caribbean water and sewerage association e-source newsletter issue 1 - 2014

In thIs Issue

January to April 2014 | Vol. 6 No. 1Caribbean Water and Sewage Association Inc.

Secretariat News Pages 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Roseau Dam Poses Unprecedented Challenge Page 6 What A Water Baptisim Page 11

World Water Day 2014 Special Feature Pages 12, 13, 14 & 15 Two New Water Supply Redevelopment Projects Launched in St. Lucia Page 18 Germany Assists CARICOM Water and Wastewater Projects Page 19

As Dominica joined the rest of the international community in observance of World Water Day 2014 under the theme Water and Energy, DOWASCO organized two days of activities to bring at-tention to the importance of our freshwater resources. A two-day exhibition was host-ed in the yard of DOWASCOs Baytown treatment facility, which is located near to some of the busi-

Customers and Staff, Students and Youth, Press and Public all participated in several activities to mark the 20th World Water Day in the Land of 365 Rivers!

Continued on Back Page

Saint Lucia is in the midst of a Water-related Emergency, as the is-land faces drought conditions and the level of siltation at the islands biggest dam reached crisis propor-tions, resulting in an acute shortage of rainfall in the north of the island. The drought conditions, together with diminishing reserves in the John

est parts of the city of Roseau. The exhibition was hosted on the two days preceding World Water Day, 20th and 21st March. The various departments at DOWASCO took time off to dis-play tools and equipment used on a daily basis to ensure the supply of water. DOWASCO technical staff were also on hand to interact with visitors to the exhibition.

One of the highlights of the exhibition was the display of a water supply model system which demonstrated the pro-cess how water is collected from the catchment areas, treated and eventually sup-plied to communities for con-sumption. The engineering de-partment was responsible for the development of the model.

Water Emergency!Compton Dam and a report from the Saint Lucia Meteorological Services that the Northern areas of the country have now officially entered a drought situation, caused the Government to officially declare the Water Related Emergency for an area stretching from Bexon/Marc (on the East Coast) to Ro-seau (on the West Coast) to Cap Estate

(in the islands extreme North). The declaration was made un-der Section 10 of the Water and Sewerage Act. The islands na-tional water company, WASCO, has indicated that water levels in the Dam (in early April) were 30 inches below the spillway.

Continued on Page 7

I wish to extend New Years greetings to all member utili-ties of the CAWASA Inc. and also to our collaborating part-ners both regionally and in-ternationally. I hope that this New Year brings great success to members generally and much progress to the work of CAWASA Inc. in particular. We started this year with the departure of the Execu-tive Director, Victor Poyotte, who has served the organiza-tion well over the past five (5) years. Mr Poyotte took over from deceased Cecil Pember-ton and brought the organiza-tion to a higher level. We take this opportunity to thank Mr Poyotte for his dedication and hard work and wish him suc-cess in his new position. CAWASA experienced a number of successes during the past years. These included a name change which better

Lets remember our obligations to CAWASA and

vigorously pursue the objectives we

set at our last AGM in January 2014.Following is the full text of a special message from

CAWASA President Bernard Etinoffe for this First 2014 Special edition of e-Source:

Continued on Page 7

Bernard Etinoffe

CAWASA Presidents Message

Saint Lucia declares

Students, teachers and members of the general public were amoung patrons at special exhibitions

World Water Day Successfully Observed in Dominica!

January to April 2014 | Vol. 6 No. 1

Topic: Financial Implications of Inventory and Procurement

Strategy: A Corporate Perspective.

The key measure of effective inventory management is the im-pact inventory has on corporate profitability. The objectives of effective in-ventory management are to in-crease corporate profitability, to predict the impact of corporate policies on inventory levels, and

to minimize the total cost of pro-curing and placing inventory while meeting customer service requirements. To meet these objectives the organization needs to enable its people process and technology around inventory management. This seminar provides an aware-ness of the concepts tools and techniques for achieving effective inventory management.

Forum for CAWASA Directors held

January 27, 2014

Facilitator, Dennis Lord, making a point

CAWASA Secretariat News

The current water-related emergency in Saint Lucia again offers an opportunity for the is-land and the rest of the Carib-bean to learn lessons and take steps to avoid and reduce inci-dents and incidences of human and material losses that can be or could have been avoided. In Saint Lucias case a multi-plicity of factors came into play involving weather patterns and high siltation at the islands largest dam. As a result, the government has been forced to take both reactive and pro-active measures, especially in the northern part of the island, resulting in disruptions in nor-mal service and implementa-tion of safety and conservation mechanisms. As a result of the declara-tion of the emergency, theres much discussion and debate in Saint Lucia about whos to blame for the islands water problems, the role of farmers in protecting water catchment areas, land use policies as they affect water and rivers, use and understanding of flood plains, the role of water engineers and old lessons still relevant in new times. However, some of the con-servation mechanisms and ac-tions being implemented and advocated do not need to only be implemented during cases of emergency. Everyone should be taught the need to save and conserve water every. Water conservation and harvesting,

waste water storage and dis-posal and healthy water prac-tices are useful and necessary every day and should not only be advertised in time of crisis and/or emergency. Climate change and chang-ing weather patterns have re-sulted in smaller Eastern Ca-ribbean and Windward Islands suffering heavier and more frequently. Water works in Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Dominica were particularly hard hit by Hurricane Tomas in 2011 and the 2013 Christ-mas Eve trough. Now more than ever, the tourism sector is showing interest in discussing the feasibility of installation of desalination plants. The sheer costs of making and distribut-ing water is driving water com-panies under water while more consumers opt for bottled wa-ter, forcing many (companies) to revisit earlier ethically-based reluctance to consider bottling water. And now, dams and riv-ers are being de-silted more than ever. A stitch in time saves nine may be a saying as old as the hills, but its wisdom has never waned. The early bird catches the worm is another saying of timeless relevance. Both apply as well today as yesterday and yesteryear. Heres hoping these words and meanings continue to echo and reverberate in the minds and memories of all who care in the weeks, months and years ahead.

Editorial

Water and Words of Wisdom!

CONTACT DETAILSCAWASA Programme Officer: [email protected]

St. Lucia's MPs and Senators have toured the Roseau Dam to better understands its problems.

or [email protected];Tel: 758 458 0601; Fax: 785 458 0191; Website: www.cawasa.org

e-Source Page 3January to April 2014 | Vol. 6 No. 1

CAWASA Secretariat News The Programme Officer attended a Regional Training of Trainers Workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as a Tool for Adaptation to Climate Change held in Guyana from 18-21 November 2013. Cap-Net and the Caribbean Water-Net partnered with GWP-C to co-fund the workshop.

CAWASA attended regional training workshop in Guyana

Following CAWASA discussions held with CaribDA, the MOU between the two associa-tions was updated to make provision for ac-tive participation in the annual conferences hosted by each partner. The Secretariat agreed to conduct a biennial workshop during the CaribDA Conference while CaribDa will make a presentation at the CAWASA annual Water Operators Conference. The two associations agreed that starting 2014, CAWASA will hold the first workshop during the CaribDA confer-ence planned for the latter part of June 2014 in St. Thomas. The Secretariat conducted a survey of member utilities and based on feedback re-ceived selected the topic Disinfection Solu-tion as the title for the joint workshop.

CAWASA and CaribDA to conduct biennial water operators conference

In collaboration with the CWWA and GWO-PA, the Secretariat organized a Utility Twin-ning Session during the CWWA 2013 Con-ference and Exhibition held in Barbados. The objective of the programme was to identify the institutional strengthening needs of Caribbean utilities and to confirm the willingness of these utilities to serve as mentors or to participate as mentees.

CAWASA and GWOPA host Utility Twinning Session in Barbados

The Secretariat coordinated the holding of the first CariWOP Steering Committee meet-ing during the CWWA 2013 conference held in Barbados. Organizations agreeing to be rep-resented on the Steering Committee were the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Caribbean Health Institute (CEHI) and the Caribbean Utility Employees Association (CUEA). Utilities represented at the meeting were the Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL) and the Dominica Water and Sewerage Com-pany (DOWASCO).

