Water restrictions will be imposed from March 1 until the end of June and during that time the Water and Sewage Authority (WASA) will impose new fines on violators.
The current fine under the Water and Sewage Act is $75, but WASA CEO Sherland Sheppard said the organisation is seeking to update that legislation to impose higher fines.
Sheppard was part of the panel that unveiled WASA’s dry season water management plan yesterday at WASA’s St Joseph compound.
“The fines that we have a very minimal and outdated which is being reviewed presently by our legal department and will be implemented in some time as it goes through the legislative system,” he said.
Sheppard also warned citizens against purchasing water from unauthorised trucks as he said WASA could not guarantee the quality of that water. He said some illegal water trucks take water from WASA reservoirs and reduce the amount available to customers with a pipe-borne water supply.
He added that WASA is going to increase the availability of truck-borne water supply in areas that need it.
Sheppard advised the owners of car wash businesses to come in to the WASA offices and register as they could be cut off if they operate without approval.
“There is the application system for car wash or any company that uses large amounts of water,” he said.
WASA’s move comes as it says the Met Office predicted a harsher than normal dry season. Surface water sources are already affected.
According to data provided by WASA, impacted surface water sources led to an 18 per cent deficit in Trinidad and a 34 per cent deficit in Tobago. As of February 11, the Caroni reservoir was at 95 per cent capacity, while the Navet was at 93 per cent. The Hollis dam was at 70 per cent capacity and Hillsborough at 83 per cent.
The most impacted treatment plants are at Caroni, North Oropouche, Hollis, Navet and Hillsborough.
Director of Customer Care Natasha Andrews warned that hoses, pipes and similar equipment used to water gardens, wash vehicles, sprinklers, pressure washers are off-limits. Water features such as fountains, waterfalls and any others that use water are also restricted.