CACL) in partnership with inter coast
(CACL) in partnership with inter union
of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and SIof Martinique and Guadeloupe, and SIAEAG SICSM.
AEAG SICSM.
An event organized in the framework
of An event organized in thecooperation
the International Year of framework
of the field of water 2013, the UN’s global
in the International Year of cooperation
in the field of water 2013, stakeholders at
organization invited all the UN’s global
organizationlevel as local,stakeholders at
the national invited all to lead the disthe national level as local, to lead the discussion on how to manage the absolutely
cussion on howhighly threatened by huvital resource, to manage the absolutely
vital activities and climatic changes. human resource, highly threatened by
man activities and climatic changes.
CACL is competent in its territory
in CACL is competent drinking water,
the management of in its territory
in the management of drinking water,
wastewater and sanitation is fully in
wastewater and sanitation is cooperathis determination: encourage fully in
this determination: encourage cooperation to meet the challenges of the water,
tion toexchange challenges of the water,
by an meet the of innovative practices,
by an exchange of innovative expertise.
sharing of experiences and practices,
sharing of this event aimedexpertise.
Therefore, experiences and to raise
Therefore, this event aimed of coopmany challenges and potential to raise
many challenges and water.
eration in the field of potential of cooperation in the field of water.
Some of the visiting Caribbean delSome of the visiting Caribbean delegates were also invited to another
egates wereMaripasula and tenwkre’
community also invited to another
community Maripasula with tenwkre’
– an Amerindian village and approxi– an Amerindian village with approximately 200 inhabitants and the invitees
matelycross the Maroniand the invitees
had to 200 inhabitants River by canoe.
had to cross the Maroni River by canoe.
(See more Cayenne Coverage on Back
(See more Cayenne Coverage on Back
Page )
Page )


an Water Operators Networked ande-Source
Competed in to June 2013 | Vols. 1 & 2 (Special Edition)
4
January Antigua!
Page 8

Caribbean Water Operators Networked and Competed in Antigua!

Antigua and Barbuda Minister John
Minister John
Antigua and Barbuda Minister John of World
Guest Speaker Don degan of World
Guest Speaker Don degan
maginley addressing the opening of
Guest Speaker Don degan of World
the opening of
maginley addressing the opening of(Canada)
Waste Participants at the opening
Water
Participants at the opening ceremony
Waste Water Solutions conference Water Solutions (Canada) Solutions (Canada) ceremony
the
Waste
nce
the conference

Operators appreciated promotional mini-exhibition
Operators appreciated promotional mini-exhibitionmini-exhibition
Operators appreciated promotional

While gathered in Operators Conference, their 2013 Caribbean to view
igua and Barbuda for their 2013 Caribbean WaterAntigua and Barbuda for Water Operators able Water Operators Conference, participants were able to view a special exhibition p
While gathered in Antigua and Barbuda for their 2013 Caribbeanparticipants were Conference, a special exhibition putto viewthe
participants were able on by a special exhibition put on by the
OECS from the delegates were able to appreciate exhibits from the
gates were able to appreciate exhibits CAWASAOECS, as well as fromfrom Supply. Duringwell as fromOECS, as well promotedexhibition, During the promoted the RRACCpromoted
HD the OECS, as the exhibition, the OECS as from HD Supply. the OECS exhibition, the OECS
OECS CAWASA delegates were able to appreciate exhibits
HD Supply. During the the RRACC
Project (Reduce Climate Change). CAWASA Program Officer SuzanneClimate Change). in setting-up
Risks
Results from Joseph assisted CAWASA Program
Minister John
Risks to Human and Natural Assets Results from theNaturalto Human and Natural Assets Change). CAWASA Program Officer Suzanneand Officer Suzanne Joseph assisted in set
Project (Reduce Speaker to Human of World
Assets Results from Climate
Joseph assisted in setting-up and
Guest the Risks
degan and
the opening of which drew positiveDonmanning the mini-exhibition, which drew positive responses from thethe twin-island state. around the region gathered in the twin-island st
mini-exhibition, manning the mini-exhibition, whichthe water operators from around the region gathered in around the region gathered in the twin-island state.
responses from drew positive responses from the water operators from water operators from
Waste Water Solutions (Canada)
nce


igua and Barbuda for their 2013 Caribbean Water Operators Conference, participants were able to view a special exhibition put on by the
gates were able to appreciate exhibits from the OECS, as well as from HD Supply. During the exhibition, the OECS promoted the RRACC
Antigua and Barbuda Minister John
Guest Change). CAWASA of World
Risks to Human and Natural Assets Results from ClimateSpeaker Don degan Program Officer Suzanne Joseph assisted in setting-up and
maginley addressing the opening of
mini-exhibition, which drew positive responses fromWaste Water Solutions (Canada) the region gathered in theParticipants state. opening ceremony
the water operators from around
twin-island at the
the conference


While gathered in Antigua and Barbuda for their 2013 Caribbean Water Operators Conference, participants were able to view a special exhibition put on by the
OECS CAWASA delegates were able to appreciate exhibits from the OECS, as well as from HD Supply. During the exhibition, the OECS promoted the RRACC
Project (Reduce the Risks to Human and Natural Assets Results from Climate Change). CAWASA Program Officer Suzanne Joseph assisted in setting-up and
manning the mini-exhibition, the various CAWASA responses from themember-organizationsaround the region gathered in the twin-island state.
Logos of which drew positive public
and water operators from were on display
There
photographic displa
ious CAWASA Logos of the various CAWASA public utilities and member-organizations was an interesting photographic display on exhibit was an interesting on exhibit
public utilities and member-organizations were on display utilitiesThere were on display
There was an interesting photographic display

ious CAWASA public utilities and member-organizations were on display

There was an interesting photographic display on exhibit

Logos of the various CAWASA public utilities and member-organizations were on display

There was an interesting photographic display on exhibit

HD Supply products
HD Supply took the opportunity to Supply their various water took the opportunity to water products
gramme Officer Suzanne Joseph at the CAWASA Programme Officer Suzanne Joseph at the conference took the opportunity to advertise their variousadvertise their various wate
conference
HD advertise
CAWASA Programme Officer Suzanne Joseph at the conference

Water Operators Conference in Antigua 2013

Antiguan Students get A Treat
- By Tecla Fontenard, Communications Specialist, OECS–RRACC Project -

