The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has embarked on a project to install three new pipelines to improve its water supply infrastructure for the parishes of St. Philip and Christ Church.

It was launched today by Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resources Management, Dr. David Estwick, during a ground-breaking ceremony for the Mains Water Pipeline Extension Project at the Belle Pumping Station.

The joint public/private sector project is being facilitated by the BWA and Ionics Pipelines Inc., at an estimated cost of BDS $30 million.

The new pipelines, of approximately 63,000 feet or 19 km, will see the first one being run from the Belle Pumping Station to the JTC Ramsey roundabout, the second main will begin at the Fort George Reservoir and culminate at the Searles roundabout, while the final main will begin at Brittons Reservoir, St. Michael and end at Providence Reservoir in Christ Church.

Minister Estwick said that the BWA had to upgrade and expand its water supply infrastructure in order to meet the demand for commercial and housing development proposals which were submitted to the Town Planning Development Office for lots in Christ Church and St. Philip during the last six years.

???Recognising these challenges, the BWA initiated an exercise to review a number of options. The option bearing the most promising outcome for satisfying the water demand in these parishes involves transferring water from the Desalination Plant at Spring Garden to some areas currently supplied by the Belle pumping station while concomitantly transferring the equivalent amount of water from the Belle to those deficient areas,??? he added.

Three private entities have been awarded the contracts through a tendering process by Ionics Pipelines Inc. to cut the pipe tracks, while the installation of the pipes will be carried out by BWA personnel.

aisha.reid@barbados.gov.bb

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