St Lucy folk demand brown water compensation

Residents of St Lucy have called for a “discolouration discount” from the government and the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) to cover the costs of persistent water discolouration in the parish.

At the St Lucy Ideas Forum – one of the We Gatherin’ activities – on Thursday night, many cited expenses for bottled water, clothing replacement, and damage to household fittings.

Andre Layne, an educator, praised the BWA’s efforts but highlighted the challenges faced by residents without easy access to standpipes.

“BWA officials and even the prime minister have asked us to bear with the BWA. We’ve done that, and we understand that work is ongoing, and some improvements have been made. They must be congratulated for the community standpipes, which I often make use of,” he said.

Layne proposed the introduction of a “discolouration discount” to help cover additional expenses.

“There are persons who have to buy bottled water in significant quantities. There are persons who have to replace clothing in significant quantities because they can’t wash white clothing,” he explained. “People have expensive fittings in their homes, and their toilets do not reflect the price they paid because of the discoloured water.”

Ian Griffith, a businessman and funeral home owner, echoed the call for compensation: “We have to wait so long to have this water problem resolved in the North. A suggestion was made earlier, and I believe that this is something the government should look at immediately. The people of St Lucy should be given some compensation because we’ve waited so long, and we still have to wait longer.”

The financial strain was further emphasised by parent Kendra Edwards who shared her struggles with constantly replacing her child’s school uniforms and socks due to stains from the discoloured water.

The BWA had previously urged patience as it continues its mains replacement programme in St Lucy as part of long-term efforts to improve water quality in the parish. Residents argued that the delay in replacing pipelines has forced them to endure discoloured water for an extended period, necessitating immediate financial relief.

The structure of any potential rebate or discount—whether monthly, quarterly, or annually—remains to be determined, but residents stress that they deserve relief for their ongoing hardship.