Seventy students from two Primary statements on the global phenomenon, with
Schools in Antigua paid a visit to a climate one boy student questioning why is it that
change exhibition set up by the OECS- smoke and exhaust from fossil fuels don't
RRACC team at the Jolly Beach Hotel. The just disperse into the infinite atmosphere.
HD Supply took the opportunity to advertise their various water products
gramme Officer Suzanne Joseph at the conference
exhibition was set up for two days from “Why would a buildup of fumes be standJune 27-28, 2013, on the occasion of the 3rd ing still in the atmosphere?”, he challenged.
annual meeting of the Caribbean Waste Wa- The students were a mix of boys and
ter and Sewerage Authority (CAWASA).
girls with an age range of 10-13 years. Af During the schools’ visits, students were ter browsing the exhibits, students were
engaged in discussions on issues related to quizzed on various aspects of climate
the impacts of climate change in the OECS, change and were gifted with branded merand measures being taken to reduce such chandise from the RRACC Project such as
impacts. Discussions also focused on efforts pencils, jotters, exercise books, caps etc.
CAWASA Programme Officer Suzanne Joseph at the conference
to help HD Supply took the phenomenon. to advertise their various water products
citizens cope with the opportunity
The exhibition provided a perfect setting
The animated students showed great curi- for dialoguing and sharing knowledge on
Communications Specialist for Climate Change at the OECS,
osity and interest in the climate change dia- climate change, as well as on the RRACC
Tecla Fontenard (left) with students at the Exhibition on Climate Change
logue, some even challenging the scientific Project.

held in Antigua during the June Water Operators Conference.

Waste Water Re-Use– A Caribbean Imperative

W

- by Tecla Fontenard, Communications Specialist, RRACC Project, OECS Secretariat -

hen we think of wastewater, we
immediately begin to conjure
up thoughts of repulsion and
distaste, but wastewater is the flip side of
water, say scientists at the third annual
meeting of the Caribbean Waste Water and
Sewerage Authority (CAWASA), which
was held in Antigua and Barbuda at the
end of June 2013. During the regional

meeting, which focused on “What Are We
Drinking?” the scientists asserted that the
common behaviour of treating wastewater
as the “poor cousin of water” is not only a
misjudgement but it is backward. The importance of understanding wastewater not
only brings new significance to water management and distribution, but provides the
seedlings for wide explorations in the re-

use possibilities of wastewater for the benefit of today’s eco-system.
In light of current stresses on water resources, brought on by poor human practices, degraded environments, and the
changing climate, everyone can do with
innovative ways to identify and access
new water sources.
For centuries, countries have fought over

oil, but if water sources continue to deplete,
‘the new war will be about water’, says Saint
Lucian based Wastewater Specialist, Francis
Isidore. Speaking during a brief interview
with Communications Specialist of the OECSRRACC Project following the meeting, Isidore
said that “Water is life, but sanitation is dignity”, and understanding the link between the
two is a critical factor in water re-use.

January to June 2013 | Vols. & 2 (Special Edition)

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Page 9

Caribbean Water Operators Networked and Competed in Antigua!

Tough Competitors and Deserving Winners!
TOP: Water Operators from across the region pit their wits and professional skills against each other in friendly but fierce competition on the
sidelines of their 2013 Caribbean Water Operators Conference in Antigua and Barbuda. BOTTOM: Following the contest of skills and the
decisions of the judges and jury, the winners were announced – all from the OECS and Windward islands -- each of whom were justly prized
for emerging a cut above the rest.

1st Place:
1st Place Winner
Antigua and Barbuda

2nd Place:
2nd Place Winner
St. Kitts and Nevis

3rd Place:
St. Lucia and St. Vincent
and the Grenadines
3rd Place Winner

4th Place:
Dominica
4th Place Winner

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Page 6



Caribbean delegates landed at Maripasula for the week-long Cayenne Water Week. (At right is CAWASA Program Officer Suzanne Joseph).

Caribbean delegates preparing to
board a canoe for a rive ride to
Cayenne's Tenwrke
Amerindian village.

Caribbean delegates preparing to board a canoe for a river ride to Cayenne's
Tenwrke Amerindian village.

Caribbean delegates aboard another canoe for another Cayenne river
ride, this time along the Maroni River.

Caribbean delegates from several English, French and Dutch-speaking islands and territories participated in a week of water
activities on the banks of Cayenne’s Maroni River. They had been invited by President of the Communaute D’Agglomeration de
Centre Littoral (CACL) Cayenne, Rodolphe Alexandre, to the 11th Water Week celebrations in Cayenne from April 22-16, 2013.
Photos show delegates taking in the the rare experiences of a Creole-speaking Caribbean community in South America.
Photos show delegates taking in rare experiences of a French Creole-speaking Caribbean community in South America.

An Amerindian villager in Tenwrke offers a Caribbean delegate a lesson on
the native process of making farine, a staple indigenous food.

CAWASA delgates gathered up-river in Tenwrke for interior water lessons.

CAWASA delegates entering a Cayenne Amerindian village after a long but interesting up-river boat ride.


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Page 7

A Tribute to Mr. Denis Yearwood, Retired General Manager
of the Barbados Water Authority
By Engineer Stephen Lindo

“Retire from work, but not from life.” - M.K. Soni
The Board of Directors’, Management and Staff of the Barbados Water
Authority wish to congratulate Mr.
Denis Kenmore Yearwood, our retiring General Manager, on a wonderful
career spanning forty-one (41) years at
the institution. He spent the last 21 of
those years at the helm of the organisation as its CEO, and dedicated himself to leading the organisation down
a successful path with integrity and
compassion.
Denis, the second of two children,
was raised in a sparsely populated
rustic village situated in the most
northerly parish of the island, St.
Lucy, called Rock Hall.Like most
Barbadians of his era, the pursuit of
excellence in education was the hallmark of his family’s aspirations and
he worked hard to achieve academic
success.
Mr. Yearwood attended the
Coleridge and Parry Secondary
School in St. Peter and continued
his education at Harrison College in
Bridgetown to complete his six form
education. It was there that he excelled
in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and was awarded the prestigious
Barbados Scholarship in the year 1969.
After completing his undergraduate studies at the University of the
West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, in
Trinidad and Tobago, he was awarded the Bachelor of Science degree in
Mechanical Engineering with Honours. Yearwood returned to Barbados
and joined the public service in 1972
and was assigned to work at the then
Waterworks Department as an engineer in the operations and maintenance section located at Bowmanston,
St. John under the tutelage of engineer

