Pushed, perhaps, by the challenges it faced during the severe drought of 2020, the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) is moving to increase its storage capacity at various sites across the country.
Garth Saunders, Chief Executive Officer at the CWSA, said at a press briefing on June 2 that following the severe drought which occurred in 2020, and with assistance provided by the Water Resource Department, they have been able to use data collected on various water sources to design and construct water intake facilities.
“In less than a year, we have embarked on three significant water projects aimed at alleviating the problems that we faced last year,” Saunders said.
One such being a water intake facility that he said was currently under construction in the Vermont area of Francois, on the Leeward side of the island.
“That project is in progress and is expected to supplement the Dallaway system – which is our main water supply,” Saunders explained.
He said that they were also in the process of linking the Hermitage water supply system, located in the North Leeward area, to the supply system in Layou, South Leeward.
This, Saunders said, will improve flexibility for the Layou and South Leeward areas because the Hermitage water supply has an overcapacity.
“So by linking that water supply system with the Layou water supply, this gives Layou the option for water supply when there is a fall off, or when there is a problem with that system,” Saunders said.
Work has also started on a new storage tank at Kelbourney which is expected to enhance the Majorca system by increasing the water storage on that system, the CWSA CEO said. (The Vincentian)