No decision yet on water restrictions – BWA

No decision has been taken on whether there will be water prohibition this year, marketing officer at the Barbados Water Authority Yvette Harris-Griffith said on Friday.

But she has urged Barbadians to practise water conservation, even in the absence of restrictions on water usage.

The last water prohibition notice was issued by the BWA in April last year for a period of just over two months but that was then extended until the end of August. During the period, residents were banned from using potable water for the irrigation of gardens, lawns by hose or by sprinkler systems; using hoses to wash roadways, pavements, paths, garages and vehicles; and filling supply tanks, ponds and swimming pools, among other measures. 

Speaking to the media after a team from the BWA, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), Climate Resilience Wastewater Systems in Barbados (3R-CReWS) and Pinehill Dairy visited Cuthbert Moore Primary School for World Water Day, Harris-Griffith said officials have not yet made any determination on water restrictions.

“Usually, that decision is reached between the Barbados Water Authority, of course, the Government of Barbados in conjunction with the Barbados Meteorological Services, in terms of what they expect the weather patterns to be like. A decision has not been made on that as yet for 2024,” she said.

However, the BWA official stressed that Barbadians should not be irresponsible with their water usage in the absence of a prohibition notice.

“It is always prudent for us to keep water conservation top of mind because we are suffering from climate change, there’s no doubt about it, and it is best for us to just observe some wise water use habits,” she said.

“In small ways, we can all contribute to just using the water we need and not wasting it. Within our homes, we need to start inculcating some of those habits where, whether we’re brushing our teeth, soaping in the shower or shaving, we remember to turn off the tap. Little things like if you’re thawing meat or peeling vegetables or fruit, you don’t have to do it under running water, you can use a bowl of water.

“There are small ways that we can all practice wise water use habits and we’re trying to do that not only this week, but we will continue spreading the word and sharing the messages as we go forward so that people keep water conservation top of mind. Water is life. It’s crucial that we do our best to use it wisely and not waste it so that we each can have some and our generations to come as well,” Harris-Griffith added.

Meanwhile, she said BWA continues its efforts to resolve water outages and discoloured water supply problems affecting some customers.

“Those works continue and the Authority will speak to those in short order,” she said. (DP)