The reduction in output at a number of water systems was the focus of a visit to water facilities on the island’s eastern coast by General Manager Christopher Husbands and Production and Quality Manager Allan Neptune on Thursday 3 October 2013.
On Tuesday 1 October 2013, the Authority instituted valve regulation at the Les Avocat Water System. Consumers are without any water during the period of 9 pm to 4 am daily until further notice.
The Les Avocat Water System, one of the oldest on the island, serves the communities of Minorca, Windsor Forest, Apsley, Perdmontemps, Marian, St. Paul’s, Richmond Hill and Morne Jaloux. It usually produces 450,000 gallons per day, but now has only 255,000 thousand gallons to supply to consumers. The dam which stands at 16 feet and usually has a rush of water spilling over it walls, at this time of the year in the rainy season, now has less than 8 feet accumulated.
General Manager Christopher Husbands says “considering the very dry rainy season we’ve had thus far, the 2013 dry season is looking like the dry period in 2009, which led to one of the severest dry seasons in 2010. If the trend continues, other facilities can be added to the list in the upcoming weeks.”
NAWASA implores of the general public to practice good water management during this period, as continuous monitoring of plants will be done to ensure consumers have an adequate water supply.
The Authority believes that public cooperation along with this much needed short term regulation can avert possible shortages in the near future.