Sixty per cent water rate hike in Barbados

Saturday, November 21, 2009 4:36 PM

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by YVETTE BEST

Friday, July 03, 2009

Barbadians can expect a 60 per cent increase in water rates as of this week.

Acting Minister of the Environment, Water Resources and Drainage Senator Haynesley Benn, revealed the approved increase by Government at a two-day Water Operators Conference at Divi Southwinds Beach Resort, St Lawrence, Christ Church.

"I am trusting that once the rates go up, I suspect from just Bds$20 a month, it's going to go like $32. Don't bother about the percentage increase, dollar value, $20 to $32 sounds steep to some people, but I'm hoping that they would minimise our use of water. We must not be forever labelled a water scarce country," he added.

With the increase, Benn said he hoped Barbadians would adopt some conservation practices.

"As water rates go up, I'm trusting that Barbadians would find sensible ways to save water throughout the house."

He said there were areas where workers at the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) could help save water, but were hampered sometimes because of how the system worked.

He gave an example of workmen being sent out on a particular site but were unable to effect repairs in an area close by, because they had to get the proper paperwork and instruction from the office first. Meantime, water was gushing down the drain.

In view of that, Benn said he was looking to the implementation of the Cabinet-approved 24-hour work system for key operations at the BWA.

"This will obviously affect the pocket book of some people who take home three, four thousand dollars a week for overtime, and there are some people who do that.

"The process to make this happen is being undertaken as we speak, since the negotiations with the unions are necessary before any changes can be effected," he added.

Benn, who is minister of agriculture, also encouraged the relevant ministries to come up with an integrated approach to ensure that water was harvested.

People in the farming community were also encouraged to operate with the scarce water supply in mind.

Prime Minister David Thompson gave notice of a water rate hike during his presentation of the 2009 Financial Statement And Budgetary Proposals last month.

While addressing BWA workers close to two weeks ago, Thompson said the exact rate would have been known by the time Cabinet met last week.

He said the technical officials would have made recommendations by that time.