No adjustment planned to garbage and sewage levy, says BWA

The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has ruled out any immediate adjustment to the Garbage and Sewage Contribution (GSC) levy, which helps fund the operational expenses of the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA).

Acting CEO Christopher Mapp told a press conference on Saturday that the levy remains essential to sustaining sanitation operations across the island.

“Even though it is still called the sewage levy, we’re in the process of changing the name and the use of that to a sustainability levy. So it will still remain the GSC, but it will really be a garbage and sustainability levy,” Mapp said. “So [there’s] no thought right now in terms of an adjustment to the rate.”

He explained that the levy, currently set at $45 per domestic and commercial bill, remains essential to cover the costs of the Bridgetown and south coast sewage treatment plants, as well as the broader sustainability of sanitation operations.

Mapp revealed that the BWA collects up to $5 million monthly from water bills on behalf of the SSA.

“We generally collect just about $700 000 per week from the sewage portion of that. The garbage portion is collected. We act only as a collecting agent for sanitation and we pay that over to sanitation on any month. We pay just around about $4.8 to $5 million to sanitation,” he said.

The levy was introduced in 2018 as part of a government initiative to fund sanitation operations and reduce reliance on the Treasury. Households were charged $1.50 per day, while commercial users paid a percentage of their water bill. At the time, it was projected to generate around $60 million annually for sanitation.

“The initial thinking when the GSC was conceptualised … was that it should give sanitation about $60 million per year to fund their operations and allow sanitation to come off of government’s books,” Mapp said. “It worked very much in a 2018 model. But obviously expenses, inflation … seven years on, their expenses have gone up and we are still giving them the same amount of money. So it is certainly harder both on their side and also on our side.”

Mapp insisted that the GSC levy continues to serve an essential purpose. “It covers not only the sewage costs related to the BWA but also overall sustainability in terms of the operating expenses.”

He added that while Barbados has some of the cheapest water in the Caribbean, many customers continue to face challenges paying their bills.

“We see that on a monthly basis,” Mapp said, reinforcing that the levy remains critical to keeping sanitation services operational.

Meanwhile, senior engineer Brian Stewart provided an update on the South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant, noting that all contract documents are being finalised and the final designs are being completed. Construction is now expected to begin in April 2026.

When asked about potential sewage treatment plants on the west coast, Stewart said there have been no significant discussions yet.

“When we look at the water and sanitation master plan, there is a provision within that plan for establishing wastewater plants along the west coast corridor of the island, looking at plants in the area of Holetown as well as Speightstown. But that’s part of the overall sanitation plan, which we have to dissect and review and decide how we’re going to move forward with that,” he said.

The south coast project forms part of the BWA’s ongoing efforts to upgrade sewage treatment infrastructure in response to increased development and population growth, ensuring sustainability and compliance with environmental standards. (SZB)