Long Island, Bahamas.    In its continuing effort to provide potable water to all residents throughout the Bahamas, the Government of the Bahamas, through the Water and Sewerage Corporation, and with the support of the CDB awarded the first contract to extend the central water distribution system southward from Turtle Cove to Clarence Town, and north from Grays to Salt Pond. At the conclusion of this project, some 45,000 feet of 4” PVC pipe and 15,000 feet of 2” PVC pipe would have been installed to service more than 200 additional customers; all of whom will be supplied by the existing Reverse Osmosis (R/O) water plant located in Deadman’s Cay. These works are currently underway. 

More populated regions of Long Island have also been identified and it was further agreed to provide relief to residents north and south of the Simms Settlement. Consequently, the existing distribution in Simms will be extended to Millertons in the North and Wymms southward by some 37,000 feet of 4” and 31,000 feet of 2” PVC pipe to service some 180 additional customers. All of these residents will be serviced by the R/O plant located in Simms.   

SOUTHERN RESIDENTS:

As a first stage effort to bring similar relief to residents in the South, six (6) high density polyethylene plastic water tanks each with a capacity of 5,000 imperial gallons, were purchased and installed in several sparsely populated settlements South of Clarence town to provide potable water service to these residents and added resilience during hurricane season, when roads may be impassable.  Single stand-alone tanks are now installed in Roses, Mortimors and Berrys such that customers in this region have access to potable water. In the interim these tanks effectively act as Government Stand-pipes which will be regularly filled by water tanker trucks.  In the longer term individual metering systems will be implemented for full accountability. 

The settlement of Dunmores was found to be in a favourable location with elevation such that customers could receive water direct to their homes through gravity feed. It was therefore decided to install a local distribution system network consisting of some 1,000 feet of 2” PVC pipe such that customers could receive potable water from the total 15,000-gallon storage located at this site.  All tanks will securely anchored to the base and will be regularly serviced with tankered potable water. Ten connections have already been installed and residents now have running water in their homes.  These types of systems greatly assist in reaching smaller separated communities.

Eventually, a small pumping station will be installed to improve pressures and so that the distribution system could be extended to pick up additional customers.   As a result of these efforts, over 200 residents now have access to potable water.

The Water and Sewerage Corporation was established through an Act in 1976 with full responsibilities for managing, maintaining, distributing and developing the water resources of The Bahamas. The Corporation has a team of over 400 dedicated employees in New Providence and the Family Islands, committed to the growth and excellence in service quality, which is the key driving force that guides and sustains the relationships with customers, employees, and communities served by the Corporation. Through a loan with the IDB in 2011 the Water and Sewerage Corporation has developed the WSC Support Program to address Non-Revenue Reduction, WSC Institutional Strengthening, Rehabilitation and Upgrade of Wastewater Infrastructure and Preparation of a Wastewater Treatment Master Plan and an upgrade of the Legal and Regulatory Framework. The Support Program will ultimately improve the quality of water and service to customers.