Green Fund gives $34m to WASA Adopt A River programme

The Planning and Development Ministry's Green Fund Executing Unit has contributed $34 million to WASA’s Adopt a River (AARP) programme.

In a release, the ministry said WASA launched the initiative in 2012 with the aim of monitoring and addressing water pollution in rivers throughout Trinidad and Tobago. In order to increase its success, WASA has partnered with communities close to rivers of interest, to develop a sense of ownership and pride among the community for their watershed and wetlands.

The first phase of the AARP was initiated in 2012 in the Guanapo watershed. After a watershed assessment, WASA facilitated the formation of a community group, the Guanapo Community Environmental Development Organisation (GCEDO). This group was trained by staff of the Water Resources Agency
in various areas of water resources management from a community perspective.

From this model the AARP evolved into its current structure of stakeholder collaboration in watershed management and monitoring.

WASA then launched the AARP on July 5, 2013, with the aim of engaging communities and corporate entities in the improvement of watersheds in TT in a sustainable, holistic and co-ordinated manner.

Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis said the Green Fund’s support of this programme is timely, as water security is a major global concern, especially as TT commemorates Earth Day on April 22 with the global community on the theme Restore our Earth.

She said, “Conserving and revitalising our water sources are critical factors in restoring our earth and the Planning Ministry is determined to do what is required through the Green Fund and our other environmental agencies.”