Due to lagging production and the possibility that Hurricane Ivan may affect The Bahamas, the Water and Sewerage Corporation has announced that water is now being rationed.
The programme will be in effect for the next three to five days between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., and also between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Glen Laville, W&SC Acting Deputy General Manager told the Guardian.
“We have to ration it until our production capacity is back to full and right now we have a reduced production because we haven’t gotten our wellfields in New Providence on yet, and shipping isn’t fully re-established. So until we get all of those things into place we will have to ration it,” Mr Laville said.
However, there was no need to panic, he advised.
Reserves low
Prior to the approach of Hurricane Frances, the Corporation maintained a sufficient supply level to allow consumers to store water for the period following the hurricane, he said.
But this has left the corporation’s storage levels extremely low, he continued.
“In terms of New Providence, we haven’t had any major infrastructural damages. Most of our loss of supply came through power outages. So we are working very closely with BEC on that matter. As of today (Sunday), we have re-established shipping from North Andros. It is at a reduced rate because one of our tankers got some slight damage during the hurricane. So we are gonna get that repaired,” Mr Laville said.
Water safe, but ‘boil it’
Mr. Laville assured consumers that the supplies are disinfected and chlorinated.
“But as with all storms, the standard procedure is that any water for potable (use), we would advise consumers to boil the water prior to potable use. We are also asking customers to implement conservation measures during this time. I think everybody is aware that there is another storm that could possibly hit The Bahamas in a short while. So we have to be cognizant of that fact,” said Mr. Laville.
Family Island supplies ‘OK’
As for the Family Islands, he said, water supply systems are normal in: Inagua, Long Island, Exuma, Central and South Andros, parts of North Andros, Berry Islands, San Salvador and South Eleuthera.
He said the Corporation is still awaiting full damage assessments from Acklins, Crooked Islands, Mayaguana, Rum Cay, North Eleuthera, the Abaco cays and Bimini. Grand Bahama is under the operation of the Grand Bahama Utility Company and an assessment will be given via this entity, he noted.
Water barging problems
Mr Laville said that W&SC staff on Sunday along with Prime Minister Perry Christie and several Cabinet members visited some of the islands affected to conduct preliminary assessments.
He said that shipping operations were being hampered In North Andros due to one of the buoys being out of place but a crew has been dispatched to correct the situation.
“We are also working with BEC to re-establish our range lights so that shipping operations can come back to a hundred percent,” he said. “In the North Andros wellfields, we are presently at 50 per cent capacity. One area is totally flooded…all of the electrical motors are underwater. So it will be some time before that is re-established and we are awaiting an assessment from our electrician as to when we can safely re-establish supply.”
Vanessa Rolle, The Nassau Guardian
