News this week that water may be imported stirred concern, but tourism officials say it’s a short-term fix to ease the strain on Saint Lucia’s water supply during the dry season.
Water barging is one of multiple solutions some hotels are considering to address their water needs during the season while reducing reliance on the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) supply.
Tourism stakeholders say the initiative is aimed at freeing up more water for residents, schools, health facilities and smaller accommodation providers, including Airbnb operators.
SLHTA Chief Executive Officer Noorani Azeez told St. Lucia Times that board‑level discussions are underway among industry members to launch the initiative with a test phase next month.
He said the proposed initiative would be undertaken independently of government and funded by the private sector.
“This is not something being done for the tourism private sector; this is something being done by the tourism private sector to meet our own needs,” Azeez said in an interview. “We are looking at our own funding and our own network to make this happen for us so that we can reduce the competition against domestic and community-based consumers. We don’t want to be a burden to the general public, and we understand our need is great.”
Azeez says government support would only be needed for a reprieve on import duties.
Having been a serious consideration over the past year, the initiative could begin as early as next month and would allow stakeholders to test its feasibility and address any operational challenges.
It is anticipated that a single barge could transport approximately three million gallons of water at a time. However, tourism officials say that amount would still represent only a small portion of the sector’s overall water needs.
Some hotels are also discussing the possibility of docking a barge offshore near their properties, which could provide easier access for consumers in the north of the island. However, those details are still to be worked out.
It is also not yet confirmed which hotels would participate.
While WASCO prepares to undertake several reconstruction projects to address severely damaged pipelines across the island, Azeez told St. Lucia Times water barging represents just one element of a broader set of measures some members of the association will explore over the next 12 months.
These discussions include whether hotels that operate desalination systems could provide excess supply to smaller boutique properties, as well as possible government incentives to encourage households to invest in water tanks or rainwater collection systems.
He said there have also been conversations with WASCO regarding resources that may be needed to help expedite work on the northern water pipeline set to begin in April.
In the medium to long term, stakeholders have also begun discussing the potential costs of investing in desalination plants to be managed and operated by WASCO.
you all are just useless. so much free water floods st lucia during rainy season, and there is no storage to make use of this. And st lucia has no rivers compared to other islands. And u know why? the garbage has choked all of them. there is endless sand dredging too. There are farmers at the top of rivers flushing endless chemicals into the water further damaging it. unless the country decide to address these root problems, declare all rivers protected and find ways of planting ect.. to restore each and everyone of them, and addressing the inefficiency and pocketing that goes in the water company , we will continue to have issues.
I guess giving VAT free day to win votes was more important than these serious issues affecting everyone and now the classic talking points from the play book is to blame the previous administration voila
I left St. Lucia over 50 years ago and guess what – there were water shortage issues then – wow.
We have stupid governance
And guess what we want to build more of……..hotels hotels and more hotels!!! Our leaders fail to recognize that this industry’s growth is becoming unsustainable from a natural resource and economic perspective. How can we rely on outside people to prosper? Why can’t we build industry that’s managed, used, and operated by us locals..eg) large scale farming with export potential? Hotels are coming to an area near you!….Vigie, Reduit, Canelles, cas en Bas, Pt Seraphine, Rodney Bay, etc….let me buy a barge tun$$
The government should be embarrassed with that nonsense. Water is a necessity, and expecting to have this necessity without having to barge from another country or suffering the way we have been without water for such long periods should not be classified as a “Burden”.
The government had no problem spending exorbitant amounts of money on campaigning last election, they’ll have no problem putting millions of dollars into the Street party they call carnival. They need to get their act together and do what has to be done to alleviate the problem