St Lucia Contemplates Additional Water Restrictions as Drought Worsens

Jamaica's decision to introduce water restrictions sees the country joining at least one other Caribbean island, which instituted restrictions due to water shortages caused by drought affecting the country.

Director of the Water Resources Management Authority in St Lucia, Terrence Gilliard, told The Gleaner that a water-related emergency has been declared in that country since May.

Gilliard disclosed that the situation has gotten worse and that the water resources available have continued to experience a precipitous decline.

"The storage levels have diminished, at this time. There is a particular dam which supplies the north of the island, the levels are below what we observed at this same time last year," he said in an interview with The Gleaner.

According to Gilliard, "We are giving consideration to increasing the water restrictions and based on how the situation evolves, we will be advising the minister."

The water restrictions impo-sed, prohibit the use of potable water for non-potable uses and also a strict schedule of water rationing by the private water company, Water and Sewerage Authority.

Gilliard went on to say, "Some businesses have been affected and also the annual water fete had to be called off because of the water-related emergency, most notably at the household level. People have suffered interruptions in their water supply sometimes for weeks. So the daily lives of people have been impacted. We also have concerns about the health impact; I can't point to something that I could say has gone wrong but it is a concern that is there."