Denis Yearwood Retired General
Manager of the Barbados Water
Authority
Ambrose Johnson. Mr. Johnson was
soon promoted to perform the role
of Deputy Chief Engineer and young
Yearwood, fresh out of university,
was entrusted with the task of managing the entire operations at Bowmanston. He had responsibility for
managing and operating of all pump
stations, pumping equipment and reservoirs on the island.
Mr. Yearwood’s thirst for education continued and he became the recipient of a Peter Moores Scholarship
awarded through BIMAP to attend

Strathclyde University School of Business in Scotland. There he pursued
post graduate studies in Management
and when on to obtain a Masters degree in Business Administration. Mr.
Yearwood is also a chartered professional engineer having been admitted
to Membership of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, UK.
It was evident, therefore, that Mr.
Yearwood’s naturally sharp and inspired mind had been thoroughly furnished with great ideas and good work
ethics associated with a professional
engineer and a trained manager. Denis
leaves an expansive legacy of achievements as General Manager of the Barbados Water Authority; he oversaw the:
• Introduction of Universal Metering
on the island - 1996;
• Establishment of Barbados’ first Desalination Plant at Spring Garden 1999;
• Comprehensive Review and Overhaul of Barbados’ Groundwater
Protection and Zoning Policy Study;
• Water Resources and Water Loss
Study - 1996;
• Design of the West Coast Sewerage
Project - 2003;
• Replacement and installation of
several miles of water mains island
wide;
• Introduction of plastic pipes such as
“poly blue” pipe for service connections to replace galvanized and lead
pipes;
• Commencement of the new Barbados Water Headquarters’ Building
at the Pine;
• Commissioning of the Water and
Sanitation Projects with financing
from the Inter-American Development Bank;

• Full computerization of Customer
Services, Finance Departments of
the BWA, Technical Sections and
much more.
Denis’ achievements went a long
way towards the development of water resource management in Barbados.
Under him Barbados’ water supply
became one of the most reliable in the
Caribbean.
Mr. Yearwood espoused a respect
for all persons and he was compassionate and accommodating to his
staff and the public at large. He performed his daily tasks with honesty
and a meticulous attention to detail,
and accepted nothing less from his
managers. His legacy will be an enlightening experience for young career
aspirants to emulate, as he has clearly
demonstrated how one can rise to a
higher position in a career and succeed through sheer dedication, commitment and hard work. Denis always
bore an infectious smile which permeated the office while he went about his
daily deliberations; that smile stood
out as a benchmark of this unassuming gentleman’s characteristics as a
professional. His 41 continuous years
of service to the Barbados Water Authority speaks volumes to his commitment to the organization and to the
country as a whole.
We at the Barbados Water Authority look back upon Mr. Yearwood’s
career with a sense of great pride and
accomplishment; we want to take this
opportunity to thank him for his resolute contribution to the organization
and to wish him a happy retirement
filled with fun and good health! To his
wife Pauline we say take good care
of him.

Why are wetlands so important to preserve?
-- by Patricia Mancuso, Erie, PA
Wetlands include swamps, marshes,
bogs, riverbanks, mangroves, floodplains, rice fields -- and anywhere else,
according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that saturation
with water is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development
and the types of plant and animal communities there. They are widespread in
every country and on every continent
except Antarctica. If all the world’s wetlands were put together, they would
take up an area one-third larger than
the United States.
Environmentalists, biologists and
others concerned about the health of
the planet and its inhabitants recognize the key role wetlands play in life
on Earth. The EPA points out that, besides containing a disproportionately
high number of plant and animal species compared to other land forms,
wetlands serve a variety of ecological
services including feeding downstream
waters, trapping floodwaters, recharging groundwater supplies, removing
pollution and providing fish and wildlife habitat. Wetlands can also be key
drivers of local economies, given their

importance to agriculture, recreation
and fishing.
According to Wetlands International,
a global non-profit dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands
around the world, wetlands are on the
“front-line” as development pressures
increase everywhere. “Wetlands are
vulnerable to over-exploitation due to
their abundance of fish, fuel and water,” reports the group, which works on
the ground in 18 countries to educate
the public and policymakers about the
health of local wetlands and to advocate for better policies. “When they are
viewed as unproductive or marginal
lands, wetlands are targeted for drainage and conversion.”
“The rate of loss and deterioration of
wetlands is accelerating in all regions of
the world,” the group adds. “The pressure on wetlands is likely to intensify
in the coming decades due to increased
global demand for land and water, as
well as climate change.”
The widespread expansion of development in the US in recent decades has
brought the issue of wetlands loss to
the forefront of debates on zoning and
land use planning. One of the key and
underlying issues is concern about endangered species: More than a third of

species on the US Endangered Species
List live only in wetlands and almost
half use them at some time during their
lifecycles.
While the issue lingers on in municipal planning meetings around the
country, the federal government does
what it can to protect wetlands. It does
so through regulations spelled out in
the Clean Water Act, which include
providing tax incentives for selling or
giving wetlands to land trusts or other
conservation groups, via cooperative
efforts with state and local entities, and
by acquiring wetlands outright to add

acreage to public lands systems. And
several states have passed laws to regulate activities in wetlands, and many
municipalities include wetlands conservation in their development permitting
and zoning processes.
Readers can do their part by staying
current on local zoning laws, keeping
an eye on local wetlands and speaking
up if something looks amiss. Potential
problems are much easier to resolve
early on than after damage is done,
so speaking up soon can often lead to
more successful and less contentious
outcomes.

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Page 8


Dominica launches US$7.4 million water project
Dominica has launched an
US$7.4 million water upgrade project that the authorities said would
benefit thousands of residents and
consumers in the north, east and
south of the country.
The Mero to Castle Comfort project dubbed “The Third Water Supply Project Water Area-1 (WA-1)
Network Upgrade” the project and
is being funded by a US $6.1 million
loan from the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB),
the Dominica government and the
Dominica Water and Sewerage
Company (DOWASCO).
The CDB also gave a US$150,000
grant for technical study and capacity building.
Speaking at the launch of the
42-month project in early April,
DOWASCO Board of Directors member, Kay Robinson said the area is
affected by turbidity and the project
will assist in alleviating that problem.

