Postby evo-STI-k » February 22nd, 2010, 9:53 am
FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
WATER PRESSURE
Fewer hours of water
Kim Boodram
Monday, February 22nd 2010
Drier days are coming.
Water rationing is continuing throughout the country, with Central and South Trinidad being advised to brace for the sound of air rushing through their pipes over the next two days as the Desalination Company of Trinidad and Tobago shuts down to facilitate maintenance work.
Desalcott has slashed its production of water by millions of gallons to complete urgent repairs at its plant.
The result of this is more than 15 areas in Central and South Trinidad will be without water today and at least tomorrow.
Additionally, a new water distribution schedule has further reduced the length of time consumers will get water in their taps.
The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) announced the new schedule, with immediate effect, in a newspaper pullout yesterday.
Entitled ’Water Distribution Schedule 2010 (Trinidad)’, the document lists the various districts, the WASA water source and the times during which those areas can expect water in their taps.
The 16-page pullout stated: ’In our efforts to sustain potable water supplies during this year’s dry season, WASA has introduced with immediate effect the following water distribution schedules for areas throughout Trinidad served by our major surface water facilities, namely the Caroni, Navet and Hollis systems.’
In North Trinidad, areas in Arima and Arouca include parts of Malabar, Maloney, Santa Rosa Heights, Arima Old Road and Orange Grove Road.
The broader areas are serviced by several dams, such as the North Oropouche, Guanapo WTP, Aripo, Arouca Highlift and Hollis.
Most areas will get service from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., while Lynton Gardens will be served between 4 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Sundays and Fridays and Maloney, Cumuto, Wallerfield Block 2/3 and Bon Air West will get water 24 hours a day for four to three days a week.
Also in North Trinidad - Champs Fleurs, St Joseph, Maracas St Joseph, Curepe, El Socorro, Five Rivers, Laventille, Matura, Morvant, Mt Hope, Port of Spain, Belmont, St James, St Augustine and St Barb’s.
Areas like Lange Park in Chaguanas will move from a supply every day to a few days per week while taps will stop flowing after 8 p.m. in Barataria.
The area currently receives water day and night.
Most areas in the capital city Port of Spain, including several business hubs, are to be provided with a supply between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. at least four days of the week.
Others, including Cascade Road and Mon Repos Upper, are on stricter schedules, with a supply coming through two days a week, at night.
In a further statement yesterday, general manager of Corporate Communications at WASA, Ellen Lewis, said the schedule released yesterday will be affected by the news coming out of Desalcott.
The company, which owns and operates the desalination plant at Pt Lisas, is contracted to provide WASA with 40 million gallons a day of desalinated water by April 2010.
It has now announced an immediate cut-back in its water production, from 27 mgd to 21 mgd.
A further reduction to 15 mgd is planned for today, ’to facilitate urgent maintenance work’.
’This reduced production will negatively impact the just published water distribution schedules to areas in Central and South Trinidad,’ Lewis said.
’Desalcott has indicated that the necessary maintenance work will be completed by (tomorrow) and therefore WASA customers should expect normalisation in service in accordance with the new schedules over a 48-hour period.’
The areas that will be affected until tomorrow include Caroni, Cunupia, Carapichaima, Couva, Claxton Bay, San Fernando, La Romaine, Debe, Avocat, Rousillac, La Brea, Siparia, Quarry, Palo Seco, Rancho Quemado, Bennet Village and Parrylands.
There is not much better news on the horizon, as the Meteorological Office at Piarco said yesterday that there were no apparent changes in the predicted dry season.
March is typically the driest month for the year under normal circumstances, with the Met Office’s 30-year mean set at 34.3 millimetres of rainfall.
February, which averaged 43 mm of rain, is currently below the mean figure.
With no change in conditions expected, March may be drier than average.
WASA has also advised that customers in need of a truck-borne water supply may contact its Customer Service Bureau at 800-4420/4426.
