Three (3) electromagnetic discharge measurements with accessories, were handed over to the National Water and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa) on Tuesday, 17 January 2023.
The devices, which include 3 flow measurement instruments, along with 3 tablets, were procured under the Climate-Resilient Water Sector in Grenada (G-CREWS) Project and will support Nawasa’s river flow data collection. The total value of the devices is EC$64,629.58).
The items were procured under the G-CREWS Project sub activity: Piloting improvement of data availability and data management for discharge measurements at rivers and streams.
Making the presentation on behalf of G-CREWS, Head of Project Marion Geiss said the devices are a major boost not only for Nawasa but also for the future Water Resource Management Unit (WRMU) under the G-CREWS Project, which will require data from Nawasa to aid in its operation.
She said “good quality data is essential to manage Grenada’s national water resources in a way that all citizens of Grenada have access to drinking water. Within G-CREWS, we particularly focus on mitigating the negative effects of climate change on our water resources and on the future water shortages that most likely come with it. By measuring and knowing what water we have available, we can make smart choices on how to provide water.”
Receiving on behalf of Nawasa, General Manager Christopher Husbands expressed the organisation’s appreciation for the devices, while highlighting the importance of effectively managing the island’s water sources. “Clearly, the water resource management unit and the whole development of water resources in Grenada is an area of focus for us because if we don’t manage the resources well, we won’t have water to produce or distribute, so, the entire system has to be integrated and clearly this is one of the areas that is a focus of the GCREWS and we are pushing ahead to ensure that we can implement all aspects of the project as quickly as possible,” he said.
Training will be held with Treatment Plant Operators on the effective use of the devices, downloading the data from the logger and updating their internal processes.
Also benefitting from the electromagnetic discharge measurements will be the future Water Resources Management Unit (WRMU). The unit will be established under the G-CREWS project to support the integration of climate-resilience into Grenada’s water sector governance.
The WRMU will rely on hydrological and climate change data from relevant ministries and agencies. By strengthening the Treatment Plant Operators of Nawasa in data collection and management, the WRMU will get a sound base for decision making, in regards to Grenada’s water resources.
The G-CREWS project is jointly financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) under its International Climate Initiative (IKI), and the Government of Grenada.
Over 6 years, the Government of Grenada, the Grenada Development Bank and the National Water and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa), in partnership with the German Development Corporation (GIZ), will implement the project’s 5 components.
G-CREWS
It’s not rocket science. NAWASA lacks storage capacity to store and distribute water. Sufficient rain falls in Grenada.
While technology may provide and interface for water meter readers, it does not address the lack of NAWASA to collect rain water.