Housing, Lands, Settlements and Water
Resources Management Minister,
Reginald Austrie, used the launch of
the project to urge nationals to review
water resource manage

ment.

“WA-1 is frequently compromised
by extreme turbidity levels that are often accompanied by extreme rainfall in
these areas and we have seen a worsening of this in recent times. This results in frequent closures of the intake
since the existing treatment facility is

inadequate and storage is insufficient.”
The project comprises of three major
areas: construction of a new intake at
the Checkhall river approximately two
kilometeres upstream from the existing intake; the upgrade of the network
transmission and distribution system;
construction of two distribution storage tanks of 100,000 gallons at Massacre and 250,000 gallons at Antrim;
the upgrade of the existing Springfield
intake; the Antrim filtration plant and
the setting up of a leak detection and
repair program.
It will also include ancillary work
comprising of the access road and foot
path to the new Checkhall intake.
Robinson noted that there will be various benefits will be derived from the
project.
“Several benefits mainly improved
water quality due to a relocated source
and upgrade of the treatment plant,
and consumers will be able to enjoy a
more reliable water supply with mini-

mal interruptions many major socio economic benefits,” she noted.
Housing, Lands, Settlements
and Water Resources Management Minister, Reginald Austrie,
used the launch of the project to
urge nationals to review water resource management.
“We continue to repeat and to
say that we have 365 rivers… I am
not sure when the last count was
made but we might have a reduction in the number of rivers that
we claim to have and I believe that
is an awareness that we have carry
across the country and we have to
use all the institutions available to
get that information across,” he
said.
WA-1 is the largest out of 43 water areas island-wide servicing essential services including the Princess Margaret Hospital and various
schools. It accounts for 48 percent
of total water consumption.

Water Taxi service launched in Bermuda
A new water taxi service has
been launched in Bermuda, offering service across the Island
Bermuda Water Taxi, operated by
Captain Ashley Simmons, is hoped
to provide another option for the
public to travel between Dockyard,

St George’s and Hamilton.
Capt Simmons said: “After witnessing ferries and buses transporting visitors around Bermuda, the
idea came to me about offering an
alternative mode of transportation
with a difference.

“With a water taxi, tourists and locals can call for the taxi when needed
or can make reservations for a pickup. The water taxi is for anyone who
would like a relaxing ride to their
destination, while learning about the
history of our beautiful Island.”

The service will run between Dockyard
and St George’s, Dockyard and Hamilton,
and throughout the Great Sound.
It operates between the hours of
8am to 7pm daily with run times of
15 and 25 minutes for a cost of $10 to
$20 depending on the destination.

Efforts at Enhancing Water-based Tourism Product

S

t. Lucia’s Ministry of Tourism,
Heritage and Creative Industries continues to improve the
quality of the water-based tourism
services and the sites and attractions
sectors through training in better
emergency response preparedness.
This is one of the many activities
undertaken by the Ministry to continue enhancing the quality of the Saint
Lucian Tourism Product.
Approximately 30 participants in
each sub-sector receive training in June
in Multi-hazard Contingency Planning
Business Continuity Planning.
Some of the areas participants
learned about included: Introduction
to the Structure of Disaster Manage-

ment in Saint Lucia-(Business Continuity and Multi-Hazard Contingency
Planning for the National Tourism
Sector); Introduction to Business Continuity Planning and Management;
Fire Response and Preparedness;
Awareness of the Standard for the
Water-based Tourism Sector.
Participants were expected develop
or update their own business continuity plans, to be reviewed and endorsed by NEMO and endorsement
for enlistment on Saint Lucia Tourist
Board’s Website.
This training is the collaborative effort of the Ministry and its industry
partners and the National Emergency
Management Office (NEMO).

Water Taxis are popular and essential for visitor travel within Caribbean destinations
and efforts are under way on several islands to improve the product overall.

St
St. Lucians reminded to ‘always be prepared’ for Drought
prepared’ for drought
The Saint Lucia Meteorology Services confirms that the drought conditions experienced earlier are over,
whilst predicting above normal rainfall for the coming months.
Earlier this year authorities had declared a dry spell after recording significant reductions in rainfall for the
period December to February. Signals
were sent across the island for Saint
Lucians to conserve water amidst lingering fears of a possible repeat of the
drought of 2010.
However, April came with heavy
and continuous rainfall, alleviating the
concerns of many who had already experienced water rationing.
Director of Met Services Thomas
Auguste reveals that the month of
April recorded historic rainfall.
He said, “Actually in April the to-

tal rainfall recorded at Vigie Airport
is the highest that we ever recorded
since we began keeping record in
1967 and at Hewanorra we had the
third highest since 1973.
“We have officially declared that
the drought is over and the forecast
for the next 3 – 4 month is normal to
above normal rainfall.”

The rainfall recorded at George
F.L. Charles Airport was 343mm and
at Hewanorra International Airport
277.7 mm.
Saint Lucians were encouraged to
start taking all the necessary precaution ahead of this hurricane season.
According to Mr Auguste, “Looking
at the increased rainfall in recent times

and looking forward to the hurricane season, we believe that there is
going to be a very high probability
of flooding and landslides during
the hurricane season.
“And since it is a very active season and we have had so much rainfall preceding the start of the season
(which is June 1st), the alert right
now is for people to be very cautious going into the hurricane season, because of the high probability
of landslides due to heavy rainfall.”
These developments are quite in
tune with the global trend of irregular weather patterns and the worsening climatic conditions.
The Saint Lucia Met Services says it
will continue to monitor the weather
and calls on Saint Lucians – and their
Caribbean neighbours -- to do the same.


