Watch the water

ONE MONTH ago, Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte assured that the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) could provide water at this critical time. Supply would be increased. Water trucks would be out. Those optimistic days, however, are gone. The modest gains to reservoir levels evaporated. Today, the water supply requires our undivided attention. Or else we could have a double crisis on our hands.

WASA, like any of the essential services, deserves our praise and support during these trying times. Many of its workers – and there are about 5,000 of them – must now risk their lives for the sake of the general population. Without them, the already stressful covid19 situation would be worse. Imagine the devastating impact of dry taps in a situation in which the first line of defence against the virus is washing your hands.

Indeed, this scenario is already a reality for some.

Even as the minister and WASA officials last month confidently touted WASA’s increased supply, problems began to spring. Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh (UNC) described a situation in which MPs and councillors were being bombarded with calls from constituents asking for water and said one orphanage had difficulties. Tabaquite MP Suruj Rambachan (UNC) reported problems in his community. Point Fortin Mayor Kennedy Richards (PNM) countered similar complaints by saying the water was flowing, albeit sometimes slowly, even as some residents insisted there was a serious issue.

Politics aside, these reports and counter-claims reflect the fact that the water supply is a problem generally, no matter one’s political affiliation and location. And for many, the problem has been longstanding. In a letter to the editor published this week, a group of individuals describing themselves as residents of Robert Village, Tableland, complained of not having water since August 2019.

What the covid19 crisis has simply done is exacerbated existing gaps in WASA’s system. That system is a work in progress as demonstrated by the authority’s issuing of a new distribution “schedule” for north and south Trinidad earlier this month. Such redistribution, however, can only be one part of the response.

Also required is a renewed focus on public education regarding conservation measures. There is a long list of simple strategies that households can adopt in order to save water without compromising hygiene.

WASA should also use dry conditions as an opportunity to plug leaks in its network. Those leaks are a big source of wastage that we cannot afford.

It is worth noting that while WASA gets a state subvention of about $2 billion annually, the tap is running dry on its revenues which have taken a big hit due to covid19. As is the case with many other state companies and statutory bodies, the need to find ways to sustain this essential service is a pressing matter which must be dealt with.