KEVON FELMINE
Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Despite the Desalination Company (Desalcott) achieving an 85 per cent production capacity at 4 pm yesterday, thousands of residents in south and central Trinidad were worried that continued water shortages might still disrupt their daily lives.
In a media release yesterday, the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) said Desalcott achieved a 34 million gallons per day capacity at its Point Lisas Desalination Plant (PLDP).
It follows an electrical issue that developed Saturday, which cut off WASA’s customers in central and south west Trinidad.
WASA said it would supplement the shortfall by utilising water from the Caroni and Navet water treatment plants and Point Fortin Desalination Plant while ramping up its truck-borne water service. Some residents complained about the lengthy time on the phone, waiting to make a request.
“The authority ensured that the needs of schools have been met for the start of the new school term and can report that it has successfully collaborated with the Ministry of Education to ensure that schools which requested a supply have received either a pipe borne or truck borne supply” the release said.
There was a scattered supply throughout communities but with varying fortunes. At Nash Street, Claxton Bay, residents showed dry taps while water flowed freely in Soledad Road West, a few hundred metres away.
It was the second major plant failure in the last two weeks, as thousands were left without a supply when WASA’s Caroni Water Treatment Plant (CWTP) sustained a problem at the Raw Water Electrical Control Station on August 25.
It affected customers from Laventille to Champ Fleurs and Piarco to Fyzabad.
Kawal Chan usually has a daily supply in Soledad Road West, but the pressure dropped on Sunday.
Water could not reach his shower, so he had to fill buckets for his wife and daughter to bathe.
It became so dirty that Chan purchased bottled water to cook. However, as he returned home yesterday, the water flowed nicely but was not clean enough to replenish his tank.
“I fill some bottles. I am using that water to drink and cook. I buy water. The water I filled in those containers is to bathe and wash wares,” Chan said.
Keyo Best said his Gasparillo community usually gets water from Saturday to Tuesday, but the supply stopped after three hours last weekend. With limited water to cook, wash, bathe and flush toilets, Best says residents have problems.
“I have two little tanks there. It does have some there, but some neighbours do not have that, so they are having problems. Sometimes, with the amount of people they have in their households, the two little tanks they have, it cannot last,” Best said.
Weston Sargeant said the water cut off between Sunday and Monday. Sargeant was satisfied with WASA’s service as his Marabella community had a daily supply.
Others were not on their scheduled supply days.
Businesses alter operations
Several businesses had to alter operations, with restaurants only allowing take-away services as they had to close their washrooms to conserve water. The situation worsened in San Fernando by mid-afternoon, leaving one mall on the verge of shutting down as its tank emptied.
Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce president, Kiran Singh, said businesses continued to complain about an inadequate supply, especially those establishments with food courts and stores that provide washrooms for customers.
“Numerous requests to WASA have gone unresponded. The reasons we get is that WASA has to see about the schools first, which we understand and the hospitals, so the business community, of course, falls at the bottom of the supply chain and requests,” Singh said.
He said when the CWTP shutdown, it left downtown San Fernando without water for a few days. Desalcott’s electrical failure exacerbated the problem.
“We did not close any businesses, but there was additional stress on staff to work as customers were not allowed to use washroom facilities because we could not facilitate the washrooms hygienically.”
President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry of Commerce Baldath Maharaj said water pressure was low in the borough, and businesses with elevated tanks could not replenish their stock.
Maharaj said there is a negative impact on business, especially restaurants and bars. Some purchased water, and while none had to close, they had to reduce operations.