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World Water Day celebrations
and High Level Forum held in
the Netherlands
The World Water Day celebrations
organized by the United Nations and
the Government of The Netherlands
on March 23rd in The Hague addressed both water cooperation and
the outcomes from the Thematic Consultation on Water in the post-2015
agenda.
The programme of the day involved political and governmental
leaders and members of the UN High
Level Panel on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, and included inspirational speeches, presentations and
interactive discussions. A series of
thematic sessions also gave the opportunity to reflect on the different
dimensions of water cooperation,
and brought new ideas and innovative approaches from different sectors of society.
Challenges identified on 21 March
at the Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on
Water organized by the Dutch Government were incorporated in the
thematic sessions

CEHI warns host country:

Water resources in
a precarious state!
In observance of World Water Day
2013 the Caribbean Environmental
Health Institute (CEHI) warned host
country that St. Lucia's water resources were “in a precarious state.”
CEHI, which is located in Castries,
said “poor land use practices within
watersheds that include deforestation
and pollution of rivers” had left them
with “reduced flows and often times
leaden with silt and other contaminants.”
CEHI said in its message to mark
the occasion, "Watershed degradation
has direct impacts on the quality of
water that we rely on for drinking.
“Climate change is expected to
worsen the situation as rainfall patterns are expected to change, with
droughts becoming more severe and
prolonged, and during the hurricane
season, storms and hurricanes are expected to increase in intensity causing
damage to our fragile water supply
systems.
"Combined with all of these challenges we often waste water as we
do not appreciate its true value. The
little value we place on water is directly contributory to the issues that
our lone water utility faces in terms of
adequately meeting the costs it takes
to produce water and deliver it safely
to our homes and businesses".
With the current drought conditions being experienced and on the
eve of the Commemoration of World
Water Day on March 22, it was a good
time "to reflect on our water issues and
what we need to do to make out country more water secure", CEHI said.
The United Nations has designated the year 2013 as the International
Year for Water Cooperation and in
commemoration, countries are encouraged to celebrate their efforts at
solving the world's water problems
through collaborative efforts amongst
all partners; the local community,
government, the private sector, water and sewerage service providers,
water sector financiers, regional and
international technical and donor
agencies.
As part of activities to mark World
Water Day, a Symposium on Water
was held in Castries organized jointly
by the CEHI, the Caribbean Water
and Wastewater Association and the
Caribbean Water and Sewerage Association, in association with the Ministry of Sustainable Development.

sions that involve all relevant actors,
from investors to users,” she continued.

World Water Day Message from UN Water

Cooperation for peace, prosperity
and sustainable development.
Cooperating around this precious resource is key for security, poverty eradication, social equity and gender equality. “Water is central to the well-being of
people and the planet," Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in his video message for the International Year of Water
Cooperation 2013. "We must work together to protect and carefully manage
this fragile, finite resource."
Every action involving water management and use requires effective cooperation between multiple actors,
whether at the local or the international
scale. In recognition of this reality, the
United Nations General
Assembly declared 2013 to be the International Year of Water Cooperation, following a proposal from a group
of Member States led by Tajikistan.
World Water Day, celebrated on 22
March, is dedicated to the same theme
this year. UNESCO, in collaboration
with UNECE and UN DESA, is leading
activities for both the Year and the Day
on behalf of UN Water.
Today, over 780 million people do
not have access to improved sources of
drinking water and 2.5 billion
people are without improved sanitation. Population growth associated with
changing consumption patterns, especially in cities, is driving an increase in
water demand. Our lifestyles are more
water-hungry. With the world population expected to grow from a little over
7 billion today to 8 billion by 2025, water
withdrawals should increase by 50 per-

The fulfillment of basic human needs,
the environment, socio economic
development and poverty reduction are
all dependent on water.
cent in developing countries and by 18
percent in developed countries. Water
for irrigation and food production constitutes one of the greatest pressures on
freshwater resources.
An estimated 148 states share a basin
with one or several countries, which is
a potential source of conflict, as actions
upstream have impacts on downstream
countries. The Danube, for example,
is shared by 19 countries, and the Nile
River by 11. Water overextraction, diversion, pollution,scarcity and the neglect
of existing agreements are often at the
roots of water tensions.
“Governments must commit to finding
inclusive and cooperative solutions to
water challenges,” said Ms Irina Bokova
in her messages on the occasion of World
Water Day. “For this, we must take deci-

A new UN
Water analytical brief on water security released today on the occasion
of World Water Day underlines that
numerous examples from across the
globe demonstrate that shared waters
provide opportunities for cooperation
across nations and support political
dialogue on broader issues such as regional economic integration, environmental conservation, and sustainable
development.
Cooperation mechanisms can vary
in terms of decisionmaking structures, levels of participation, and
rules and regulations,but the principle remains the same: when water resources are cooperatively shared and
managed, peace, prosperity and sustainable development are more likely
to be achieved. Cooperation can help
overcome inequity and prevent conflicts, and thus contribute to poverty
eradication, socio-economic development and improve living conditions
and educational chances, especially of
women and children.
Once again, UN-Water has awarded two projects that contribute to the
fulfilment of international commitments made on water and water-related issues this year. The UN Water
"Water for Life" Best Practices Award
was given to a project implemented in
the city of Kumamoto in Japan for the
conservation of groundwater resources and to the “Safe Water and Sanitation for All” initiative in the Republic
of Moldova, aimed at improving coverage in rural areas of the country.
The Rio+20 outcome document
identifies water as a key area for
achieving sustainable development.
“The International Year of Water Cooperation is in fact providing excellent opportunities for engagement
and dialogue in the UN System and
among Member States on all waterrelated issues in the context of the
Rio+20 outcomes and moving towards 2015,” said Mr Michel Jarraud
in his keynote at the World Water
Day celebrations in The Hague, The
Netherlands.
World Water Day and the International Year of Water Cooperation
certainly give us the opportunity to
reflect on the benefits of cooperation
and promote increased cooperation
at all levels for the management and
use of Water resources as a way to
achieve sustainable development.

‘We are only the custodians of this Planet!’
World Water Day Message from the St. Lucia Water
Resources Management Agency
The Water Resources Management
Agency (WRMA) of the Ministry of
Sustainable. Development, Energy, Science and Technology and the rest of the
world today celebrates World Water
Day under theme “Water Cooperation”.
The observance of World Water Day
is an initiative that grew out of the
1992 UN Conference on Environment
and Development (UNCED) in Rio De
Janerio, Brazil. Coming out of this conference, the UN General Assembly designated March 22nd of each year as the
World Water Day. At its 58th session
the UN proclaimed that the years 20052015 as the International Decade for
Action with a special focus on the participation on women. Member states
devote this day to implement some of
the UN recommendations and to organize activities as deemed appropriate in
the local context.
Water Cooperation, on the international plain, would mean cooperation

for peace, security, sustainable development and the environment, cooperation
for poverty alleviation and universal access to clean potable water for all.
In the St. Lucian context, the problem
that we are grappling with as it relates
to water cooperation is that of water
pollution which generally stems from
the improper disposal waste and waste
water or bad land management practices which leads to a reduction our water
quality and quantity.
The world has enough water to
quench its 7 billion people’s thirst. What
we at WRMA are asking is for all of us
to cooperate and adhere to the global
principles including our own Water
and Sewerage Act No. 14, 2005 which
governs our local water resources.
We need to be mindful of the end users,
we need not pollute our waterways, for
our society, fauna and flora depends on it
for its sustainability and by extension our
survival. Over the last few years, trans-

