Nawasa’s valve regulations to intensify due to harsh dry season

by Curlan Campbell

• Grenada’s water supply is sourced 90% from rainfall
• Major distribution networks face significant decline in water supply, prompting Nawasa to impose valve regulations
• G-CREWS project to modernise Nawasa’s infrastructure expected to be completed by 2026

As El Niño drives drought-like conditions in highly vulnerable areas throughout Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, the National Water and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa) focuses on the equitable distribution of water in the face of severe shortfalls in areas that experienced significantly below average rainfall.

Manager of Transmission and Distribution Ernest Bruno updated on the critical nature of the dry season and compromised water systems faced by Nawasa, at a press conference held on Monday, 29 April 2024. He said that major distribution networks have been facing a significant decline in water supply, prompting Nawasa to impose valve regulations in selected areas from February, and expanding to other areas as the water supply shortfall remains critical.

Bruno reported a significant decline in the water supply from 2 major water treatment plants in Grenada. The Clozier plant has experienced an 80% decline in its normal water supply, reducing from 40,000 gallons to 7,000 gallons. Similarly, Les Avocat, which services Windsor Forest, Perdmontemps, Marian, parts of St Paul’s, Richmond Hill, Morne Jaloux, La Borie, and Hope Vale, has seen a reduction in its water distribution from 280,000 gallons to 135,000 gallons per day. Other treatment plants such as Annandale and Mamma Cannes are experiencing similar shortfalls.

“Presently we have valve regulations that have gone to Mardigras. We have valve regulation in Bon Accord. We are preparing for valve regulation now in the Petite Etang area. We had valve regulations in the south but now we have to go to the Morne Rouge and those areas; we already doing that and our valve regulation will continue because as I said, it’s the only way we can distribute our water equitably,” Bruno said.

Nawasa has also taken a zero tolerance to water leakage, especially in areas that are experiencing shortfalls in water supply. Bruno stated that water would be delivered by trucks to areas at higher elevations affected by valve regulations, and Nawasa urges the public to conserve water by limiting activities that require a high volume of water. “We need a buy-in from the public… It’s no longer wasting water in how we [wash] our cars and our yard; maybe power washing should stop. Maybe this is a time when the use of our hoses without a nozzle is supposed to stop. Right in those areas you know, it’s not business as usual,” he said.

Nawasa’s Acting General Manager Terrence Smith stated that water problems are not only limited to Grenada but also affect Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The desalination plant on the sister islands is back to full operation, however, while they still face some challenges, they have a slight advantage over mainland Grenada.

Nawasa’s Planning and Development Manager Whyme Cox spoke of the extensive work done over the years by Nawasa as part of its Capital Expenditure (Capex) Programme, to address outdated infrastructure such as pipelines in a bid to address leakage in the system. “To now offset your Capex over the years, we’d have changed out in excess already — in just the 7 years or so that I’ve been around — more than 10 kilometres of lines and what has that done? Reduced the amount of leakages we have on the system because we appreciate that every drop counts and we have to do everything that we can to save water. So we can be talking about conservation and our lines are leaking across the the island. I’ve always said that the challenges that we face in the water sector require an intervention that is probably bigger than Grenada’s budget,” he said.

Cox mentioned the G-CREWS project, co-financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which focuses on the Climate Resilience of the Water Sector in Grenada. This project is a significant effort by Nawasa to modernise its infrastructure and is expected to be completed by 2026. Another project mentioned was the South St George Water Supply Post Expansion project which is underway in the fourth quarter of the year.

“The project in itself is probably the most transformational project because what it’s going to do is during the dry season allow us to take some water from the Great River and transfer it over to our Les Avocat plant, which is one of our critical plants. In terms of the storage, the G-CREWS project and the UKCIP project collectively is going to add in excess of over 4 million gallons of storage across the islands,” Cox said.

Grenada’s water supply is sourced from 10% groundwater wells and 90% surface water from rainfall.