Trinidad and Tobago: Worst Drought in Years, WASA

On Thursday, Water and Sewerage Authority chief operating officer Shaira Ali warned that Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing its worst drought in many years.

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According to statements made by the directive, quoted by Newsday, the Navet and Caroni-Arena dams, as well as the Hollis and Hillsborough reservoirs, the latter on the island of Tobago, are severely affected, which is why the entity has had to review and readjust its supply programs.

The purpose is to maintain and provide a stable, efficient and equitable supply of this resource, even in the midst of extreme heat and drought conditions, he said at a press conference at the Caroni water treatment plant in Saint Helena.

There will be a temporary schedule and a hosepipe ban in effect from midnight until June 30, Ali said, urging the population to conserve water.

The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is making efforts to fight the situation.

Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales told the House of Representatives that this stage of the year began with high evaporation rates and lower rainfall in January and February, coupled with a steady decline in river flows and surface water facilities.

The drop in the levels of Navet Dam and the Hollis and Hillsborough reservoirs has resulted in WASA experiencing a decrease of 18 million gallons of water, said the head of the company, who warned that the conditions described also have an impact on the capacity of the Desalination Company (Desalcott).

In statements quoted by Newsday, Gonzales said that Desalcott has recently reduced by four million gallons per day the supply it must provide to the Authority, which amounts to 40 million gallons.

To address the situation, WASA was increasing production at its Caroni-Arena and Navet dams to 65 million gallons per day, the minister said, adding that the institution had also intensified water transport operations.

The Authority's director of operations, Shaira Ali, warned on Tuesday in a press conference at the Caroni water treatment plant that the island state is experiencing its worst drought in many years, hence the entity has had to review and readjust its supply programs.

In announcing a temporary schedule and a hosepipe ban that went into effect from midnight of that day until June 30, the directive urged the population to conserve the resource.