By Clint Chan Tack Friday, January 11 2013

WATER Resources Minister, Ganga Singh, yesterday assured all domestic and industrial consumers, that they will continue to receive a reliable supply of potable water while the Desalcott plant at Point Lisas undergoes a planned shutdown for maintenance work from January 15 to January 24.

Singh also said the planned shutdown of the plant, which was built during his tenure as Public Utilities Minister in the former UNC government, does not justify the construction of a plant of similar size to provide the Point Lisas Industrial Estate with water.

In outlining the adjustments that will be made in water supply to different parts of Trinidad at the post-Cabinet news conference, Singh made it clear that the Estate will continue to receive its 24/7 water supply.

Indicating the total amount of potable water produced daily in the country was 224 million gallons, Singh explained that the Desalcott shutdown “would take out 30 million gallons from the availability of water into the system.”

“Notwithstanding the Desalcott shutdown and the deficit of 30 million gallons, 196 million will be available to the public. We have a plan to provide within that 196 million gallons, a continuous and reliable supply of water to domestic and industrial customers.”

Indicating that areas in Central Trinidad and Southwest Trinidad and some areas in North Trinidad will be affected by the shutdown, Singh highlighted some examples.

Areas in North Trinidad such as Morvant and Santa Cruz which receive a 24/3 or 24/75 supply will now receive a 24/2 or 24/3 supply. Places in South/Central such as La Lomas (where Singh lives) and St Margaret’s which now receive a 24/5 or 24/7 supply will now receive a 12/7 supply. In full page newspaper advertisements in Newsday on Monday, WASA listed all of the areas which will be affected by the shutdown, and the periods during which they will be receiving a water supply.

Singh stated that during the shutdown, “all our production facilities will be fully operational with 100 percent reliability.” “We will be re-allocating the daily production at Caroni which is currently at 75 million gallons per day. South will get 45 million gallons and North, 30 million gallons,” he disclosed. Singh explained “there will be the redistribution of water into Central, Southwest and southeast Trinidad” and a “further scheduling of water in the Central region to facilitate to southwest region.”