St. Lucia Approves Water Rationing Emergency Measures

CASTRIES, St. Lucia – St. Lucia has become the latest Caribbean country to implement water rationing measures as the region continues to feel the effect of a prolonged dry period.

WASCO chief executive officer, Zilta George-LeslieSt. Lucia's government has approved the fourth water-related emergency in the past 10 years, and the chief executive officer of the Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO), Zilta George-Leslie, said that once the order is published in the official Gazette, anyone who contravenes the measure would be committing an offence and liable to a fine of not less than EC$3,000 or imprisonment of not less than six months, or both  upon summary conviction.

She  said that a further fine of not less than EC$50 would be imposed daily the breach continues.

“All consumers of potable water in St. Lucia are therefore urged to restrict the use of potable water for non-potable uses,” George-Leslie told reporters, adding that WASCO is recommending essential usage as water necessary to sustain human life, domestic animals’ lives, and maintain hygiene and sanitation standards.

WASCO said there would be restrictions on activities including  using potable water to water lawns, pressure wash, mix concrete, and fill swimming pools.

George-Leslie said that as of Tuesday, May 14, the John Compton Dam reported water levels of 318.6 feet , an estimated 14.4 feet below the spillway, dropping six inches daily.

She said that the Hill 20 system had shown a 50  per cent reduction and that WASCO’s  Southern intake reduction ranges from 29 to 80 per cent in some areas.

WASCO said as a result, it would be implementing dry season mitigation measures as well as an island-wide sharing initiative as part of its commitment to ‘responsible resource management.’

WASCO said that it has also increased the number of crews dealing with leak repairs.