There is not enough water in the Caribbean?
When you think of the Caribbean, you picture a tropical paradise of beaches and palm trees. Despite typical rainfall of around 2000 mm per year, however, the idyllic easternmost island of the Lesser Antilles suffers from a water shortage as there are no large collecting waterbodies.
Barbados does not share the volcanic origins of neighbouring islands, rather it is a porous limestone plateau formed from a coral reef. Barbadians, therefore, rely heavily on groundwater to provide for both them and ever-increasing numbers of tourists. Rising sea levels are, however, increasing groundwater salinity, and this is endangering their already crucial, and already under-pressure water resources.
Infrastructure of the British colony
Small island nations tend to suffer disproportionately from the consequences of climate change. In Barbados, which already has water supply availability problems, these effects are all the more acutely felt. “[…] our problems are exacerbated by the fact that we are wasting the very scarce resource of water. This is due to the outdated infrastructure. Most of it dates back to the time when Barbados was a British colony", explained Wilfred Abrahams, the then Minister for Energy and Water Resources, in an interview with the European Investment Bank (EIB) in 2020.
Infrastructure of the British colony
Small island nations tend to suffer disproportionately from the consequences of climate change. In Barbados, which already has water supply availability problems, these effects are all the more acutely felt. “[…] our problems are exacerbated by the fact that we are wasting the very scarce resource of water. This is due to the outdated infrastructure. Most of it dates back to the time when Barbados was a British colony", explained Wilfred Abrahams, the then Minister for Energy and Water Resources, in an interview with the European Investment Bank (EIB) in 2020.
Water Wednesday of BWA
Raising awareness of water resource scarcity, and developing comprehensive plans to tackle the problem, is of national importance in Barbados. In addition to laws enacted to preserve drinking water by prohibiting its use for purposes like washing cars, gardening or in swimming pools, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) reaches out to islanders directly, maintaining a close contact with regional media agencies, through its Water Wednesday television broadcasts, by holding regular public forums, and with hearings on individual projects.
Water Wednesday of BWA
Raising awareness of water resource scarcity, and developing comprehensive plans to tackle the problem, is of national importance in Barbados. In addition to laws enacted to preserve drinking water by prohibiting its use for purposes like washing cars, gardening or in swimming pools, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) reaches out to islanders directly, maintaining a close contact with regional media agencies, through its Water Wednesday television broadcasts, by holding regular public forums, and with hearings on individual projects.
Project processing 2024–2027 and construction period 2025–2026
The upgrading and expansion of the wastewater treatment plant in the Barbadian capital of Bridgetown is a sub-project being implemented during the period 2024 to 2027 under the Roots to Reef programme to improve the social, economic and ecological situation for the people of Barbados, improving their living conditions and opportunities by providing resilience against the worsening of climate change.
Project processing 2024–2027 and construction period 2025–2026
The upgrading and expansion of the wastewater treatment plant in the Barbadian capital of Bridgetown is a sub-project being implemented during the period 2024 to 2027 under the Roots to Reef programme to improve the social, economic and ecological situation for the people of Barbados, improving their living conditions and opportunities by providing resilience against the worsening of climate change.
(Kopie 4)
Expansion with 2nd and 3rd cleaning stages
Currently, wastewater in Bridgetown is treated according to international standards so that it can be discharged into the sea. In the future, this resource is to be used more intelligently: the quality of the treated water produced the plant is to be improved to a standard whereby it can be safely used for agricultural purposes, such as for irrigating plantations in the east of the city. Alternatively, the effluent shall be used to replenish the area’s groundwater aquifers.
(Kopie 5)
3rd treatment stage (micro-screening, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis)
In practical terms, the upgrading of the wastewater treatment plant means implementing and extending its secondary treatment ability and adding a third, purification stage. Through an advanced activated sludge treatment processes, nutrients will be removed, and the addition of ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis will remove pathogens and salts. Furthermore, to ensure high quality treatment is maintained, the plant’s measuring and monitoring technology will also be renewed.
3rd treatment stage (micro-screening, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis)
In practical terms, the upgrading of the wastewater treatment plant means implementing and extending its secondary treatment ability and adding a third, purification stage. Through an advanced activated sludge treatment processes, nutrients will be removed, and the addition of ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis will remove pathogens and salts. Furthermore, to ensure high quality treatment is maintained, the plant’s measuring and monitoring technology will also be renewed.
Project communication on equal terms
The Bridgetown treatment plant is situated directly adjacent to residential areas. Accordingly, the BWA takes the concerns of locals extremely seriously. To this end, there have so far been three public hearings relating to the plant upgrade, where water authority representatives and experts working on the project presented their plans and directly addressed questions from the public. Two of these hearings took place in nearby churches, however these unusual-seeming locations represent BWA’s approach of working in the very heart of the community it serves. Both meetings we well attended by both locals and the media.
Project communication on equal terms
The Bridgetown treatment plant is situated directly adjacent to residential areas. Accordingly, the BWA takes the concerns of locals extremely seriously. To this end, there have so far been three public hearings relating to the plant upgrade, where water authority representatives and experts working on the project presented their plans and directly addressed questions from the public. Two of these hearings took place in nearby churches, however these unusual-seeming locations represent BWA’s approach of working in the very heart of the community it serves. Both meetings we well attended by both locals and the media.
A visit to breakfast television
For engineers in DAHLEM’s International Department, the level of media attention was somewhat new and unusual. It is one thing to explain projects such as the upgrading of a treatment plant to project partners and residents, but it is quite another to do it on breakfast television! Our Project Manager, Thomas Neugebauer and the Project Manager from BWA, Shalley Parris nonetheless did a terrific job of answering questions during their recent appearance of Mornin’ Barbados.
A visit to breakfast television
For engineers in DAHLEM’s International Department, the level of media attention was somewhat new and unusual. It is one thing to explain projects such as the upgrading of a treatment plant to project partners and residents, but it is quite another to do it on breakfast television! Our Project Manager, Thomas Neugebauer and the Project Manager from BWA, Shalley Parris nonetheless did a terrific job of answering questions during their recent appearance of Mornin’ Barbados.
