Project Engineer for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the Barbados Water Authority (BWA), Nathan Hart (centre), going through the features of one of the tanks he designed for the Personal Tank Programme, as BWA Chairman Dr. Atlee Brathwaite (left) and other officials look on.
THE Barbados Water Authority (BWA) will have just under one day’s supply of water for the population, if a national disaster hits the island.
This reality was revealed by BWA’s General Manager, Keithroy Halliday, as he delivered remarks during last Friday’s launch of the Authority’s Personal Tank Programme.
Halliday said while Barbados’ current residential population is estimated to be 286 000 with a population density of 643 persons per square km, water connections increased from just over 34 500 in 1966 then with a population of 235 500 to 95 000 in 1999 with a population size of 268 000 to 115 000 connections in 2017, with a currently estimated population size of 286 000.
He indicated that long-stay visitors are estimated at 300 000 per year. In addition, BWA on a daily basis produces 34 million gallons of water, which is segmented by five to six million gallons of desalinated water.
Renewable water resources are estimated at 44-46 million, of which 12 million is directly sourced by farmers from their own wells and 33 million by BWA.
Halliday said that with a maximum reservoir capacity of 28 million, current consumption patterns suggests that if BWA is unable to produce water in the event of a national disaster of sort, for example no electricity, the BWA will have just under one day’s supply of water for the population.
“Considering that several metropolitan cities in well developed countries have as much as a year’s supply of water, the severity and importance of initiatives by BWA comes into stark perspective.
“The cumulative effect of these growth factors simply means that BWA must radically improve its ability to consistently procure and supply water presently and in the foreseeable future.
“It also means that we must strive to ensure that our national community becomes further sensitised to the role they can play individually with respect to water conservation and to help manage their dependence on water supply.”
The BWA Chairman, Dr. Atlee Brathwaite, said while there is still need at the collective and individual level to responsibly manage the precious and essential resource, the investment in the Personal Tank Programme should be seen as a critical part of that responsibility.
The programme, which was initiated by the Honourable Minister Dr. David Estwick, is a partnership between BWA and the City of Bridgetown Credit Union Ltd.
“With the start of the initiative, the personal water tanks assist in ensuring that there is water supply to parishes in the areas most affected by drought and whose topography sometimes makes it difficult for the BWA to deliver water, particularly after heavy rainfall or a passing weather system. It also facilitates what we hope will be the start of an active culture of harvesting and or storing water for all Barbadians,” he said. (AH)