CARIWOP hosts first Steering Committee Meeting in Barbados

Presentation Title Presenter Country/Utility

Impact of Volcano/Hurricane on Montser-rat's Water Resources

Emile Duberry Montserrat-MUL

The DOWASCO Experience with Tropical Storm Ophelia

Magnus Williams Dominica-DOWASCO

A Case Study of Multiple Location Risk Management

Cyprian Gibson Bahamas-BWSC

Disaster Management Within the APUA Tesfa Francis Antigua (APUA)

The Executive Director coordinated four (4) presentations at a Utility Forum held on Thursday 10th October 2013. They were as follows:

Executive Director coordinated Caribbean Utility Forum at the CWWA Conference

The Executive Director participated in the first stakeholder consultation convened by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) under the Caribbean Weather Infor-mation Generator (CARIWIG) project. The aim of this consultation was for the CCCCC to engage with key regional stakehold-ers to determine their specific requirements for quantitative climate information to support climate impact assessments and decision-mak-ing, with a focus on the water, agriculture and coastal resource sectors. More specifically, the workshop sought to:1. Inform senior level stakeholders of the aims

and objectives of the CARIWIG project;2. Introduce the CARIWIG weather generator

tool;3. Demonstrate the utility of the tool;4. Foster ownership among stakeholders.5. Formulate a sustainability approach for

post-project activities. 6. Establish the northern-southern hemisphere

research collaboration framework The CCCCC stakeholder consultation was held in Kingston, Jamaica from the 6th to 7th February 2013. It was the first in a series of activities that are geared towards enhancing regional and local knowledge on the climate impacts and hazards specific to geographic locations and climate that are relevant to plan-ning time-horizons. The two-year CARIWIG project seeks to address issues of relevance to policy mak-ers and senior technical managers of re-gional and national institutions through the provision of a web-based service that provides unbiased locally relevant weather scenarios for the present day, the short term (e.g. 2030s) and the longer term (e.g. 2080s). CCCCC expects to achieve the project goals through adaptation of leading stochastic weather-generator technology from the EARWIG and the UKCIP09 climate knowl-edge systems.

CAWASA attended Caribbean Community Climate Change

Centre consultation The 2nd Global Water Operators Partner-ship Congress and General Assembly of the Global Water Operators Partnership Alliance (GWOPA) were held in Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site in Barcelona, Spain from 27th to 29th No-vember 2013. The Caribbean Water Operators Partnership (CariWOP) Water Operators Partnership was represented by Mr. Alphonsus Daniel, Vice President of the Caribbean Water and Waste-water Association (CWWA) and Victor Poy-otte, Executive Director of the Caribbean Water and Sewerage Association (CAWASA). The session addressed the achievements and challenges faced by the Water Operators Part-nerships (WOPs) practice in Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC). In a joint CariWOP presentation, Mr. Dave Pascascio, Operations Manager of Belize Wa-terServices (BWS) and Mr. Jerry Brown, Gen-eral Manager, Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) of the USA gave details of a successful WOP between the two operators. The CAWASA Executive Director represent-ed CariWOP on an international panel that ad-dressed the current and future challenges of the WOP practice in the Latin America and Carib-bean (WOP-LAC) region and the way forward.

CAWASA attended GWOPA Partnership Congress and

GeneralMeeting in Barcelona

In October 2013, the CariWOP Steering Com-mittee held its first Steering Committee meet-ing at the Hilton Hotel in Barbados during the CWWA Annual Conference and Exhibition. Prior to the meeting the Committee was broadened to include representation from the Caribbean Desalination association (CaribDA), the Pan American Health Association (PAHO), the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) and the Caribbean Utility Employees Association (CUEA). Utilities currently repre-sented on the regional Committee are the Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL), the Dominica Water and Sewerage Company (DOWASCO) and the Bahamas Water Services Cooperation (BWSC). The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) was invited to participate but declined to do so but nevertheless offered to provide support whenever possible.

First CariWOP Steering Committee Meeting held in

Barbados

The Executive Director represented CAWA-SA at GWOPA Steering Committee Meeting in France in January 2013. A summary of matters discussed and decisions taken follows. Key partners from the ADB, AFD, AFDB, IDB, CSOs, USAID, OFID, IWA, Private Op-erators and Unions gave their perspectives and updates on progress made to date. This was followed by brief comments from members of the committee on the nature of financial and operational support provided by these organi-zations or financial institutions. The GWOPA Secretariat made a presenta-tion on its proposed strategy for the next five (5) years covering the period 2013 to 2017.

CAWASA attended GWOPA Steering Committee Meeting

in France

During this fiscal year, the Secretariat iden-tified a number of Water Operators who ex-pressed an interest in becoming members of the association. To date, a total of twenty (20) Water Operators, Engineers, Technicians and Laboratory Analysts from Trinidad have ap-plied for individual membership.

New Individual Members

e-SourcePage 4 January to April 2014 | Vol. 6 No. 1

CAWASA Secretariat News

Operators and analysts wrote the certification examinations in Water and Wastewater in July and November 2013 respectively. A record of 36 passes were obtained. Congratulations to the following operators who attained Levels III certification as follows:

Operators/Analysts sat Certification Examinations

Name Country Course Level /ClassJason R Browne Antigua &

BarbudaWater Treatment III

David S Gabriel Grenada Water Laboratory III

Congratulations also to the following operators who attained Levls I and II certification respectively. The Secretariat must single out St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago who achieved 100% pass rate. The table below shows passes in Levels I and II respectively:

Name Country Course Level /ClassQuincy A Jones Antigua &

BarbudaWater Treatment I

Livingstone J Samuel

Antigua & Barbuda

Water Laboratory II

Dawn M Faud Cayman Islands

Wastewater Collection

I

Cassia Alexander Grenada Water Treatment ICarl Bennett Grenada Water Treatment IAkino Cadore Grenada Water Treatment IAlpha M C Donald Grenada Water Treatment IAllen Gilbert Grenada Water Treatment ILearie Gittens Grenada Water Treatment INealon Lessey Grenada Water Treatment IChristopher Reuben Grenada Water Treatment IJoseph Charles St Lucia Water Distribution IIan Dave Alexander St Lucia Waater

DistributionII

Gilroy James St Lucia Water Treatment IISilas Missole St Lucia Water Treatment IIChantal Gaston St Lucia Water Laboratory II

July 2013 Examinations

Name Country Course Level /Class

Oral C Evanson Antigua & Barbuda

Water Distribution I

Mike France Antigua & Barbuda

Water Treatment I

Athil J Thomas Antigua & Barbuda

Water Treatment II

Terry Benjamin Antigua & Barbuda

Water Treatment II

Quincy A Joyce Antigua & Barbuda

Water Treatment II

Karol McQueen Grenada Water Treatment IJunior Morain Grenada Water Treatment ILenroy Charles Grenada Water Treatment IIChernoye St Croix

St Lucia Water Distribution II

Shawn jules St Lucia Water Distribution II

Mervin Justin St Lucia Water Distribution IICaniean St Rose St Lucia Water Distribution II

Name Country Course Level/ClassKurt Cordiner Trinidad &

TobagoWastewater Treatment I

Akeel Phillip Trinidad & Tobago

Wastewater Treatment II

Winston Holder Trinidad & Tobago

Wastewater Treatment II

Onika Edwards Trinidad & Tobago

Water Treatment I

Ian Gill Trinidad & Tobago

Water Treatment I

Vanita Boodhai Trinidad & Tobago

Water Treatment I

November 2013 Examinations

November 2013 Examinations - contimued

The Secretariat implemented the Alternative Certification Examina-tions in the category of Water Distribution in June 2013. The examina-tion had three (3) components as follows:

1. Recognition of prior learning and experience i.e a process of identi-fying and recognizing existing knowledge acquired through school, work, community activities, on-the-job training or other life experi-ences;

2. Verbal Testing i.e a one-hour interview conducted by a three-person tribunal comprising one (1) external examiner appointed by the Secre-tariat and two (2) internal examiners nominated by the member utility; and

3. Practical Examination i.e each candidate was required to carry out a single routine Water Distribution Management operation to the satis-faction of the tribunal

Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) got its first batch of Water Operators certified for the Alternative Certification Programme. Five (5) out of seven (7) operators were successful at the practical and verbal examinations, with the highest score of 92% and lowest score of 72% re-spectively achieved. A pass mark of 70% had to be achieved which was in keeping with the passing mark for the ABC Operator Certification Pro-gramme Examination.1. Practical and Verbal Test on Standard Routine Operations on Water

Distribution2. Pass Mark is 70% to be consistent with ABC Operator Certification

Programme3. Passing the practical awards candidates a bonus of 1 mark or 4% which

is added to the theory exam score

No. Name Country Exam Category Result

1 Fitzroy Browne Antigua & Barbuda

Water Distribution Pass

2 Lechobe Browne Antigua & Barbuda


5 Bernard Joseph Antigua & Barbuda


4 Danroy Martin Antigua & Barbuda


5 Enoch Richards Antigua & Barbuda


Congratulations to:

Course Category/Title Date Location Presenter

Procurement Warehouse/ Stores Inventory Management

14-15 November Dominica Denis Lord, IMS Academy

Financial Implications of Inventory and Procurement Strategy: A Corporate Perspective

27 January 2014 St Lucia Dennis Lord, IMS Academy

Operators Certification corner

David S Gabriel Jason R Browne Alternative Certification Exams held

Training/Certification Activities


CAWASA Secretariat NewsNew Associate Member

Caribbean Industrial Corporation (CARIND-CO) of Miami, USA is the latest member of CAWASA. The secretarial welcomes CARINDCO

20 New Applications for Individual Membership

During this fiscal year, the Secretariat identified a number of Water Operators who expressed an interest in becoming members of the asso-ciation. To date, a total of twenty (20) Water Operators, Engineers, Technicians and Labora-tory Analysts from Trinidad have applied for individual membership.

