St Lucy, St Peter residents to get $32 monthly water bill payment for brown water woes

Residents of St Lucy and some parts of neighbouring St Peter who have been plagued by the brown water coming from their taps for an extended period are to get a financial ease from government.

Those residents, who have long complained that the water is not fit for consumption and other household uses, are to be provided with a $32 payment to their water bill, compliments of the Mia Mottley administration, says Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs Ryan Straughn. The payment is to be made for a year.

Acknowledging that the residents have been experiencing the brown water “for years” Minister Straughn said the once periodic episodes were now more frequent. He said the discoloured water is a result of “rusty” pipes and aged water mains in the distribution system and silt in the Alleynedale well.

He said that Prime Minister Mottley has directed the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) to move quickly to resolve the long-standing situation. This is expected to be remedied over the next 12 months, he noted, adding that the BWA had embarked on a mains replacement programme that is currently looking to lay over 20 kilometres of pipe in Checker Hall, Maycock’s, Broomfield, Josey Hill, Hope Bridge Road, Cave Hill and Centipede Alley.

Straughn said, during his first Budget delivery, that the mains replacement coupled with installation of a new filtration system at Alleynedale in the coming weeks and cleaning of tunnels and other equipment will ensure that clear water returns to the affected residents “in the shortest possible period”.

“This government has been sensitive to the hardship and inconvenience experienced by the residents….Due to the length of time it took for this problem to be resolved, and the inconvenience caused to consumers in the area, I now propose that with effect from April 1, 2025 the Ministry of Finance will make an ex gratia payment of $32 monthly per affected household to the Barbados Water Authority on behalf of these residential consumers affected by the persistent supply of brown water in St Lucy and St Peter,” Straughn announced.

He explained that the amount is equivalent to the minimum monthly charge and will be paid for up to one year “or until the time it takes to resolved this long-standing matter”.

The affected households are to be validated by the BWA and the billing adjusted accordingly.

According to Straughn, the “fair” measure will cost the treasury about $2 million. (SP)