ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Less than 48 hours after Jamaica announced water rationing as a result of a prolonged drought situation, another Caribbean country is warning that the situation is becoming critical and consumers will have to adapt to even more stringent measures to ensure a supply of water.
The Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) says the absence of significant rain fall continues to affect water reserves and according to Ian Lewis, the production engineer in the authority’s Water Business Unit, APUA is down to its last reservoir.
Lewis said that the APUA is continuing to tweak the water rationing schedule so as to keep consumers satisfied.
Antigua and Barbuda is into a second consecutive year of a drought and APUA said that water from one of the main reserves is below extraction level and the company is on its last source of surface water.
Lewis estimates that there are “about three weeks” left from that facility and consumers will now have to rely on desalinated and ground water.
He warned if the drought persists APUA will have to implement “more intense water rationing” and while the country is able to operate with ground and desalinated water, consumers will be without water for prolonged periods.
He is urging consumers to reserve water and not to waste the commodity on things such watering lawns, gardens and ensure loads are filled when washing and use recycle water where possible.
Earlier this week, the National Water Commission (NWC) announced new water supply restrictions as Jamaica continues to be affected by prolonged drought.
NWC acting president Mark Barnett said that the Commission was forced to further restrict the supply of water to many of the areas served by the Hope and Mona water supply systems to every third day instead of the current alternating day supply.
He said this means that customers who receive water on Wednesday would next be supplied on Saturday, and those who receive on Thursday would next receive on Sunday.
“This restriction will be in place until further notice, and if and when we have put into service additional wells, we may reduce or have a reduction in the restriction.”