00:00While we are not fully into the middle of the dry season, it is going to be
00:07peaking in a matter of weeks or towards the end of March. Keith Roy-Halliday,
00:11the Chief Executive Officer of the Water and Sewage Authority, WASA, speaking
00:16during a media conference on Saturday. This was before Shiria Ali, WASA's
00:20Director of Water Management Services for Northeast Trinidad, said the
00:24authority is carefully managing the water supply in its reservoirs in
00:29Tobago and South and North Trinidad. Specifically within the Northeast
00:34District, our largest reservoirs, the Kearney Arena and Hollis Reservoirs,
00:40which combined serve approximately 55% of the population through the Kearney
00:46and Hollis water treatment facilities. Water levels have started to decline
00:50somewhat further as conditions in a dry season have started to peak with higher
00:55temperatures and minimal rainfall. Director Ali mentioned that the Hollis
01:00Reservoir began the year at full capacity, allowing for the safe
01:04distribution of over nine million gallons of water per day to customers.
01:09Although maximum production was maintained in January and somewhat in
01:15February, some decline has started to be observed at the lake, at Hollis, and as
01:21such, the authority will be taking immediate steps to manage this resource
01:28significantly in terms of our scheduling and in terms of our production at the
01:33facility. Director Ali explained that while there was some recovery due to
01:38rainfall in January, there was a sharp decline in February with rainfall
01:43recorded at only 44 millimeters. It is expected that further cutbacks will be
01:49made as deemed necessary to ensure sustainability of supply for the
01:54remainder of the dry season. As a result, water distribution schedules in several
02:00areas may be adjusted as required to ensure the equitable distribution of
02:06water to all of our customers. Some areas that will be impacted will include
02:11areas in the east, such as the Aremo-Ul Road, La Florissant, Lillian Heights, up to
02:16Aruka. These measures will also extend beyond these areas. And in areas in the
02:22west, being fed off the Val Zane and El Secoro booster stations, such as
02:27Barataria, Santa Cruz Sour, up to St. James. Areas in central and south, such as
02:33St. Helena, Chagona, San Fernando, up to Faisabad. As we continue to implement
02:38strategies to mitigate the impact of the dry season, I wish to crucially remind
02:43each of our stakeholders to adopt a more responsible water conservation
02:50practice. CEO Halliday spoke about other measures being undertaken by WASA as he
02:56referred to the district managed by Sharon Bailey, the authorities director
03:01of water management for Central. We have some projects that are coming on stream
03:05in the near future. We have two additional wells that we expect to, you
03:11know, get started soon that would bring some relief to that area. We also have
03:17the age pipeline replacement project, which is due to start soon in Freeport.
03:22And a number of other areas that we're seeking to enhance or improve a water
03:27supply, to the fixing of leaks, to the replacement and, I should say, the
03:34repairs to a number of facilities. WASA's CEO said the authorities mitigation
03:39measures did not start this week or last month.
03:43Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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