Presentation of award to Victor Poyotte by President Bernard Ettinoffe

Joseph receiving plaque from President, Bernard Ettinoffe

At CAWASAs Annual General Meeting held in January 2014, the Secretariat presented

Victor Poyotte Moves on

Caribbean Desalination Conference St Thomas June 24-27, 2014

CaribDA 2014 Conference & Exhibition"Drought-Proofing the Caribbean"

June 24-27, 2014

Exhibitor and Sponsor registration is now open! Exhibits are allocated on a first come/first serve basis; full payment must be made by March 31, 2014 or deposit and booth space will be forfeited. All Exhibitors and Sponsors must have company membership (not individual membership with CaribDA or IDA).

Special Thanks to the Current Sponsors:Diamond Sponsor:

Seven Seas Water Corporation

Bronze Sponsor:

American Water Chemicals, Inc. Host Facility:

Water and Power Authority (Virgin Islands WAPA)

Special Thanks to the Current Exhibitors: American Water Chemicals, Inc.

Danfoss High Pressure Systems

Seven Seas Water Corporation

Warehouse, Stores, Inventory and Procurement Management Workshop held in Dominica

A Warehouse, Stores, Inventory and Pro-curement Management Workshop was held at the Garraway Hotel in Roseau, Dominca on November 14 and 15, 2013 under the theme learn Valuable Tehniques to Modernize Your Day-to-Day Operations. In todays continuously changing environ-ment warehouse and stores operations must have the right parts and consumables when and where they are needed. Having too many parts, not enough parts, or having to search for the parts lead to higher costs and can mean longer downtimes not to mention frustration! By participating in this session, attendees developed a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities in effective procurement, warehouse/stores inventory operations. The workshop facilitator shared information about the concepts, tools and techniques to effective-ly plan and control purchasing, warehouse/ stores inventory performance. A properly managed MRO warehouse/storeroom is the difference between having parts and consumables when you need them and spending too much time and money get-

ting them when the need become critical. This unique two-day workshop provided real solutions for procurement, inventory, and main-tenance warehouse/storeroom personnel. With the knowledge and skills gained participants will support improved maintenance efficiency and effectiveness and reliability while reducing spare parts and consumables supplies and costs.

Mr Bernard Ettinoffe addressing the participants Workshop facilitators,

Sheree Baron and Dennis Lord (sitting)

Participants at workshop

In Attendance were: Managers, Accoun-tants, Stores/Inventory Supervisors, Procure-ment Officer, Sales & Marketing personnel and Inventory personnel.

awards to Mr Victor Poyotte, and John Joseph, Executive Director and Director/Treasurer of CAWASA who have moved on.

CaribDA would like to announce the upcoming 2014 Biennial Conference & Exposition, "Drought-Proofing the Caribbean" scheduled for June 24-27, 2014 at the Frenchman's Reef & Morningstar Marriott Beach Resort in St. Thomas, USVI. Click on these links for the exhibitor/sponsor flyer and the online registration form. You can register online (button below), fax to 772-463-0860 or phone the CaribDA office at 772-781-8507. Website: www.caribda.com

e-SourcePage 6 January to March 2014 | Vol. 6 No. 1

Islands like St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) that share mountainous terrain will understand the challenges that can be posed to a water supply system which is gravity fed from mountains and streams. The first challenge is usually to locate a water source that will undoubtedly feed the popu-lation it is intended and take into consideration the location of the source and water availability. In SVG all eleven water sources are located in the upper water sheds on St Vincent, areas consisting of dense forest and limited if any road network. In most cases the CWSA has to construct roads to ac-cess these sources so cost to water supply not only includes the construction of the water catchment but also, pipe works, construction of storage and fil-tration plants, road networks in addition to labour. It all adds up to quite a substantial sum of money. Additionally, like every water supply system re-gardless of its genre, it must be maintained, a cost that is ongoing and very labour intensive. The CWSA faces an average annual capital works budget for the engineering department of just un-der EC$5million as we seek to improve the water supply of the country with the revenue currently collected from consumers. Revenue collection is already an annual challenge but coupled with the effects to the system from natural disasters this chal-lenge increases tenfold.

On 1st September 2013, persistent heavy rains re-sulted in a massive landslide in the Ginger Village community of Belmont where several lengths of the CWSA's transmission main at Belmont were dislo-cated. This resulted in an immediate disruption of the water supply to fourteen communities down-stream of the landslide. This incident occurred dur-ing the night and by day break the assessment to the damage had started which indicated that an average of 180ft of pipelines were dislocated and lodged under mud and debris at the bottom of the embankment. The instability of the area also forced the Engineers to relocate the route of the new pipe-lines in the hopes of avoiding future problems of a similar nature. The estimated cost of the repairs and re-routing cost the CWSA EC$100,000.00. Again on December 24th the country suffered heavy rains like some of its sister islands that result-ed in the worst disaster of its kind that SVG has ever seen. Entire road networks were destroyed includ-ing roads leading to some water catchments and storage facilities. Eight of the eleven water supply systems were severely affected including the two major sources at Jennings on the Windward and Majorca on the leeward sides of the island. The Jen-nings system supplies water to 1/3 of the country while the Majorca system feeds 40% of our consum-ers including the hotel districts and the industrial

site. It is fortunate that some of the supply systems are linked to each other so during the disaster, a simple boundary valve switch resulted in water be-ing fed to the affected communities from two of the remaining water supply systems. This was particu-larly useful for the trucking of water to the one hun-dred and sixteen villages, as around seventy trucks were deployed towards this service. The water was drawn from several hydrants located in various communities in the country. Restorative works for the December flood cost the CWSA EC$1,067,690.00 and includes pipeline lost and replaced, concrete works, scaffolding support, labour, transportation, communication and road re-pairs, the cost of supplying meals daily to workers is not included. Rehabilitation work is estimated at EC$10million. During the onset of both disasters potable water had to be trucked to affected communities. A total of 103,300 gallons of water was distributed to the fourteen villages from September 3 - 8, 2013, while from December 25, 2013 to January 10 2014; a total of 1,085,990 gallons of water was distributed to one hundred and sixteen villages, throughout the state. It is important to note that no revenue was collected for the water that was distributed to the aforementioned villages on both occasions, resulting in loss of reve-nue to the CWSA. (More Secretariat News on Page 9).

New faces at CAWASADr Halla Sahely Manager/Water

Engineer (Ag)Water Services Department

St Kitts

Mr Vincent HipployteManaging Director

Water & Sewerage Co (WASCO)

St Lucia

Perline Scatliffe-Leonard Director

Water Services DepartmentBritish Virgin Islands

CAWASA Executive Committee for 2013-2014The following are the Executive Committee Members of CAWASA for 2013-2014

Bernard EttinoffePresident

Christopher HusbandsVice President

Ivan RodriguesSecretary

Vincent HippolyteTreasurer

2013 a Year to Remember

Recovery and rehabilitation works in St. Vincent following disruptions during 2013.

