BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ALL critical institutions in St. Kitts, including schools, are being advised and urged to fit their compounds with onsite water storage units as a means of mitigating against any shortage likely to affect the island in the future.
Since earlier this year, St. Kitts has been experiencing a prolonged drought and, more recently, the depletion of its water sources due to wastage and the lack of rainfall.
Speaking with SKNVibes, Acting Manager of the Water Department, Denison Paul expressed concern about the critical institutions which include hospitals and schools.
He indicated that to avoid having to prematurely dismiss children from school because of water shortage, onsite water storage facilities must be put in place.
“I want to remind even our private and public institutions that they now have to make plans because it gets worse in the dry season and we have to prepare now. The schools, the hospitals, the businesses around town, they have to have onsite storage of water because it is possible that during working hours, during the day time, we might be out of water. And so we now have to have storage onsite so that the businesses and institutions can have a water supply even if there is a shortage.”
Paul made specific mention of the Dr. William Connor Primary School which is often affected by loss of water.
“I can recall that the Dr. William Connor Primary School is most vulnerable because it is so near to the water treatment plant and it is at high elevation. They lose water on a regular basis, and so at the consultation we intended to educate the stakeholders in preparing for the eventuality.
“I am hoping that by the time school opens the Dr. William Connor Primary School will see it fit to have onsite supply of water, onsite storage so that when the supply is interrupted, not because we interrupt the supply but because it isn’t enough. I am saying that we have to prepare now so that we are not caught off-guard.”
The Acting Manager said he is pleased that research he conducted concerning the hospitals showed that those on island are fitted with onsite water storage facilities.
As he had earlier indicated, Paul’s advice of producing water storage facilities is not just for critical institutions but it would also be prudent for households to do the same, especially since the water shortage situation is expected to continue well into the future.
