BWA: Discoloured St Lucy water safe to drink

Despite ongoing discolouration in parts of St Lucy, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has assured residents that the water flowing from their taps is safe to drink and meets World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

BWA Manager of Water Resources Alex Ifill said the only standard being breached relates to the water’s colour, which he said does not pose a health risk.

“The only thing that this breaches is the colour limit,” Ifill said during a site update at the Alleynedale Pumping Station on Tuesday. “Is it safe? It’s safe to drink… Colour is not a health-related standard in water, but it is a standard to make people comfortable.”

Ifill said the situation had improved significantly, with the BWA using a two-pronged approach to address the discolouration.

Along with replacing water mains, the authority has shifted production for some areas to Villa Maria in St Joseph, resulting in clearer water reaching several affected communities, including parts of Six Mens and Checker Hall.

The efforts to address the water problems in St Lucy have required significant investment, with BWA Director of Engineering Charles Leslie revealing that approximately $43 million was spent replacing 43 kilometres of mains.

“We spent about $43 million in terms of the money spent on the mains replacement,” Leslie said.

The replacement programme worked out at approximately $1 million per kilometre of pipe.

Leslie said a further approximately $5 million was being spent on the new water treatment facility at Alleynedale.

“Just about $5 million in terms of all the different components, getting it set up, and into the system,” he said.

The new filtration system is yet to be fully installed, with the equipment being shipped to Barbados in five containers.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley said logistical challenges, including shipping delays and the need to relocate the proposed position of the equipment at the Alleynedale site, had affected the project’s timeline.

Officials are now looking at commissioning the facility between late December and the end of February.

Leslie said international supply chain delays, including shipping challenges associated with the Panama Canal and the Middle East, had not increased the contracted cost of the treatment equipment.

Meanwhile, Mottley confirmed that Government would continue covering the basic water rates for affected St Lucy residents until the filtration project is completed.

She disclosed that the relief is costing the Ministry of Finance approximately $150 000 per month.

“Logistical issues of shipping… combined with having to move from this location to that location with respect to where you would locate the container… have caused us to say that we will continue to carry the subsidy until this project here is finished,” Mottley said.

The relief had initially been scheduled to end in September.

There are approximately 4,700 registered water connections in St Lucy, with officials reporting that a significant number of households are already receiving clear water as work continues towards commissioning the new filtration system. 

(RR)