Senior Reporter
kay-marie.fletcher@guardian.co.tt
The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has placed a ban on the use of hosepipes, sprinklers, pressure washers, decorative fountains, waterfalls, and other outdoor artistic features that utilise water as well as any similar apparatus to water private gardens, and washing private motor cars among other things.
The ban will be in effect until June 30.
The announcement was made by WASA’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Romain yesterday as WASA revealed it has experienced a significant decrease in its water production for this year’s dry season.
During a media conference at Caroni Water Treatment Plant, Golden Grove Road, Piarco yesterday, Romain said the aim was to conserve as much water as possible.
Romain said, “I want to take the opportunity to implore our customers to pay particular attention to the amount of water they use and use what you need.”
He added that the Caroni, Navet and Hillsborough reservoirs have been producing below-long-term average supplies of water due to extreme weather conditions.
At present Caroni is producing 75 instead of 85 per cent, Navet producing 72 instead of 82 per cent, and Hollis at 74 instead of 77 per cent of its usual water supply.
As a result, areas affected include Maraval, East Dry River, Laventille, Morvant, Belmont, St James, Malabar, Tumpuna, O’Meara, La Seiva Village, Mt Hope, Chaguanas, Claxton Bay, Couva, La Romaine, La Brea, Debe, Siparia, Fyzabad, among others.
In Tobago, areas including Plymouth Road, Bacelot, Buccoo, Canaan, Bon Accord, Charlotteville and Speyside are also impacted.
With thousands of customers already impacted by this, WASA was left with no choice but to impose a ban to encourage its customers to conserve water.
In accordance with the Water and Sewerage Act Chapter 54:40, the law also prohibits the use or diverting of water from any of its reservoir, water course or conduit, pipe or other apparatus belonging to WASA.
Anyone found in violation of the ban would be fined $75.
The fine is currently under review and once approved will be increased by a significant amount according to WASA.
To ensure compliance, WASA said, the authority’s estate police will be making patrols. Upon producing authenticated documentation, officers have the authority to enter any premises supplied with water at all reasonable hours to examine if there is any waste or misuse of such water.
While customers are expected to conserve water, WASA said it has doubled its fleet of trucks supplying water, now at 60 trucks to ensure customers especially in elevated areas receive water.
As such, it is urging customers to desist from purchasing water from illegal suppliers, noting that truck-borne supply is free to all its residential customers.
WASA’s Director of Operations Shaira Ali said customers can also expect adjustments to their water supply schedules to redistribute from areas with continuous supply to augment areas experiencing reduced supply.