Water prohibitions not under consideration, says minister

Barbados is not yet considering water restrictions despite below-average rainfall forecasts and months of supply problems, Minister of Home Affairs and Information Gregory Nicholls said on Monday, as authorities monitor declining reservoir levels and ongoing outages.

He said: “It is part of the climate change reality that we are dealing with, where we see reduced rainfall, and therefore water shortages will happen inevitably at the stage of water prohibitions. We are not there yet, but we are looking at the data, we’re looking at the systems at the Barbados Water Authority.”

His comments came amid recurring water outages and supply complaints in several communities. 

Residents in St David’s, Christ Church, earlier complained of being without a reliable water supply for weeks, while communities in St Joseph have continued to press for immediate relief even as the government announced major investments in water infrastructure. In St Lucy, residents have also raised concerns about discoloured water and longstanding supply issues.

Nicholls acknowledged that the outlook for rainfall remains a concern.

“We are very concerned with the low level of rainfall, and we are mindful that the predictions from the Barbados Meteorological Service suggest that we may have below our average rainfall. We get all groundwater from rainfall, that is not a secret. So this is something that is being monitored.”

He explained that Barbados’s water supply is entirely dependent on rainfall replenishing underground aquifers and noted that the type of rainfall received can have a significant impact on water resources.

“At the same time we are also mindful that when the rain does not fall with the frequency or the lack of intensity, as Sabu was trying to explain to me, that the heavier the downpour sometimes it leads to more runoff, where you have all of the water going out into the sea, but where you have sustained rainfall, it allows the water to penetrate and get into the aquifers, it is a problem.”

The minister said the government continues to work to ensure that access to water does not become a prolonged challenge for residents.

In April, Prime Minister Mia Mottley signed a US$160m agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank aimed at modernising Barbados’s ageing water infrastructure, reducing system losses and improving reliability across the network.

The announcement formed part of a wider strategy to address persistent supply challenges, particularly in communities that have experienced repeated outages and water quality concerns.

The government has also announced plans for additional desalination capacity and upgrades to water mains as part of efforts to strengthen the island’s long-term water security.

While officials continue to monitor rainfall levels and groundwater reserves, Nicholls stressed that water prohibitions are not currently being considered.

(LG)