Shutdown of plant not as painful as expected

SEVERAL DISTRICTS in three parishes braced for a 26-hour water outage to be implemented by the Barbados Water Authority yesterday but it appears as though most of them were spared any major disruption.

By yesterday evening, some residents remarked that while their water pressure dipped on Sunday night, the water pressure yesterday was more than adequate and in some cases at a level they had not seen in a long time.

Some concern was expressed about the timing of the shutdown and the likely disruption it would have on the businesses particularly in the City of Bridgetown. There was some confusion as to whether the water outage would impact the many schools in the areas identified, but it appeared to be business as usual at Government schools. However, the University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus closed its doors yesterday in anticipation of the disruption.

The Barbados Water Authority issued a statement over the weekend advising the public that Ionics Freshwater Ltd, which augments the St. Stephen’s reservoir, would be shut down on Sunday, November 5 until Monday November 6 at 10 pm for annual maintenance.

According to the statement, the shutdown would have resulted in low water pressure and outages across several districts in three parishes. Customers were are asked to store an adequate supply of water for the duration of the shutdown.

BWA Corporate Communications Joyann Haigh during a radio programme on Sunday noted that the maintenance did not necessarily mean that all the districts would be affected, but the areas listed were as a precautionary measure in the event that there were challenges during the maintenance.

They included districts in St. Thomas such as Arthur Seat, Welches Heights, Bagatelle Park, Bagatelle Gardens, Bagatelle Terrace, Hoyte’s Village, Holder’s Hill, Melrose, Redman’s Village, Edge Hill, Welches Terrace, Padmore Village and surrounding districts.

In St. James, it included West Terrace, Oxnards, Husbands, Ricks Land, Haynesville, Durants Village, Holders Hill, Prior Park, Bennetts, Arch Hall, Sea View, Halycon Heights, Sunset Ridge, Paynes Bay, Sandy Lane, Sunset Crest, Jamestown Park, Trents, Porters, Prospect, Fitts Village, Derricks and the surrounding districts in St. James.

In St. Michael Cane Garden, Jackson, Lodge Hill, Hinds Hill, Clermont, Wanstead, Warrens, Clerview, Crystal Heights, White Hall, Lodge Hill, St. Stephens Hill, Bridge Gap, Black Rock, Deacons Farm, Goodland, Westbury Road, Eagle Hall, Bank Hall, Station Hill, Barbarees Hill, Passage Road, New Orleans, White Park Road, Country Road, Hindsbury Road, Roebuck Street, Carrington Village, Halls Road, Belleville, Culloden Road, City of Bridgetown and the surrounding districts in St. Michael were all put on watch.