When taps run dry, who’s to blame?

If water is life, as the slogan of the island’s lone utility, the Water & Sewerage Company (WASCO), declares, then clearly the company and its systems are gravely ailing.

Last month, meteorological officials joined WASCO in warning of a severe drought this dry season. At the time, WASCO admitted to a 50 per cent drop in production on its southern network and significant intake reductions in the north.

Yet despite the presence of experts and official data, public sentiment placed the blame squarely on WASCO, not on climate change or any other weather phenomenon.

Over the years, the company has struggled with its image and poor public relations. The fact that large portions of the island lack a regular supply of water, regardless of season, has not helped. Consumers have even coined an alternative Kweyol slogan: “WASCO-pa ni glo.”

Metering and leakage remain persistent challenges, with customers questioning monthly charges. Customer service has been another sore point.

It may be instructive to revisit how we arrived here, but space does not permit. What can be said is that WASCO’s problems mirror those of the now-defunct Radio Saint Lucia and the long-troubled St Jude Hospital.

One word comes to mind: politics, or perhaps the lack of political will to confront issues head-on.

The John Compton Dam in Roseau, commissioned in 1996, was meant to solve most of our water problems. Built to serve the heavily populated north, it had an original capacity of 700 million gallons. But heavy siltation from hurricanes, particularly Hurricane Tomas in 2010, has reduced capacity by half. Years of political haggling have failed to resolve the desilting issue. Again, does S Jude come to mind?

Even beyond the dam, there was no plan to restore the ageing pipelines meant to carry water into homes. Regular leakages and shutdowns have followed, with areas like the Dennery Valley suffering despite its Mexico-funded water project.

This week, several businesses, government offices, and schools were forced to close due to shortages. WASCO reported three major leaks along its 24-inch raw water pipelines in Millet, costing the country productivity yet again. Water trucks were dispatched to hotels and northern residents who had already gone days without supply – a costly undertaking.

Meanwhile, rapid development in the north, particularly in tourism, has not been matched by incremental upgrades to WASCO’s pipelines.

In short, there seems to be no end in sight, even as WASCO proposes desalination as a long-term solution.

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has urged Saint Lucians to engage in rainwater harvesting, while acknowledging that restoring WASCO will require significant investment.

Cabinet has established “a dedicated committee to examine alternative arrangements for the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO), as the utility continues to face severe financial and operational challenges”.

Pierre admitted the situation is unsustainable, requiring urgent but carefully planned intervention. “Decisive action,” he says, is unavoidable.

Several proposals are under consideration, with a Cabinet committee tasked with finding a permanent solution. WASCO is said to be in “dire debt”, despite a $1.1 million government subsidy, and rehabilitation is estimated at $200 million.

Pierre stopped short of declaring WASCO comatose, but the metaphor is apt: urgent resuscitation and transplants are needed. Strong political will must follow, regardless of cost. An adequate, consistent and reliable supply of good-quality water must be central to the government’s vision of improving health care and making Saint Lucia the best place to live, play and work.