boundary water management has
ended up in major disputes between
rival nations so this year’s theme is
quite apt in that it is seeking to build
respect, mutual understanding and
trust amongst neighbour’s thereby
promoting peace whilst encouraging
economic and social growth.
So, as we place attention on today’s
commemoration, WRMA is imploring
St Lucians and persons throughout
the region to conserve our water resources, use it sparingly, harvest rain
water where and when possible, try to
develop the culture of re-use for in doing so we are in fact training the next
generation of water users the healthy
habit of water conservation practices
particularly now as we are seemingly
facing a looming water scarcity issue.
Remember, we didn’t just inherit
this planet from our forefathers we
are only the custodians for our children and grand children.


Page 11

e-Source

2013: International Year of Water Cooperation

All About International Water Cooperation Year
In December 2010, following the
proposal initiated by Tajikistan and
submitted by a group of countries, the
United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation.
The United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation

(UNESCO) was appointed by UNWater to lead the preparations for both
the 2013 International Year of Water
Cooperation and the World Water
Day, in collaboration with the United
Nations Economic Commission for
Europe (UNECE) and with the support of the United Nations Depart-

ment of Economic and Social Affairs
(UNDESA), the UN-Water Decade
Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) and the UN-Water
Decade Programme on Advocacy and
Communication (UNW-DPAC).
UN-Water has called upon UNESCO
to lead the 2013 International Year

1

of Water Cooperation in view of the
organization’s
multi-dimensional
mandate in the realm of natural and
social sciences, culture, education and
communication, and its significant
and long-standing contribution to the
management of the world’s freshwater resources.

Water Cooperation: What’s it all about?
The fulfillment of basic human needs,
our environment, socio-economic development and poverty reduction are
all heavily dependent on water.
Good management of water is especially challenging due to some of its
unique characteristics: it is unevenly
distributed in time and space, the hydrological cycle is highly complex and
perturbations have multiple effects.
Rapid urbanization, pollution and
climate change threaten the resource
while demands for water are increasing in order to satisfy the needs of a
growing world population, now at
over seven billion people, for food
production, energy, industrial and
domestic uses. Water is a shared re-

source and its management needs to
take into account a wide variety of
conflicting interests. This provides
opportunities for cooperation among
users.
In designating 2013 as the UN International Year of Water Cooperation,
the UNGA recognizes that cooperation
is essential to strike a balance between
the different needs and priorities and
share this precious resource equitably,
using water as an instrument of peace.
Promoting water cooperation implies
an interdisciplinary approach bringing in cultural, educational and scientific factors, as well as religious, ethical, social, political, legal, institutional
and economic dimensions.

Mutual trust and understanding community needs key for
successful water cooperation
Mutual trust and understanding the
real needs of communities have been
emphasized as key factors for successful water cooperation by the participants of the International UN-Water
Conference on water cooperation
which took place from 8 to 10 January
in Zaragoza, Spain.
The participants shared a wide range
of initiatives, including experiences
in rural and urban areas, and cases at
country and basin level, to identify lessons learned and key success factors.
The need for cooperation was highlighted as critical for sustainable water
management.
Micro-irrigation practices and experiences from water user associations
and small communities in Peru, Kenya, Guatemala, Bolivia, Madagascar,
Ethiopia and India, examples of multisectoral collaboration in different cities around the world, and partnerships
between public and private actors have
been discussed.
Cases from Kenya and Bolivia demonstrated that the existence of a legal
framework to support the creation of

collective water management is important but it is implementation which is
determinant. To actually realize cooperative water management, the implementation of a system of incentives and
penalties is also required. While political will enables the development of
laws and regulations, implementation
should come from local organizations
and institutions.
Identifying appropriate solutions
can be hampered by differences in perceptions, as demonstrated by specific
cases in Peru and Kenya, where projects failed because irrigation technologies were imposed without taking into
consideration traditional practices and
perspectives.
While financing is important and
water user associations are often created through development cooperation
funds, it should be complemented by
cooperation and mutual support between sectors and users to become sustainable.
“Trust forms the foundation on
which the house of water cooperation
can be built. We should invest in gen-

erating trust” declared Victor Viñuales,
director of the Spanish NGO Ecology
and Development (ECODES), who has
participated in this conference.
Overexploitation of aquifers was one
of the other main themes in which the
collective management by organizations such as water user associations
has been recognized as essential. In
cases such as the aquifer of the Bajo
Llobregat in Spain, the fact that all
stakeholder felt the urgent need for
cooperation was the key success factor for sustainable basin management.
Presenters of this and other cases emphasized the importance of building
relationships between water user communities and authorities based on mutual respect and avoiding paternalistic
attitudes.
According to Brice Lalonde, Executive Coordinator of Rio+20 at the UN
Department of Economic and Social Affairs “We are entering the era of water
reuse. Particularly in cities, water reuse
is imperative”. Learning how to cooperate to recycle water among different
users and sectors is crucial for provid-

ing access to safe sanitation to the 2.6
billion people who are currently lacking this basic service.
On the last day of the Conference,
the Spanish case was analyzed. International participants gained insights on
participatory processes implemented in
the Ebro River Basin with the Basin Authority model as an example which can
inspire other countries. Other shared
examples of cooperation and collaboration between organizations included
the Spanish Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation, and a number of
solidarity projects and participatory
processes in the regions of Aragon and
Navarra in Spain.
Political will, legal frameworks, accountability and institutional structures provide a solid foundation for
water cooperation. “Achieving water
cooperation is the result of a long term
process which requires time, patience
and mutual trust” summarized Josefina Maestu, director of the UN Office
to support the International Decade for
Action ‘Water for Life’ 2005-2015 when
closing the Conference.

e-Source

Page 12


WORLDWIDE WATER
Facts and Figures

An increasing demand

• The cost of adapting to the impacts of a 2°C rise in global average temperature
could range from US$70 to $100 billion per year between 2020 and 2050 (World
Bank, 2010). Of this cost, between US$13.7 billion (drier scenario) and $19.2 billion
(wetter scenario) will be related to water, predominantly through water supply
and flood management.

