ROSEAU Dominica, September 13th, 2011 -- Residents turned in large numbers on Wednesday afternoon for the official commissioning of the Delices water supply. The 2.8 million dollar project was developed to rectify a water shortage problem which affected residents of Delices for several years.
Hon Parliamentary Representative for the La Plaine Constituency, Petter Saint Jean, says the commissioning on Wednesday is another example of the ability of the current administration to keep its promises to nationals.
“This ceremony here this afternoon marks, for the people of Carib, La Roche, Victoria, Delices and Boetica, the dawning of a new day, a new dispensation in this new community. Because, for many years, the people of Delices and Boetica have groaned in pains over the lack of potable water.
I recall clearly when the village council took issue with me as Parliamentary Representative and of course, I had to say to them just give me some time as I am relatively new and I will prove to you that the Government of which I am part of will live up to our promises.
We promised that we would deliver to Delices a new water supply and I am elated and delighted to stand here and to declare that we lived up to our promise. We have delivered.”
Hon. Reginald Austrie is Minister responsible for Water Resource Management. At Wednesday's ceremony he spoke of the benefits of the new system to residents.
“For you here in Delices, an improved water system means improving your bay oil industry, your distillation. It means improving your activities in terms of cassava and tolomah development and agriculture of which you have been blessed with so many resources. You can well imagine what this water can mean to the economic advancement and development of Delices.”
Access to water has been a challenge faced by residents for several years. Many in the past depended heavily on rainfall. The first water system in Delices was built in 1981 by the Central Water Authority with grant funds from the United States Aid Agency.
With increasing water shortage problems however the Government of Dominica and DOWASCO embarked on a project which would change the lives of the residents.
“There were a lot of problems with the old water system, one of them being insufficient storage capacity and the condition of the distribution lines not adequate in size. Part of the project involved the complete replacement of that distribution system and upgraded as well as extension to areas which were not served previously.”
The project included the construction of a new intake, a new pump house and a 30, 000 gallon storage tank. With the system now officially commissioned there are just a few things that Minister Austrie is asking of residents.
“Enjoy your water, drink plenty water, just do not waste the water.”
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