Focus on St. Vincent and the Grenadines


Following the ringing of alarm bells about the state of siltation at the islands largest dam, Saint Lucias Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. An-thony recently paid a special visit to the Ro-seau Dam to better understand the gravity of the situation. (He also subsequently arranged for parliamentarians and the press to also visit, to better their understanding of how deep the islands water problem is.) Following the visit in March, Dr Anthony said the de-silting exercise is expected to be a huge and expensive undertaking. Accord-ing to the Prime Minister, "We have a major, almost unprecedented challenge on our hands. De-silting the dam will be a massive undertak-ing, perhaps stretching over several years. Millions of tons of silt will have to be moved to restore the dam to its original condition. For Saint Lucia, this will be a major project, the scale of which we have never undertaken be-fore." On April 4th, Minister for Sustainable De-velopment, Energy, Science and Technology, Senator Dr. James Fletcher further highlighted the magnitude of the undertaking and warned of actions to be taken to address some of the effects. He said, "We are at the point now where we may need to declare a water emergency be-cause of the water deficit we are experiencing right now and the challenges that we have with getting water out of the John Compton Dam and the amount of resources that we have to mobilize, just to restore that dam to its capac-ity. The Minister added, I am happy that the Prime Minister visited the Dam recently and he is able to focus the nation's attention on that dam. To take out the silt (which is like 1.5[mil-lion] cubic metres of silt) will take us another five to seven years to restore that dam to its original capacity.

The Government of Saint Lucia has signed a financing agreement with the French Develop-ment Agency, valued at 100,000 Euros, to under-take technical and feasibility studies to address the problem of the disposal of waste water in the Castries harbour.The study is a pre-condition to engaging investors for the development of Port Castries. Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. Anthony ex-pressed gratitude to the French Development Agency for contributing to Saint Lucia's growth on a recurring problem which needs attention. "We are dealing with a very troublesome issue - the discharge of waste water into our harbour. This has been a big issue not just for Saint Lu-cians, but for visitors to our country; and it has been a source of continuous complaints over the years -- justifiably so, because it defies logic that at this time in our development we should have just open discharge of waste water into the harbor that receives all our major tourist ships," said Dr. Anthony at the signing ceremony. Mr. Yves Malpel, Representative of the French Development Agency, in his remarks expressed the hope of continuing the partnership started with the Government of Saint Lucia and outlined the stages of the project. "The first step is setting what we have signed...we call it project preparation, which is a grant, which will allow the studies to be done - techni-cal or feasibility studies... just to prepare for the investment," explained Mr. Malpel.

The project is a result of collaboration among several agencies, including the Water & Sewer-age Company (WASCO) and the Saint Lucia Air

& Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA). The ceremony was held at the official residence of the Prime Minister on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014.

Prime Minister Anthony, the French Ambassador and Monsieur Yves Malpel of the French Development Agency (AFD)

St. Lucia signs French agreement for waste water study

Unprecedented Challenge!

The minister said that the amount of money we thought we would need pales in compari-son with what is actually needed now. Dur-ing a recent media tour of the dam, WASCO's Managing Director Vincent Hippolyte gave an in-depth overview of the extent of the prob-lems facing the islands largest water reservoir. He explained to the reporters, "We are of the view now that probably the dam -- in terms of its capacity, is just about half its designed ca-pacity of three million cubic metres -- and that is of concern to us. What it also means, the CEO continued, is that to do anything with the dam it will have to be defined very well. Otherwise, you can at-

tempt to do something and bring yourself into huge failure if you don't do it properly. The problem we have is that we are stand-ing where water should be. There should be about 60 to 70 feet of water, but here we are, standing on solid ground. The WASCO CEO says it is important to first address the issues faced by the upper catchment areas of the dam. He says current priorities are the de-siltation exercise, stabiliz-ing the dam's slopes and reviewing its overall infrastructure, to either increase or sustain its capacity. A De-silting and Rehabilitation Study is also expected to be conducted on the Roseau Dam soon.

Debris floating above silt in the Roseau Dam

PM says Roseau Dam poses


Continued from Page 1

The Saint Lucia Met Services, using 35 years of monthly rainfall data, calculated that the North of the country was experiencing a me-teorological drought based on a value known as the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI). The Water Resources Management Agency (WRMA) also reported that the average river flow rates are currently within the rates recorded for historical dry seasons in the month of March. Forecasts from the Met Office suggested that the rainfall outlook for the next three months (April to June) was normal to below normal for this time of year. Under the provisions of the Water Related Emergency, residents are asked to stop using pipe water recreational or non-productive pur-poses. Drinking water obtained from WASCO pipes, must not be used for activities like wash-ing of vehicles or watering lawns or gardens. Activities that may cause contamination of water sources, such as the washing of vehicles in rivers, are also strictly prohibited. WASCO has embarked on measures to deal with this situation, including repairing and bringing back online water intakes that had been decommissioned due to damage and acti-vating mobile water treatment plants that may be rapidly deployed where needed. However, the company said there was need for some rationing of supplies in the weeks ahead and the company would make an-nouncements about its rationing schedule. The Government has encouraged all citizens -- and particularly those who live in the North of

Lets remember our obligations to CAWASA and vigorously pursue the objectives we set at our last AGM in January 2014.

Continued from Page 1

reflects the role and purpose of the organization; the formulation of a five-year strategic plan (2009-2014); the intensification of the certification programme; the strengthening of ties between CAWASA and similar entities in the water and wastewater sector in capacity building, among other areas. The water industry in the Caribbean, as else-where, is being shaped by several factors such as regulation, calls for cost efficiency and a very demanding public which requires higher and higher standards of service and more in-formation on the operational activities of the utilities. CAWASA has a major role in helping mem-bers deal with these challenges. One such role is providing for the training of Directors from Member Utilities in Effective Utility Manage-ment and Rates and Tariff. This training has proven to be effective and may have assisted in the granting of increased rates to utilities in some member states. CAWASA will continue with its mandate to provide for the sustainable growth and devel-opment of its members through the delivery of quality training, through workshops and con-ferences and also through certification for both its member and non-member territories. Continuous training of utility personnel in management, supervisory and technical ar-eas, among others, along with the certification programme which was introduced in 2003, has

CAWASA Presidents Message

been and will continue to be CAWASAs main focus. Added to the services offered by the orga-nization is the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Operators Conference which is held biennially. We are pleased to report that in the area of cer-tification we have three hundred and sixty-five (365) certified operators to date, having started the certification programme in 2003. Certified opera-tors are from member utilities and most recently from Trinidad & Tobago, and the public sector. The hospitality and manufacturing sectors have also indicated interest in the programme and we have reserved a spot in our calendar of activi-ties this year to conduct a symposium for these operators. As a clearing house for information, CAWASA collects statistical data from member utilities and other non-members and others in the sector for information sharing. It is important that we the members continue to provide CAWASA with data in order to compare our performances with each other and to learn from each others best practices, and for benchmarking purposes. The call has gone out, and continues to go out for such information. I call on members to respond to these requests from CAWASA in a timely and responsible manner. Fourteen (14) years ago, the then President of CBWMP Inc, now CAWASA Inc, Mr Denis Year-wood, in an address to Members said that, The CBWMP represents one of the longest standing efforts of cooperation between CARICOM coun-tries, and although we may embrace new mem-

bers in the future, it is essentially the found-ing members who must ensure the continued development of this entity. Although progress has been slow at times, much good work has already been done also much lies ahead to be done. The financing of this entity into the fu-ture will be critical and members must ensure that the necessary allocations are provided for in their budgets and timely payments made so as not to impair the work of this most impor-tant entity. (Denis Yearwood: 2000). This quote is even more relevant today and I sincerely urge member colleagues to continue their support to CAWASA for its survival. In closing, I wish to remind members that the organization (CBWMP Inc, now CAWASA Inc) will be twenty (20) years old in November 2016, having been incorporated in 1996 in Bar-bados. This is indeed a milestone and a reason to celebrate as we have impacted significantly on the performance of many employees of our member utilities in the areas of training and certification, in spite of our limited resources. We look forward to celebrating our 20 years in 2016, to coincide with the Annual General Meeting in December of that year. Mark your calendars and spread the word as we require your support, financially and otherwise to make this event a success. Finally, let me remind members of their ob-ligation to CAWASA and to vigorously pursue the objectives which we agreed on at our last AGM in January 2014. May God Bless Us All!

Saint Lucia declares Water Emergency!Residents urged to exercise extreme prudence and avoid waste

the island in the area covered by this declaration -- to be extremely prudent with their use of water and to avoid wasting this very precious resource. The islands hotels most of which are also based in the northern area affected by the

emergency have also been put on alert, with the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) consulting WASCO and the Govern-ment about making arrangements to address the situation.