A resource without borders

85% of the world population lives in the driest half of the planet.
• 783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion do not
have access to adequate sanitation.
• 6 to 8 million people die annually from the consequences of disasters and waterrelated diseases.
• Various estimates indicate that, based on business as usual, ~3.5 planets Earth
would be needed to sustain a global population achieving the current lifestyle of
the average European or North American.
• Global population growth projections of 2–3 billion people over the next 40 years,
combined with changing diets, result in a predicted increase in food demand of
70% by 2050.
• Over half of the world population lives in urban areas, and the number of urban
dwellers grows each day. Urban areas, although better served than rural areas, are
struggling to keep up with population growth (WHO/UNICEF, 2010).
• With expected increases in population, by 2030, food demand is predicted to increase by 50% (70% by 2050) (Bruinsma, 2009), while energy demand from hydropower and other renewable energy resources will rise by 60% (WWAP, 2009).
These issues are interconnected – increasing agricultural output, for example, will
substantially increase both water and energy consumption, leading to increased
competition for water between water-using sectors.
• Water availability is expected to decrease in many regions. Yet future global agricultural water consumption alone is estimated to increase by ~19% by 2050,
and will be even greater in the absence of any technological progress or policy
intervention.
• Water for irrigation and food production constitutes one of the greatest pressures
on freshwater resources. Agriculture accounts for ~70% of global freshwater withdrawals (up to 90% in some fast-growing economies).
• Economic growth and individual wealth are shifting diets from predominantly starch-based to meat and dairy, which require more water. Producing 1 kg of rice, for example, requires ~3,500 L of water, 1 kg of beef ~15,000
L, and a cup of coffee ~140 L (Hoekstra and Chapagain, 2008). This dietary
shift is the greatest to impact on water consumption over the past 30 years,
and is likely to continue well into the middle of the twenty-first century
(FAO, 2006).
• About 66% of Africa is arid or semi-arid and more than 300 of the 800 million
people in sub-Saharan Africa live in a water-scarce environment – meaning that
they have less than 1,000 m3 per capita (NEPAD, 2006).

The impact of climate change
• The IPCC predicts with high confidence that water stress will increase in central
and southern Europe, and that by the 2070s, the number of people affected will
rise from 28 million to 44 million. Summer flows are likely to drop by up to 80%
in southern Europe and some parts of central and Eastern Europe. Europe’s hydropower potential is expected to drop by an average of 6%, but rise by 20–50%
around the Mediterranean by 2070 (Alcamo et al., 2007).

• Water is not confined to political borders. An estimated 148 states have international basins within their territory (OSU, n.d., 2008 data), and 21 countries lie entirely within them (OSU, n.d, 2002 data).
• There are 276 transboundary river basins in the world (64 transboundary river
basins in Africa, 60 in Asia, 68 in Europe, 46 in North America and 38 in South
America).
• 185 out of the 276 transboundary river basins, about two-thirds, are shared by two
countries. 256 out of 276 are shared by 2, 3 or 4 countries (92,7%), and 20 out of 276
are shared by 5 or more countries (7,2%), the maximum being 18 countries sharing
a same transboundary river basin (Danube).
• 46% of the globe’s (terrestrial) surface is covered by transboundary river basins.
• 148 countries include territory within one or more transboundary river basins. 39 countries have more than 90% of their territory within one or more
transboundary river basins, and 21 lie entirely within one or more of these
watersheds.
• Russian Federation shares 30 transboundary river basins with riparian countries,
Chile and United States 19, Argentina and China 18, Canada 15, Guinea 14, Guatemala 13, and France 10.
• Africa has about one-third of the world’s major international water basins – basins
larger than 100,000 km2. Virtually all sub-Saharan African countries, and Egypt,
share at least one international water basin. Depending on how they are counted,
there are between 63 (UNEP, 2010b) and 80 (UNECA, 2000) transboundary river
and lake basins on the African continent.
• Rich nations are tending to maintain or increase their consumption of natural
resources (WWF, 2010), but are exporting their footprints to producer, and typically, poorer, nations. European and North American populations consume a
considerable amount of virtual water embedded in imported food and products. Each person in North America and Europe (excluding former Soviet Union
countries) consumes at least 3 m3 per day of virtual water in imported food,
compared to 1.4 m3 per day in Asia and 1.1 m3 per day in Africa (Zimmer and
Renault, n.d.).
• Land grabbing is another increasingly common phenomenon. Saudi Arabia, one
of the Middle East’s largest cereal growers, announced it would cut cereal production by 12% a year to reduce the unsustainable use of groundwater. To protect its
water and food security, the Saudi government issued incentives to Saudi corporations to lease large tracts of land in Africa for agricultural production. By investing in Africa to produce its staple crops, Saudi Arabia is saving the equivalent of
hundreds of millions of gallons of water per year and reducing the rate of depletion of its fossil aquifers.
• Nearly all Arab countries suffer from water scarcity. An estimated 66% of the
Arab region’s available surface freshwater originates outside the region.

Pollution
• The treatment of wastewater requires significant amounts of energy, and demand
for energy to do this is expected to increase globally by 44% between 2006 and
2030 (IEA, 2009), especially in non-OECD countries where wastewater currently
receives little or no treatment (Corcoran et al., 2010).
• Pollution knows no borders either. Up to 90% of wastewater in developing countries flows untreated into rivers, lakes and highly productive coastal zones, threatening health, food security and access to safe drinking and bathing water Over
80% of used water worldwide is not collected or treated (Corcoran et al., 2010).

