WASA to meet Couva South MP to review water policy

WASA’s board has invited Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh to meet on Thursday to discuss the water scheduling in his constituency.

The meeting followed letters Indarsingh had written to both Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales and acting WASA CEO Sherland Sheppard, since January 17, asking for an urgent meeting to review the dry-season water schedule for his constituency.

WASA postponed a meeting initially agreed to. After that, residents met with their MP on February 24 and threatened "water riots."

Some areas in Couva South have been put on a one-in-nine-days rotation – meaning pipe-borne water once in every nine days – as part of its 2022 dry-season water-management plan.

WASA’s acting director of operations Shaira Ali said low rainfall during the dry season had reduced daily production by just over 25 per cent and the water-source breakdown showed surface water was at 60 per cent, groundwater at 20 per cent and at the Desal plant, 20 per cent.

WASA has imposed restrictions on the domestic use of hoses to water plants, wash vehicles, use pressure washers, sprinklers, decorative fountains, waterfalls and outdoor features which requires wates. They went into effect on March 1.

In an earlier response to Newsday on Indarsingh’s request for a review of the schedule, Gonzales said that was done by senior managers in various locations. He said it was an operational matter and the minister did not get involved.

However, he also said he was seeking all the facts and details before he could comment.

Indarsingh said Gonzales is aware of Thursday’s meeting. He said he is not certain who will lead the WASA delegation, but he would lead a delegation of councillors, constituency executive and some of the affected residents.

“If WASA is prepared to instal additional tanks in people’s homes, with all necessary infrastructure free of all charges, or (ensure they) get a truck-borne supply within 24 hours of their request, I will tolerate the schedule on behalf of my constituents.

“However, I have been told that when requests are made for a truck-borne supply, residents are told they are in a queue and there is no guarantee when their requests will be met."

He said he had also been told some desperate people paid exorbitant costs of $300-$800 for a tank of water.

“This is state-sanctioned extortion, because this Government is imposing policies to create further hardship.”

He drew a parallel withthe two-year ban on open-air pyre cremation of covid19 patients, which was said to be a health risk.

“Can the Minister of Health ,Terrence Deyalsingh, or the CMO, Dr Roshan Parasram, or the Prime Minister or the Attorney General say how many people have contracted covid at open-air cremations since the ban was lifted?”