The Roseau Dams siltation problems added to the water crisis facing St. Lucias nothern region


The Water Authority-Cayman is pleased to announce the award of its scholarship for 2013/2014 to Mr Alexander Walton. Mr Walton was awarded the scholarship to pursue a Bachelor's Degree, BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering at the Uni-versity of the West of England, Bristol. Mr Walton is the son of Mr Joel Walton and Ms Tammie Walton of Grand Cayman. He graduated from St. Ignatius Catholic High School in 2009 with eight GCSEIIGCSE exam passes followed by one year of sixth form before going on to successfully complete the Foundation Certificate in Science and Engineering at Ka-plan International Colleges in the UK in July 2013. Mr Walton chose the field of en-gineering because he has always

WAC Announces New Scholarship Recipientbeen curious to discover how things work and as a youngster was fond of pulling apart his toys and a va-riety of other objects in order to an-swer that question. He is looking forward to applying his study of mechanical engineering principles and practice to his interest in de-salination systems and how to make such systems more cost effective and efficient. He looks forward to returning to work with the Water Authority upon completion of his studies in three years. The WAC scholarship is valued at up to CI$25,000/yr and was estab-lished in 2006 as a means of assist-ing young Caymanians in achieving their goals of higher education, par-ticularly in subject areas relevant to water and wastewater management.

The Water Authority is proud to celebrate thirty years of service in the Cayman Islands this year. In celebra-tion of this milestone, the Water Au-thority is recognizing its thirty first-ever customers on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac since the inception of the Water Authority, all of whom received a commemorative gift cer-tificate from the Water Authority.

Recognizing the Water Authority's First Customers

Monthly prizes are also up for grabs through May 2014 for customers that pay their bill on-time. Prize winners are ran dom-ly selected among piped water, trucked water and sewer custom-ers that pay their bills by the due date. The names of the monthly winners will be published on our website: www.waterauthority.ky.

In the Cayman Islands, the Reverse Osmosis process has been used since 1989 to desali-nate seawater (remove the salt from sea water to get fresh wa-ter) abstracted from deep wells. The water is treated, stored in reservoirs and distributed via the Water Authority's pipeline network to customers' homes. Reverse Osmosis works by using pressure to force a salt-water solution through a mem-brane, retaining the salts on one side and allowing fresh water to pass to the other side. This wellknown process has

Water Quality:Reverse Osmosis

been used to purify fresh wa-ter for medical, industrial and domestic applications since the early 1970s. Desalination processes are very effective for water purification by remov-ing healthrelated contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, and pesticides from the water. The product water of Reverse Os-mosis, as applied by the Water Authority, removes more than 99.5% of the dissolved salts and is of a higher quality than World Health Organisation guidelines for drinking water quality.

The theme of the anniversary celebration is Keeping Cay-man on Top and focuseson the benefits of tap water that are sometimes over-looked. There are so many significant benefits of drinking tap water: The SAVINGS because tap

water costs less than bottled water;

The ENVIRONMENTAL benefits because there is less plastic bottle waste in the landfill; and

The HEALTH benefits of drinking adequate amounts of readily available tap water each day.

The Water Authority operates a world-class laboratory where

water that is produced is tested regulary. Year after year, the Authoritys tap water quality exceeds international standards for drinking water quality. Members of the public that want to learn more about the tap water produced by the Wa-ter Authority are invited to visit the Frequently Asked Ques-tions section of the Authoritys website, where they will find answers to questions such as Is the water safe to drink? and How is drinking water treated? The Water History link also has some useful infor-mation on the reverse osmosis process used to produce drink-ing water.

Focus on Cayman Islands

Scholarship winner Alexander Walton (middle) with the Director and Deputy Director of WAC, Dr Gelia Frederick-van Genderen

and Dr Tom van Zanten, respectively


Amidst a number of activities the National Water and Sewerage Authority has launched to com-memorate World Water Day 2013 was the World Water Day Coop-eration Poster Competition. The Authority received an as-tounding 62 entries from schools across the country depicting three themes in water cooperation: co-operation within their communi-ties, cooperation with regards to economic benefits and coopera-tion to protect the environment. The entries were exhibited at the Grenada National Museum and evaluated by a panel of judges from various artistically affiliated companies with expertise in the field of art, graphic design and photography. Akel Passee, student of the St. Marks Secondary School was named the winner while Quayan-nah Persue from the St. Andrews Methodist and Cherise Blache from the St. Andrews Anglican Secondary School placed second and third respectively. Apart from

the three winners, the judges have also chosen four talented students to bestow the Judges Award upon. Nikkisa Allard was award-ed by the Grenada Art Council; Kahly Paul by Aqua Design; Josh-ua Henry by The Gallery and Eren Pierre by Ally Day. Each received a $100.00 gift certificate. To recognize the contribution of all participants, an award cer-emony was hosted at the Grenada Trade Centre Annex. This includ-ed the distribution of certificates to all participants and prizes to the first, second and third place winners of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Canon Digital Camera and $250.00 worth of Art Supplies ac-cordingly. Presenting to the students, of-ficials and media attending the ceremony was Suelin Low Chung, well noted artist whose work on water was exhibited by UN on September 9th, 2013. The occasion also provided an opportunity to showcase the post-ers for the audience present.

NAWASA Awards Poster Competition Winners

Celebratory mood at the Gre-nada Spice Basket was palpable on Thursday February 6th, 2014 as 230 of NAWASAs employees celebrated Grenadas 40th Anni-versary of Independence. To mark the occasion, there was food, dancing and indepen-dence outfit portrayal arranged for staff participation along with

a live band and DJ entertainment. Outfits were designed by the con-testants themselves and the band made up of NAWASA employees. The entire day was developed around the national colours and this years Independence theme of Uniting our people, restoring hope for a brighter tomorrow. A brainchild of NAWASAs Human Resources Department, the occasion was also used to rec-ognize employees who recently achieved certification in different fields of study. Awards were also extended to recently retired staff. In attendance were The Minister of State in the Ministry of Commu-nications, Works, Physical Devel-opment, Public Utilities, ICT and Community Development Hon-ourable Alvin Dabreo, Members of NAWASAs Board, representa-tives of the Union that represents employees and several past Gen-eral Managers of the organization. NAWASA extends hearty thank you to entire staff without whom the event would not be the success it was. The day was truly about uniting our people, restoring hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Independence Celebrations at

NAWASA

General Manager Christopher Husbands and Chairman of

Board of Director Mr. Terrance Forrester

Successful Opeartors of the CAWASA/ABC Certification Examination

Focus on Grenada

The National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) is proud to announce the launch of its new website www.nawasa.gd

The new website went live at 10:15 a.m. on Friday March 21st, 2014, after months of planning andcoordination. It offers quick and

easy access to essential informa-tion and features that provides a more comprehensive understand-ing of the Authoritys operations.The website boasts a modern, co-lourful design and is divided into five sections: About Us, CustomerCare, Projects and Programmes, Media Room and Resources. Each page provides detailed informa-tion on all aspects of the orga-nizations functions including company history, past and cur-rent projects, and a vibrant media room. The websites user-friendly na-ture also provides users with more efficient access to the organisa-tions resources, legislation, and newsletters. The Home Page of the website opens to showcase infor-mation and images on the services offered by NAWASA including

latest News and Corporate Televi-sion Advertisement. Consumers now have the ability to download Water Application Forms and make queries directly from the site. The launch of the new website, is part of NAWASAs ongoing ef-forts to enhance the quality and availability of information to its consumers. We are so pleased with this new website, say General Man-ager Mr. Christopher Husbands The functionality of the site makes www.nawasa.gd a dy-namic resource for our customers and Grenadians across the Dias-pora. There continues to be an overwhelming amount of posi-tive feedback, proving that hard work and proper planning do pay off.

NAWASA launches its new website

US Virgin Islands Governor John de Jongh has executed a contract with Baker Berrios Architects, the company se-lected to prepare an economic feasibility report for the devel-opment of a water adventure park on St Croix. Initiated by members of the Senate, this project had its founding in the Triad Report underwritten by the Virgin Is-lands Port Authority, one that I found easy to support. The leg-islation required three agencies of the government, Tourism, Property and Procurement and the Economic Development Authority to collaborate on the initiative to ensure that we cover all the bases that would result in attracting a developer based on the strength of the

Feasibility of water-adventure park in USVI to be studied

study. We are anticipating a fi-nal product that will provide the financial rationale on how best move forward in a partnership

with an experienced developer, de Jongh said after signing gthe contract. There is no doubt that a wa-

ter-adventure park will be an attractive amenity and one more benefit that we can use in marketing all that St Croix has to offer. It will provide an economic injection with the construction activity and on-going jobs that will be benefi-cial to our diversification. The first step is this study, structure recommended and then our identification of the companies in this industry, stated Com-missioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty. More than four companies bid on a request for proposal and Baker Berrios Architects was selected as the firm to pro-vide insight on the viability of the park as well as guidance on the concept and associated costs.

Its expected that much fun will be had by all at the proposed water adventure park.


