by Linda Straker
- Water system serving south of Grenada will be significantly upgraded under UKCIF grant
- Possibility of Concord waterfall becoming a stream because of size increase in water main
- Residents said they are yet to have a briefing with Nawasa to get clarity on several issues
Several residents, some of whom are also business operators at the Concord Waterfall in St John, are concerned that a project being undertaken by the Government with the National Water and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa), as the implementing agency, will not only destroy their livelihood but also the natural tourism attraction in the parish.
The water system serving the south of Grenada will be significantly upgraded under a US$20.7 million grant from the Government of the United Kingdom, through the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF), administered by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
At the end of the project, the outcome will be an increase in the availability of safe drinking water and improved water resources management in the country’s southern region. However, the residents said they are yet to have a briefing with Nawasa to get clarity on several issues that were raised in a meeting in October/November 2024.
The concerned residents staged a protest at the entry of the waterfall’s main road in Concord to bring their concerns to the general public with placards displaying their concerns and calling for a discussion to address their grievances.
“In November last year Nawasa send their liaison officer (Rudo) and a Mr John to let us know that a project is about to start; they lend their concerns, we lend our concerns regarding the same water which they say they will get back to us but they have not gotten back concerning anything,” said Nordica Hinds, one of the residents and a business owner who will be affected.
She said that one of the 2 main concerns is the possibility of Concord waterfall becoming a stream because of the increase in the size of the water main that will be installed for the project, and loss of livelihood for the business operators who depend on visitors visiting the waterfalls.
“Nawasa is going to be taking more water from that waterfall…So if Nawasa come to take more water from that waterfall, we will have no waterfall. In the dry season, we barely have water running down that rock. We are trying to say to them that they need to consult us properly. The vendors, the farmers, the community on a whole, you need to let us know what is going on,” she said.
Hinds is also concerned that residents have not been informed about an updated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which should identify both the positive and negative impacts of the project in the agricultural community.
“Concerning the EIA, they said one was done in 2022, we only recently learned that because when the consultant and the contractor came to say that they got the contract and it was about to start. Is that EIA still standing as we are in 2025? There is so much happening with climate change, the decline of the water, all of this we have concerns about,” she said.
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Jen Jen you sound like an enemy of progress. Sound like you complaining just to complain, with no valid points. You also sound like you not even from that are, but complain you must.
Concord has excellent water. Why not concentrate on upgrading areas who still have nasty bore hole water. It seems to be a waiste of money
OK, DO NOT interfere with Concord Waterfall. This is a PRIMARY Tourist attraction and does NOT have consistent water flow throughout the year. Also, show some respect to the people who already rely on this source of water. The south of the island does NOT have priority over the rest of the island. You have allowed over development of Grand Anse Beach with unwelcome and un-needed giant hotels. You will destroy the small people who rely on water flow at Concord Waterfall for their income.
STOP supporting your foreigners at the expense of locals. Find another source of water for this purpose.