Water system upgrade coming

BARBADOS TODAY OFFICIALLY launched a multimillion dollar Inter-American Development Bank-funded project to upgrade its water and sanitation systems.

Minister with responsibility for water resources management Dr David Estwick said during the ground-breaking ceremony in St Philip that the wide-ranging project would tackle a number of problems.

These include loss of water because of old mains; the Barbados Water Authority’s high electricity bill; water not being accounted for by the BWA’s metering system; the turbidity problem at one pumping station; and the need for more water to be pumped across the island.

The IDB is making a total of $86 million available to Barbados for the project but Dr Estwick said other funding agencies were involved in the many projects being undertaken by the Barbados Water Authority. These include the Caribbean Development Bank, which is expected to lend the BWA $70 million to improve its potable water distribution infrastructure. (TY)