PM: Water relief coming

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is promising the residents of St. Joseph that their water challenges are being addressed and in about two weeks they should start to get some relief.

Mottley said yesterday during a ceremony to reopen the St. Joseph Outpatient Clinic, that there are several short- and long-term measures being taken to ensure that the residents of that rural parish and surrounding parishes have adequate access to potable water.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came as she said that the difficulties being experienced with water in this country are the result of multiple issues, including a shortage of water because of a groundwater crisis and the climate crisis.

Outlining some of the steps being taken, she revealed that in a few months’ time a new reservoir will be constructed at Castle Grant, in close proximity to the existing reservoir.

“We’ve also agreed to deal with the transmission lines to that reservoir, the current one and the new one that would be built and completed within the next four to six months, I’m told. But access to water doesn’t await the construction of that reservoir, because the water from Vineyard to Mount Pleasant goes to Golden Ridge and will come up here,” she said.

The PM, referring to the Vineyard Water Augmentation Project, stated that based on the work already completed, it is expected that the project will be finished no later than the end of July. Her comments came as she said that within two weeks, the three million gallons from the Ionics Plant – which has been out of commission since September 2020 – should be back online, putting those gallons back into the system.

“There are things that they can do that will allow us at last to be able to pump water back down Highway 1, and then of that three million gallons, to take two and a quarter million gallons up to Trents; and when we get it to Trents, we will send some to Shop Hill and some to Apes Hill. That will mean that without prejudice to Vineyard being finished for the residents of St. Joseph, and without prejudice to [the] St. Stephen’s/ Lodge Hill pipeline being done for the benefit of the residents who take off of the Shop Hill reservoir – in other words Bagatelle and Edgehill Heights, Shop Hill etc. – that we will have enough water hopefully flowing in about two weeks’ time that will allow the Shop Hill reservoir and Apes Hill to be able to send water to those two areas, so that eastern St. Joseph can start to get water on a more regular basis without the pressure that it has had to face,” she explained.

She went on to say that a larger reservoir is also to be built at Apes Hill. The PM further indicated that a 40-year old recommendation to build a reservoir on the knoll above the St. Andrew’s Parish Church is to be followed through with.

She further stated that it has been decided that where single reservoirs exist, an additional one will be constructed, explaining that dual reservoirs will allow for a steady supply of water  should challenges occur.

“This is changing systems with respect to augmentation, distribution, institutional strengthening, and then, of course, in the event of emergencies, as you the people of St. Joseph regrettably have had to endure, the issue of the delivery of water. And to that extent, there are a significant number of trucks coming in that will allow us to move both potable water, and for the first time, have dedicated trucks for non-potable water in order to make sure that we are in a position to deliver for those who genuinely don't need potable water, the benefit to do the kind of landscaping or agricultural production or whatever,” she added.

(JRT)