Desilting for Hillsborough dam

Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte, left, and Public Utilities Secretary Clarence Jacob, listen to Water and Sewerage Authority chairman, Ellis Burris, right, during a visit to the Hillsborough Dam last Monday.
Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte, left, and Public Utilities Secretary Clarence Jacob, listen to Water and Sewerage Authority chairman, Ellis Burris, right, during a visit to the Hillsborough Dam last Monday.

Desilting of the Hillsborough Dam is being fast tracked to boost to the water supply in Tobago, a statement for the Ministry of Public Utilities said on Friday.

The ministry said the de-silting project is expected to be completed next year, and is expected to increase water supply on the island by some 60-70 million gallons for industrial and residential customers.

The decision followed a visit by by Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte to the dam last Monday. He was accompanied by Secretary for Public Utilities and Infrastructure, Clarence Jacob, acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Utilities, Beverly Khan, and an executive team from the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

The Hillsborough Dam has a capacity 220 million gallons of water but has been operating for some time at just about 70 per cent of capacity.

The ministry also said complementary projects will include repairs to several transmission lines as well as the upgrading of the Hillsborough Treatment Plant. And that ministry, in collaboration with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) will drill eight new wells over the next 18 months to add some four million gallons of capacity to the island’s water supply.

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"Desilting for Hillsborough dam"

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