As the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) pushes ahead with its nationwide infrastructure review, officials toured key Central Region facilities on Saturday, meeting with MPs who pressed the agency to move from promises to performance.
The inspection included stops at the Carlsen Field Water Treatment Plant and the Navet Waterworks in Tabaquite, both of which serve large areas that have long struggled with an unreliable water supply.
Dr David Lee, Member of Parliament for Caroni Central and Minister of Housing, joined the WASA team at Carlsen Field and made it clear that his constituents are tired of waiting. He warned WASA officials that improvements must be delivered, not just discussed.
“They expect better, and so do I,” Lee told the team, which was led by WASA chairman Roshan Babwah and Acting CEO Jeevan Joseph.
In response, Babwah promised “resolute” action to bring fair and reliable service to so-called water-stressed communities. Joseph outlined a number of projects aimed at shoring up supply in the Carlsen Field zone, including:
• The development of two new production wells is expected to deliver a combined 500,000 gallons per day
• Construction of a new water treatment plant and pipelines at Ravine Sable, with a projected output of two million gallons per day
The team later toured the Navet Waterworks in Tabaquite, where work is underway to overhaul all eight filters at the surface water treatment facility. WASA said the upgrades will ensure the plant not only maintains its 19.7 million gallons per day capacity, but also consistently meets World Health Organization standards for water quality.
Among those present at Navet were Tabaquite MP and Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Sean Sobers, Princes Town MP and Deputy House Speaker Dr Aiyna Ali, chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation, Gowrie Roopnarine, and Tabaquite/Talparo Vice Chairman Henry Awong.
WASA said the facility tours are part of a broader strategy to modernise its systems and improve customer service.