As if things could get any worse for Saint Lucia's lone water utility company - the Water and Sewerage Company, Incorporated (WASCO) - after the devastation of Hurricane Tomas on October 30, 2010, the eve of Creole Day celebrations, on De-cember 24, 2013 nature proved that it could! As rain poured down in-cessantly on Saint Lucia and other islands in the Eastern Caribbean, no one could have imagined the imminent destruction accompany-ing, what the local Meteorological Office would term, a deep-layered trough to which, before Christ-mas Eve, everyone would have paid very little attention. Now, that deep-layered trough was cre-ated when a middle to upper level trough and a lower level trough converged right above the Wind-ward Islands causing non-stop rain for almost 24-hours. So, on Christ-mas Eve, while the rain continued as seconds gave way to minutes and as minutes ticked into hours, most Saint Lucians were mak-ing last-minute preparations for Christmas! With the showers, though, WAS-CO's normal rain protocol kicked into gear for a water transmission and distribution system still peril-ously vulnerable from the batter-ing of Hurricane Tomas. Work-ers were intimately familiar with the drill, except, perhaps, one, but one who was most critical to the management of the crisis and re-sponsible for ensuring that a water supply was restored to communi-ties affected by the Christmas Eve Trough as quickly as possible. On November 4, 2013, Vincent Hip-polyte assumed the position of Managing Director of the Wa-

ter and Sewerage Company, Inc (WASCO) replacing Mr. John Jo-seph who had served the compa-ny in that capacity for the past 13 years. With years of experience in Air and Sea Port management, Mr. Hippolyte brought tremendous ex-pertise to the water company, but the novelty of his recent posting would be purged almost instantly, and what the new top man did not already know about water and how heavy rainfall could mean major problems for the water sup-ply, he would learn rather quickly. On Christmas Day, 2013, with working boots and rain attire in tow, the new WASCO MD sum-moned his management team to WASCO's headquarters at L'Anse Road to chart the course for recov-ery. All initial reports suggested that the nineteen (19) independent rural water systems were as badly, or more severely damaged than they were after Hurricane Tomas. After tasks were assigned to each team member, WASCO dispatched crews to assess the network where access was available and start on the long road to recovery - a road eerily familiar to most. The high hotel occupancies island-wide coupled with the festive season left little room for project planning and WASCO was forced to rely on its post-Hurricane Tomas experience to provide restorative service in the shortest possible time. This time, though, the public communica-tion flowed seamlessly with regu-lar public updates - a feature lack-ing after Hurricane Tomas, which prompted the former Managing Director to enlist the services of a Communication Consultant. Sys-tems in the north from the Hill 20

Treatment Plant in Babonneau and the Bernard Theobalds Treatment Plant in Ciceron to the Beausejour Treatment Plant in Vieux Fort were affected. The pump houses in Anse la Raye and Beausejour, Vieux Fort were destroyed; the 24" raw water main linking the John Compton Dam to the Ciceron Treatment fa-cility was broken; pipelines pinned to bridges in Canaries, Sarrot, Piaye and Micoud succumbed to bridge collapses; intakes around the is-land were silted over; hundred of lengths of pipes were washed away in rivers and landslides; and customers around the island were without water. By Thursday, December 26, 2013, as access to intakes was cleared, WASCO began restoring water supply to Saint Lucian house-holds starting with the Hill 20 sys-tem. One by one, community after community began receiving pipe-bourne water once again. Scores of workers based in the Millet River over a 3-day period reconnected and secured a section of the raw water line from the Junction Tank at Millet to the Theobalds Treat-ment Plant. Water trucks supple-mented the inadequate potable water supply as, slowly, WASCO workers pieced back together the water supply network, hampered by continuing rainfall. All told, the Christmas Eve Trough leveled damage in excess of XCD 2,846,483.86 on the Saint Lucia Water and Sewerage Com-pany, Inc., in addition to the tens of thousands of dollars more in rev-enue foregone due to a lack of sup-ply to customers as a result of the weather event. Most systems were restored within the first seven days

of the trough with smaller systems, generally, put back in service first. In the few pockets of communitieswhere WASCO experienced diffi-culty in supplying water, a valving system was implemented coupled with trucking to allow customers to receive water. In the eastern village of Micoud and in Canaries on the west coast where the damage was most severe, temporary tanks were installed and standpipes erected to serve the population. There were many lessons for the local water company coming out of this freak Christmas Eve weather system, but WASCO has identified the stabilization of water supply systems as its major priority since the company recognizes that it can-not get around the remoteness of intakes and the inherent difficulty in accessing these location in the aftermath of a disaster. The water utility company has also recognized that the use of PVC pipes, while the least expensive and easiest to install, often offers the least resilience in di-sasters. WASCO is now exploring the wider use of HDPE pipe for raw water transmission mains since they have proved to be ideal, especially in vulnerable areas near rivers. For example, in the eastern village of At Anse la Raye where HDPE pipes were used post-Hurricane Tomas, although the line bended in all directions, it did not break. This, coupled with the installation of below river bed intake abstrac-tion systems is expected to limit raw water system vulnerabilities. Like the HDPE, again, the WASCO team demonstrated its resilience where the events of the Christmas Eve trough bent it to the limit but the Company and its staff never broke.

WHAT A WATER BAPTISIM!

New WASCO CEO Vincent Hippolyte (in red t-shirt, bottom left) joined workers to clean up after the Christmas Eve Trough that hit St. Lucia just as he took Office, causing significant damage to water installations island-wide


World Water Facts and FiguresHydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity is the largest renewable source for power generation and its share in total electricity generation is expected to remain around 16% through 2035.

The Facts and Figures in this section are drawn from the World Water Development Report on Water and Energy published in March 2014 and launched on the occasion of World Water Day celebrations in Tokyo, Japan.

Hydropower and water use

Most of the water used for hydropower generation is returned to the river though some evaporates and there are important impacts on timing and quality of streamflows.

Industrial water use

Roughly 75% of all industrial water withdrawals are used for energy production.

Energy for water

Energy is required for two components of water provision: pumping and treatment (before and after use).

Biogas produced from sewage

In Stockholm, public buses, waste collection trucks and taxis run on biogas produced from sewage treatment plants.

Access to water and sanitation

In 2011, 768 million people did not use an improved source of drinking-water and 2.5 billion people did not use improved sanitation.

Access to electricity

More than 1.3 billion people still lack access to electricity, and roughly 2.6 billion use solid fuels (mainly biomass) for cooking.

Wind power

Wind power is the most sustainable source of renewable energy, mainly because of its low greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.

Waterborne transportation

Waterborne transit is one of the most energy efficient. Inland towing barges are more than 3 times more energy efficient than road trucks and 40% more efficient than rail.

Financing water

For developing countries alone $103 billion per year are required to finance water, sanitation and wastewater treatment through 2015.

World Water Day 2014 Special Feature

--~2009..... -"...... "';;;"",I........WolU!ranil food security

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lJ1t. rt1ql,jonc,llje(J'ofWater cooperab.ion


World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2014, World Water Day is on "Water and Energy". A brief overview of the different themes that have been the focus of World Water Day celebrations is available below.

Past World Water days

In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation. In reflection of this declaration, the 2013 World Water Day, which will take place on 22 March 2013, also will be dedicated to water cooperation. Therefore, UN-Water has called upon UNESCO to lead the 2013 United Nations International Year on Water Cooperation, in particular because of the Organizations unique multidisciplinary approach which blends the natural and social sciences, education, culture and communication. Given the intrinsic nature of water as a transversal and universal element, the United Nations International Year on Water Cooperation naturally would embrace and touch upon all these aspects.

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. Coming soon in this section of the website, we will present a brief overview of the different themes that have been the focus of World Water Day celebrations.

2013 Water Cooperation

2012 Water and Food Security

The objective of World Water Day 2011 was to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems. The theme, Water for cities: responding to the urban challenge, aimed to spotlight and encourage governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to actively engage in addressing the challenges of urban water management.

2011 Water for Cities

The offical website attracted a new high of over half a million visits in the month of March, and saw over 800 events added to the Worldwide Events map. The offical logo was also produced in over 40 languages.

UN-Water dedicated World Water Day 2010 to the theme of water quality, reflecting its importance alongside quantity of the resource in water management. The World Water Day 2010 campaign was envisaged to raise awareness about sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being through addressing the increasing water quality challenges in water management and to raise the profile of water quality by encouraging governments, organizations, communities, and individuals around the world to actively engage in proactively addressing water quality e.g. in pollution prevention, clean up and restoration.

