EDITORIAL

There can be no denying that summer is almost upon us – with every passing day it seems to be getting hotter and hotter.

That heat is linked to the lack of rain we have had in recent weeks, for while at the beginning of April the rain fell frequently, coming to the end of the month, rainfall was significantly reduced. It is hard not to think that we need to get some rain soon, not just to ensure that we get relief from the scorching heat, but to ensure that our water supply is not threatened further.

For we no doubt all well remember a few years ago when residents in several rural communities were without water for a considerable amount of time, the drought conditions at the time and poor planning were to blame. Now if we are not proactive we could face similar problems again, given that the drought outlook prepared at the end of April by the Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum for the Caribbean region up to July of this year, has suggested that Barbados be one of the countries placed on drought watch. Yes this is an improvement over the last outlook which suggested we be put on drought warning, but this is no news to take solace in.

The forecast report went on to say that shorter term drought might possibly develop in Barbados by the end of July. This possibility is not one that is farfetched, given that Jamaica, for example, is already experiencing some challenges at this time, and the authorities there will be implementing water restrictions for some areas starting next week.

Now, the fact is that as it stands we live in a water scarce country and the demand for water is increasing as further development takes place here. It is therefore imperative that we properly balance the demand for water with the existing water resources available and concomitantly look at securing potable water through various other means. We have to look at our water problem in its entirety and recognise that if our current supply is not properly managed, we could be in danger of not having enough water to cater to the needs of the population in the years ahead.

As an island we are surrounded by water and should perhaps give greater consideration to establishing additional desalination plants in the country, sooner rather than later. With such plants the focus should be on energy efficiency so as to ensure the cost of water from those sources are not exorbitantly high. We have no doubt this would be foremost in the minds of the authorities, as in this country water resources and energy are now under one ministry.

But everyone has a role to play in dealing with the island’s water scarcity issue – it cannot be government alone – and the average citizens too must do their part. The fact is that we the public often waste this precious commodity. There are some of us who take long showers and let the water run continuously; we brush our teeth and leave the water running; instead of filling up our buckets and washing our vehicles, we use the hose directly. There are the others who let leaking faucets sit until that drip becomes much more, and it is only then that we consider getting it fixed. These bad habits could land us in great difficulty in the future and certainly could also lead to water rates being increased even more, something we are sure no one wants to happen given the widespread criticism of the last increase.

So going forward, we the public must conserve more water, install water saving fixtures and reuse water where possible.

To the authorities we say increase awareness where necessary and invest in technology plus research and development to ensure we stay ahead of the game.