00:00This is WAX, WASA's state-of-the-art operations command system which now
00:06allows the authority to get real-time updates on the water infrastructure
00:09across both Trinidad and Tobago. In the past it's quite unfortunate that
00:17disruptions would have been heard on national media or people taking to
00:22social media and Facebook to criticize the authority where they would hear for
00:25the very first time that our communities out of water for two months and three
00:29months as the case may be. With this operational control center now in place
00:32they can monitor the entire distribution system so that whenever there is a
00:38disruption the authority will be able to respond almost in real time even before
00:42the customers knowing that there is a disruption in the system. So it provides
00:46a very powerful tool. The system and command center was provided locally at a
00:52cost of 18 million dollars, one-of-a-kind in the region. This system
00:58you know it has really brought WASA from 20, 30 years in operation back to now
01:03being the leader in water management in Trinidad and Tobago. Not even Jamaica has a
01:09system of this nature, not even Bahamas has a system of this nature. The Minister
01:13is assuring that the value will show itself in the greatly improved customer
01:17service as well as the authorities ability to mitigate against sabotage.
01:22Had this system been in operation after the first week of Mon Diablo not getting
01:29water this system would have alluded the management of WASA that something is
01:33wrong in Mon Diablo and it's the same thing that's going to happen all over
01:36this country that wherever you have a disruption be it from a mechanical
01:41perspective be it man-made sabotage and what have you this system will tell you
01:45that something is wrong and that appropriate action is needed. That is the
01:50value of this investment. The system is manned 24-7 by engineers trained by the
01:56authority. Customers calling into the call center will be greeted by an
02:01automated rep and routed accordingly but with the introduction of walks they're
02:06expected to be much fewer in number. So the days of water protests are over? I will
02:12never see days of water protests. That would be a very very serious statement
02:16to me but what I can assure the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago is that we have now
02:20invested in a modern system and a facility that will put in WASA's
02:29possession automation and technology that will be able to identify when you
02:36have disruptions on your system so that you will not have to take the protest
02:40action. Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
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