2010 Water Quality

In 2009, the theme for World Water Day was Shared Water - Shared Opportunities. Special focus was placed on transboundary waters. Nurturing the opportunities for cooperation in transboundary water management can help build mutual respect, understanding and trust among countries and promote peace, security and sustainable economic growth. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) lead the activities of the day with the support of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

2009 Transboundary Waters

In 2008, World Water Day coincided with the International Year of Sanitation, and challenged us to spur action on a crisis affecting more than one out of three people on the planet. Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of the abysmal sanitation conditions endured by some 2.6 billion people globally. That adds up to an unconscionable 1.5 million young lives cut short by a cause we know

2008 International Year of Sanitation

well how to prevent. Ceremonies for the day took place at Geneva, Switzerland. Speakers included Royal Highness Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange and Director-General of WHO Dr Margaret Chan.

The growing problem of Water Scarcity was the topic for World Water Day 2007. The theme highlighted the increasing significance of water scarcity worldwide and the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources, both at international and local levels. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) hosted ceremonies for the daywhich included and opening address from FAO Secretary-General Jaques Diouf, and video addresses from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Green Cross International President Michail Gorbachv.

2007 Water Scarcity

The Theme of World Water Day 2006 was Water and Culture under the leadership of UNESCO. The theme Water and Culture of 2006 drew the attention to the fact that there are as many ways of viewing, using, and celebrating water as there are cultural traditions across the world. Sacred, water is at the heart of many religions and is used in different rites and ceremonies. Fascinating and ephemeral, water has been represented in art for centuries - in music, painting, writing, cinema - and it is an essential factor in many scientific endeavours as well.

2006 Water and Culture

The United Nations General Assembly at its 58th session in December 2003 agreed to proclaim the years 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action, Water for Life, and beginning with World Water Day, March 22, 2005. The Water for Life decade set the worlds goals on a greater focus on water-related issues, while striving to ensure the participation of women in water-related development efforts, and further cooperation at all levels to achieve water-related goals of the Millennium Declaration, Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit for Sustainable Development and Agenda 21.

2005 Water for Life 2005-2015

January to April 2014 | Vol. 6 No. 1

Past World Water daysThe UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the World Meteorological Organization were charged with co-ordinating events for World Water Day 2004. The message of the Day was: Weather, climate and water resources can have a devastating impact on socio-economic development and on the well-being of humankind. According to the World Meteorological Organization weather and climate-related extreme events, such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, storms, cyclones, floods and drought, account for nearly 75 per cent of all disasters. They lead to an enormous toll of human suffering, loss of life and economic damage. Monitoring these events, predicting their movements and issuing timely warnings are essential to mitigate the disastrous impact of such events on population and economy.

2004 Water and Disaster

Water for the Future was the theme for World Water Day 2003. It called on each one of us to maintain and improve the quality and quantity of fresh water available to future generations. This is essential if we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goal to halve, by 2015, the number of people living without safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was the the lead UN agency for World Water Day 2003. The goal was to inspire political and community action and encourage greater global understanding of the need for more responsible water use and conservation.

2003 Water for the Future

Water for Development was the theme for 2002. The Internation Atomic Energy Agency was the coordinating UN agency. The currectly poor and deteriorating state of water resources in many parts of the world demand integrated water resources planning and management.

2002 Water for Development

Water for Health - Taking Charge was the theme for 2001. The WHO was the coordinating UN agency.The message for the day was: Concrete efforts are necessary to provide clean drinking water and improve health as well as to increase awareness world-wide of the problems and of the solutions. 22 March is a unique occasion to remind everybody that solutions are possible. Use the resources on this site to help turn words into political commitment and action.

2001 Water for Health - Taking Charge

The availability and quality of water is increasingly under strain. Even if conditions were to remain constant for the foreseeable future, much of the world would find itself in a state of water-related crisis. To make matters worse, populations are growing most rapidly in those areas where water is already in scarce supply. This is how Wim Kok, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, starts his welcome words in the second announcement for the Second World Water Forum and Ministerial Conference that began in the Netherlands in the week prior to 22 March 2000. From 1722 March 2000, hundreds of water specialists, politicians, leading experts and top officials from all across the globe convened in The Hague. The event marked the conclusion to a long series of sessions during which thousands of concerned citizens addressed the water crisis that threatens us all.

2000 Water for the 21st Century

Excessive flooding of major rivers in the world in 1998 have resulted in thousands of deaths and caused enormous damage in China, Bangladesh, and India, where nearly half of the world population lives. They were not only the result of excessive rains, but also of interference by mankind in the river basins. These tragedies make us realize that virtually everybody in this world lives downstream. UNEP was the coordinating UN agency.

1999 Everyone lives Downstream

The sixth annual World Water Day (WWD) was celebrated on 22 March 1998. As per the recommendations of the 17th meeting of the ACC Sub-Committee on Water Resources, UNICEF and the United Nations Division of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), took the lead in organizing the observance of World Water Day in 1998.

1998 Groundwater - The Invisible Resource

The message of the day was: Water is a basic requirement for all life, yet water resources are facing more and more demands from, and competition among, users.

1997 The Worlds Water - Is There Enough?

The 3rd annual World Water Day was celebrated on March 22, 1996, with the theme, Water for Thirsty Cities. It emphasized the growing water crisis faced by cities across the world which threatens the sustainability of their social and economic development.

1996 Water for Thirsty Cities

For the first time Lesotho celebrated the World Day for Water, on March 22, 1995. The international theme for the day was Women and Water. The Department of Water Affairs organized two main activities for the celebration of the Day: on water pollution and on environmental degradation.

1995 Women and Water

The Theme of World Water Day 1994 was Caring for Our Water Resources is Everyones Business.

1994 Caring for Our Water Resources is Everyones Business

1. Roughly 70 percent of an adults body is made up of water.

2. At birth, water accounts for approximately 80 percent of an infants body weight.

3. A healthy person can drink about three gallons (48 cups) of water per day.

4. Drinking too much water too quickly can lead to water intoxication. Water intoxication occurs when water dilutes the sodium level in the bloodstream and causes an imbalance of water in the brain.

5. Water intoxication is most likely to occur during periods of intense athletic performance.

6. While the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day, not all of this water must be consumed in the liquid form. Nearly every food or drink item provides some water to the body.

7. Soft drinks, coffee, and tea, while made up almost entirely of water, also contain caffeine. Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body.

8. Pure water (solely hydrogen and oxygen atoms) has a neutral pH of 7, which is neither acidic nor basic.

9. Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Wherever it travels, water carries chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it.

10. Somewhere between 70 and 75 percent of the earths surface is covered with water.

11. Much more fresh water is stored under the ground in aquifers than on the earths surface.

12. The earth is a closed system, similar to a terrarium, meaning that it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed on the earth millions of years ago is still present today.

13. The total amount of water on the earth is about 326 million cubic miles of water.

14. Of all the water on the earth, humans can used only about three tenths of a percent of this water. Such usable water is found in groundwater aquifers, rivers, and freshwater lakes.

15. The United States uses about 346,000 million gallons of fresh water every day.

16. The United States uses nearly 80 percent of its water for irrigation and thermoelectric power.

17. The average person in the United States uses anywhere from 80-100 gallons of water per day. Flushing the toilet actually takes up the largest amount of this water.

18. Approximately 85 percent of U.S. residents receive their water from public water facilities. The remaining 15 percent supply their own water from private wells or other sources.

19. By the time a person feels thirsty, his or her body has lost over 1 percent of its total water amount.

20. The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat.

20 Interesting and Useful Water Facts

By Random Facts

THAT IS ALMOST THE ENTIRECITY OF LOS ANGELES.

DIE EACH YEAR FROM AWATER RELATED DISEASE.


Water is made up of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Its chemical formula is H2O.

Each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms bonded to a single oxygen atom.

The existence of water is essential for life on Earth. Water has three different states, liquid, solid and gas. The word water usually refers to water in its liquid state. The solid state of

water is known as ice while the gas state of water is known as steam or water vapor.

Water covers around 70% of the Earths surface. The three largest oceans on Earth are the Pacific Ocean (largest), the Atlantic

Ocean (second largest) and the Indian Ocean (third largest). Found in the Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in

the worlds oceans. Ocean tides are caused by the rotation of the Earth and the gravitational pull

of the Moon and Sun acting on ocean water. Water from a sea or ocean is known as seawater. On average, every kilogram

(2.2lb) of seawater contains around 35 grams (1.2 oz) of dissolved salt. The freezing point of water lowers as the amount of salt dissolved in at

increases. With average levels of salt, seawater freezes at -2 C (28.4 F). The longest river in the world is the Nile River, it reaches 6650 kilometers in

length (4132 miles). The second longest river in the world is the Amazon River, it reaches 6400

kilometres (4000 miles) in length. The longest river in the USA is the Missouri River. At around 2,340 miles

(3,770 km) in length it is slightly longer than the Mississippi River (2,320 miles). The two combine to form the longest river system in North America.

