A revamp of the use of landfills is among the plans for the Ministry of Public Utilities for 2023.
In the Social Sector Investment Programme for 2023, it was noted that the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company is set to embark on the development of a pilot project for the treatment of organics.
In the document, which was released on the Ministry of Finance website following Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s Budget presentation, it said, “SWMCOL will develop a pilot project for the treatment of organic waste (estimated to comprise 27% of the total waste generated locally, based on the 2010 Waste Characterization and Centroid Study by Canadian Consultants, CBCL Limited.)”
The document stated: “SWMCOL is presently considering the use of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) to treat with food waste in Trinidad and Tobago. The project would seek to divert waste from the nation’s landfills and ensure the proper management of organics to avoid threats to public health and the environment. This pilot project follows technical assistance received in fiscal 2022 under the Canada-Caricom Expert Deployment Mechanism (CCEDM).”
In his contribution to the Budget debate on Friday, Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales gave a bit more insight on plans to develop a new landfill in Trinidad and Tobago.
He said, “The Solid Waste Management Company of Trinidad and Tobago would have completed its topographic and hydrographic surveys, a cadastral survey and its geotechnical and groundwater studies. Presently, the authority is working with the Environmental Management Authority on an ESIA as well as on Certificate of Clearance, environmental clearance.”
He said the new landfill was crucial as the three landfills currently in operation, were close to capacity.
“I must say that SWMCOL will seek to engage a design consultant to construct a new engineered landfill in Trinidad and Tobago because I can tell you the Gunapo landfill, the Beetham landfill, and the landfill in South, they are all bursting at their seams. They are all at their maximum capacity. And therefore in Trinidad and Tobago at this point in time. It is a sense of urgency that we move into a more engineered landfill that we get on board our beverage container legislation,” said the minister who also made a call for citizens to review its waste management practices.
“Waste management is very critical, especially as it relates to the protection of our environment and the protection of our water courses and our underground aquifers,” he said.
Neither the Minister nor the Social Sector Investment Programme (SSIP) document listed a cost for the planned landfill project.
The Public Utilities Ministry was allocated $2.823B in the 2023 fiscal package.
These signals come over a year after the NGC Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) on Monday September 13, 2021, concerning plans to explore opportunities to capture and commercialise landfill gas for use such as the provision of carbon-negative, renewable compressed natural gas.
As part of that agreement, NGC will seek to identify and quantify methane emissions from existing landfills and determine ways to monetise this source of bio-fuel and green energy. The captured methane emissions can potentially be used to fuel SWMCOL’s fleet of vehicles and other official government fleets.
Gonzales dedicated a large chunk of his presentation to plans for the Water and Sewerage Authority as he said the company would be looking at the development of new wells to increase water supply regularity.
In the SSIP document, the MPU is set to engage in the Community Water Improvement Plan (CWIP).
According to the document, “The Ministry will undertake Phase 4 of the programme. Phase 4 entails the completion of two (2) booster stations in Tobago and installation of approximately 15.08km of pipeline in North and South Trinidad and Tobago. The works will provide approximately 17,950 persons with a more reliable supply of water.”
WASA was also slated to do refurbishment work at a number of its facilities in the document.
These facilities included: the Caroni Water Treatment Plant, Navet Water Treatment Plant, Guanapo Water Treatment Plant, North Oropouche Water Treatment Plant, Chatham Water Treatment Plant, Hillsborough Water Treatment Plant, and the Hollis Water Treatment Plant.
The document stated, “These works will improve the reliability of service, water quality and supply to over 400,000 persons from several communities including: Mayaro, Cocoyea, Barackpore Princes Town, Tabaquite and Naparima. Guanapo, Arima and environs, Valencia and Trincity.”
In his contribution to the budget debate, Gonzales said the Programme had been a success so far but admitted all of WASA’s water treatment plants were operating below capacity.
He said, “We believe as we undertake some critical intervention to rehabilitate those plants we are confident that communities all over Trinidad and Tobago will see an improvement in their water supply in early 2023.”
The Public Utilities Minister added, “In this new financial year. We will undertake robust well development programmes in Siparia, in Penal, and in Freeport to increase water production, targeting areas that are getting watered 24/1 and below because we believe Madam Speaker, we believe that while everyone is entitled to a 24/7 water supply we have the resources and capacity to bring everyone to 24/3.”
The Minister also touched on WASA’s spotty reputation with regard to road repair, and explained that going forward WASA would use a dedicated road paver.
“We have recognized that there are institutional flaws in WASA’s management of road restoration,” said Gonzales, “WASA’s main mandate is to provide the people of Trinidad and Tobago with water and wastewater services. And therefore, with respect to road restoration, a decision has been taken to allow for experienced road pavers to conduct road rehabilitation and road restoration, thereby allowing the utility company to focus on its key mandate, which is to provide the people of Trinidad and Tobago with a reliable water supply.”
According to the SSIP document, the Ministry of Public Utilities intends to supply water tanks to members of the public.
The document stated, “Under the Programme, the MPU will distribute approximately 300 (800 gallon tanks) and 70 (1000 gallon tanks) to households and five (5) 1000 gallon tanks to five (5) community facilities.”
An allocation has been put aside for the MPU to provide of Utility Bill assistance.
The report said, “Approximately 13, 000 low income customers of the WASA and Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) will receive water and electricity subsidies at an estimated cost of $3,750,000.”