Cooperation, a contrasted reality
• There are numerous examples where transboundary waters have proved to be a
source of cooperation rather than conflict. Nearly 450 agreements on international
waters were signed between 1820 and 2007 (OSU, 2007).
• Over 90 international water agreements were drawn up to help manage shared
water basins on the African continent (UNEP, 2010).

to June 2013 Vols. 1 & 2 (Special Edition)
January

e-Source
e-Source

Page 13

Rate Increases with Popular
Participation
How one Caribbean Government brought water rates up-to-date
government brought water rates up to date
after 13 years with hardly a sweat, a tear - or even a protest!
after 13 years with hardly a sweat, at tear -- or even a protest!
Saint Lucians are paying more for
water – much more, they will tell you,
as Water rates have gone up 66.15%
and Sewerage rates up by 50.8%.
Whopping figures, you will say. But
it’s also the very first increase awarded to the local Water and Sewage
Company (WASCO).
For over a dozen years the island’s
publicly owned company has been
going deeper and deeper into the red,
only to be rescued every year by the
Government. Efforts were made to
privatize WASCO, but plans ran into
legal problems following a change of
government in 2006. Another government change in 2011 removed privatization off the board, opting instead
for joint Public/Private participation.
WASCO’s finances were killed by
a growing number of defaulters not
paying bills and water being stolen
through illegal connections. The company was always unable to pay its
monthly electricity bills and normal
salary demands grew after the union
representing workers successfully
negotiated a 10% wage increase.
Last December, with Christmas approaching, workers took strike action
to press for payment of their increases, forcing the company to turn to the
government for yet another bailout.
The government took the bull by the
horns and engaged the mechanism to
determine whether the company deserved a rate increase and how to go
about it. WASCO submitted its proposals and justification arguments
to the island’s Water and Sewerage
Commission – which oversees developments in the water sector, which
then invited the public to comment
on the proposals – and called for consumers to also get involved in the exercise, to help determine how much
they will pay for water.
Following the period of national
consultation, the Commission deliberated on all the submission and
suggestions and recommendations
and considered all the arguments. It
then announced that the existing rate
structure for Water was “changed”
and the increase requested by WASCO for Sewerage was “reduced”.
Under the new structure, the overall rate for water would see 55.72% of
the 66.15% go towards water, while
the rest (10.43%) will go towards the
dredging of the massive John Compton Dam at Roseau, which WASCO is
also responsible for.
Dredging of the heavily-silted dam
is expected to be completed within
two years, but if it is to continue after the allocated two years, WASCO
would have to justify that continuation. It means that after the completion
of the dredging, the 10.43% would be
knocked off the water rate, reducing
it to 55.72%. The commission also dictated that any dredging would have
to undergo “competitive bidding”.

The Roseau Dam has remained largely clogged since Hurricane Tomas and requires a massive de-silting operation
that will cost more than the company will ever be able to afford under the old rates.
Regarding Sewerage rates, the
originally proposed 140.30% was reduced to 50.8% after final comments
from the public, to avoid a public
“rate shock”. Based on data provided
by WASCO, the Commission sought
to determine the rate and the revenue
requirement of the company, which
it placed at EC $60,546,307.00 per annum. It therefore awarded increases it
felt would meet the company’s needs,
but also sought certain public guarantees from the company. The following
new rates were agreed:
• Domestic – the first 3,000 gallons
(which previously cost EC $7.35)
was increased by $4.86 (66.15%) to
$12.21.
• In excess of 3,000 gallons (originally
EC $15.00) now costs EC $9.42.
• The minimum charge for 2,000 gallons was EC $14.70 and is now EC
$24.42.
• Commercial/Industrial
Water:
The former price per 1,000 gallons
was $20.00 and the new tariff is
EC$33.23.
• Hotels paid EC$22.00 per 1,000 gallons the new rate is EC$36.55.
• Government paid $14 per 1,000 gallons, but the new rate is EC$66.46.
• Ships -- which are charged the
highest rates -- paid EC$40.00 per
1,000 gallons, but the new rate is EC
$66.46.
The Commission held discussions
with the Minister for Sustainable
Development, Energy, Science and
Technology regarding Service Standards for WASCO and indicated it
wanted the Water and Sewerage (Service Standards) Regulations “enacted
without delay.”
Following the new rate increases,
WASCO also now has to submit quarterly reports to the Commission with
the following information: Non-revenue water, outstanding debts (inac-

tive customers), information on the
government’s Amnesty Programme
(to benefit defaulters), staffing information (including recruitment and
category), customer complaints, accounting system, customers (active
or otherwise) and category, service
interruption (areas, duration and
reasons) and detailed information on
selling expenses.
The Commission has made it clear
to WASCO that, with the new tariff
increase, it also “expects to see some
level of improvement at WASCO and
will engage WASCO to establish certain targets, which must be achieved
during the tariff period of three
years.”
The Commission will also monitor
“increased efficiency, increased response to customers’ complaints and
more reliable service delivery.” A water rate increase isn’t easy anywhere,
especially these days. No Caribbean
country can simply raise rates these
days without some form of organized
protest. That didn’t happen in St. Lucia, not because people can afford, but
because everyone accepted WASCO
needed to raise its own cash, as government is already cash-strapped.
The St. Lucia reality – like elsewhere
in the Caribbean – is that consumers
would readily spend more on bottled
water than on locally produced potable (pipe) water. Many spend more
on imported bottled water than on
paying monthly water bills.
The age-old island-wide water distribution plant is badly in need of rehabilitation, if not replacement, but
neither the Government nor WASCO
can afford. The decision to charge
more for water came after implementation of a 15% VAT rate and preceded the removal of half government’s
the subsidies on sugar, rice and flour.
There had also been a reduction in

fuel subsidies with petrol rates at the
pump and the cost of LPG (cooking
gas) returned to the dictates of the
world market price for oil.
That St. Lucians did not demonstrate against the steep increases in
water rates had as much to do with
their understanding of the national
state of economic play as with the
manner in which the increase was approached. The government didn’t just
go to the parliament and pass a new
law to dictate an increase. Instead,
it engaged the public and the stakeholders in the process and allowed a
commissioned body to professionally
guide the process. The water company pleaded for all the more money
it needs, the consumers listened and
listed their complaints and demands,
the commission listened to all and
took all arguments into consideration,
then arrived at a proposed conclusion. That too was publicized and the
consumers again had their say, resulting in a downward adjustment of the
commission’s earlier proposed Sewerage rate. And no, the Commission
– not the Minister, not the Cabinet – is
holding WASCO to task to ensure that
what it agreed to do is implemented
so that what was promised to water
consumers is delivered.
St. Lucia’s water situation is not
much different to that of any other
similar Caribbean island. What’s different is how the problem is being approached. The Popular Participation
element is a feature worth studying
and emulating elsewhere, as it had
paid dividends in St. Lucia. The offer
of an Amnesty to defaulters has also
helped. With WASCO now given the
liquid life-saver of an increase in Water and Sewerage rates, it is expected
that the many long years of criticism
of WASCO will become, sooner rather
than later, like water under the bridge!

CAWASA e-Source Newsletter - Issue 5 : January - June 2013

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