Water makes a good solvent with many sugar, salts and acids easily dissolving in it. On the other hand oils and fats dont mix well with water.

The water cycle involves water evaporating (turning into a gas), rising to the sky, cooling and condensing into tiny drops of water or ice crystals that we see as clouds, falling back to Earth as rain, snow or hail before evaporating again and continuing the cycle. Learn more about the water cycle.

Water in the form of ice is found at the polar ice caps of the planet Mars, some scientists have also suggested the possibility of liquid water on the red planet.

Pure water has no smell and no taste, it also has a pH level around 7.

While most people know that water boils at 100 C (212 F), this is at the normal conditions of sea level. The boiling point of water actually changes relative to the barometric pressure. For example, water boils at just 68 C (154 F) on the top of Mount Everest while water deep in the ocean near geothermal vents can remain in liquid form at temperatures much higher than 100 C (212 F).

Water expands as it cools from 4 C to 0 C (above 4 C it does the opposite). In freezing conditions, water has been known to burst water pipes as it freezes to ice.

Water can move up narrow tubes against the force of gravity in what is known as capillary action. Check out this capillary action experiment for more.

Most people around the world have access to clean drinking water but it is a major problem in poorer areas of the world. Water pollution and low quality water can lead to dangerous bacteria, disease and viruses such as E coli and Cryptosporidium.

Drinking water is needed for humans to avoid dehydration, the amount you need each day depends on the temperature, how much activity you are involved in and other factors.

An important use for water is in agricultural irrigation, this is when water is artificially added to soil in order to assist the growth of crops.

Water is used frequently by firefighters to extinguish fires. Helicopters sometimes drop large amount of water on wildfires and bushfires to stop fires spreading and limit the damage they can cause.

The water industry helps deliver water to homes in various cities and countries around the world. This can involve services such as purification, sewage treatment, filtering, distillation and plumbing.

Electricity can be created from hydropower, a process that uses water to drive water turbines connected to generators. There are many hydroelectric power stations around the world.

Water also plays a role in cooking. Steaming and boiling food are well known cooking methods. You may have noticed this last time you made pasta or noodles.

Water is also used for fun. Water sports are a very popular recreational activity and include things like swimming, surfing and waterskiing. Ice and snow is also used in ice skating, ice hockey, skiing and snowboarding.

Enjoy our fun water facts for kids. Learn how important water is to life on Earth as well its many amazing uses and properties. Read about ice, steam, snow, drinking water, oceans, water pollution, seawater, rivers the water

cycle and much more with our huge range of interesting facts about water.

Water Facts for Children (and Adults too!)

Around the world, sanitation problems are the cause of many types of disease and death. The World Health Organization reports that problems associated with sanitation result in four percent of all deaths, and nearly six percent of all illnesses worldwide. Sanitation problems are particularly difficult for people with impaired immunity, the elderly, and the very young. Understanding sanitation problems is an important step in eliminating them. The discharge of untreated waste into water systems is one of the most common sanitation problems. This creates multiple issues, such as polluting drinking water, creating a breeding ground for insects that spread disease, and exposing bathers to infectious disease. Contaminating the water sources also has an indirect affect on health by exposing foods, such as vegetables and fish, to the pathogens present in contaminated water. Not only does this contaminate the food supply, but it also reduces the amount of food available. Contaminated wells are another sanitation problem. In areas that rely on hand dug wells, the typically shallow depth of the wells often allows for contamination from the groundwater. Overcrowded living conditions and the improper

disposal of waste result in contaminated groundwater. Along with lack of water for drinking and cleaning, a lack of toilets is a huge sanitation problem. Without running water there is no way to have a proper toilet, however even hand dug latrines and composting latrines can eliminate some of the problems associated with lack of toilets. With no toilets available, people have no choice but to defecate in the open. Not only does this create unpleasant living conditions, but also, in areas with a high population density, it contaminates the groundwater. Water scarcity is another sanitation problem. When there is not much water available, it makes it difficult for people to wash their clothes, bodies, and even their hands. This lack of basic hygiene leads to the spread of disease as well as creating living conditions that make it difficult for the people in the area to maintain their dignity. The World Health Organization reports that 2.4 billion people do not have access to basic levels of sanitation and the proper disposal of waste. This creates a problem for people that live in the area, as well as for animals and plants. The buildup of human waste negatively affects the environmental balance in the area and is difficult to resolve.

Water and SanitationWhat are the most common

sanitation problems?

More than 3.4 million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes. Nearly all deaths, 99 percent, occur in the developing world. Lack of access to clean water and sanitation kills children at a rate equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every four hours. Of the 60 million people added to the world's towns and cities every year, most move to informal settlements (i.e. slums) with no sanitation facilities. 780 million people

lack access to an improved water source; approximately one in nine people. The water and sanitation] crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns. An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the average person in a developing country slum uses for an entire day. Over 2.5X more people lack water than live in the United States.More people have a mobile phone than a toilet.

Millions The World Over Lack Safe Water

345 million people the world over are without water access

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The Ministry of Finance, Eco-nomic Affairs, Planning and Social Security in collaboration with the Ministry of Sustainable Develop-ment, Energy, Science and Technol-ogy and the Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO) officially launched the Vieux Fort and Denne-ry Water Supply Redevelopment Projects at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport last Friday November 1, 2013. Remarks were given by the Per-

manent Secretary Mr. Sylvester Clauzel and Minister of Sustain-able Development, Energy Science and Technology Senator Dr. James Fletcher, Mr. Andrew Dupigny of the Caribbean Development Bank and the German Ambassador Mr. Stefan Schlter. The feature address was deliv-ered by the Prime Minister and Par-liamentary Representative of Vieux Fort South, Dr. Kenny Anthony. A number of persons attended this ceremony, including a repre-

Two new water supply redevelopment projects launched in St. Lucia

sentative of the Mexican Govern-ment, Representatives of key gov-ernment agencies and ministries, as well as Vieux Fort and Dennery community representatives. The projects are currently in the 1st Phase/Planning Phase. The objective of this phase is to assist the Govern-ment in preparing a technically and financially feasible programme of works which will lead to an improve-ment in the reliability of the Vieux Fort and Dennery Water Supply Sys-tems, which are resilient to climate

change and variability impacts. This will result in a medium-term water supply redevelopment plan for the areas, as well as pre-liminary designs, performance and other relevant specifications, and tender documents for the proposed capital works. Phase 1 of the projects is sup-ported financially by the Caribbean Development Bank (US$150,000), the Federal Republic of Germany (US$400,000) and the Government of Saint Lucia (US$375,000).

The Prime Minister addressing the launching ceremony for the two major southern water development projects.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)-funded $30 million water enhancement project on Nevis continues and contracts have been awarded for the three main parts of the venture. Project coordinator for the CDB/Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Project Management Unit, Brian Kennedy recently described the status of the project. He explained, Were at the stage where we are awarding con-tracts for the three main parts of the project. That is the storage tanks, six reservoirs -- one at Maddens, Camps, Spring Hill, Fothergills, Stoney Hill and Morgan Estate; six new reservoirs, three new pump-ing stations (at Camps, Fothergills and Pond Hill) and over 100,000 feet of pipe -- approximately 20 miles of pipe to add to the approxi-mately 100 miles of pipes existing. The first payments are being organised to the contractors, to the suppliers who won the bids. Jamaica Drip Irrigation won the award for the pipes and for the pumps and FDL Consult Inc. from St Lucia won the award for the six tanks. So, we are at the stage now

Water expansion project gearing up in Nevis

where were anticipating the re-ceipts of the materials which we estimate to be between now and November/December, but the ac-tual pipes which are going to take the longest wont be here till about November, he said. According to Kennedy, although the entire proj-ect costs $30 million, some of that

figure would be shouldered by the NIA and some will be grant funds. The total value of the project is about EC$30 million. Of that, the CDB will be putting in about 80 percent and the NIA will be put-ting in the counterpart financing, the remaining 20 percent. Now of that 80 percent the CDB is putting in 64 percent, which

caribbean water and sewerage association e-source newsletter issue 1 - 2014

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