The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has moved from over $19 million in the red to just between $8 and $12 million.
And, Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Dr. David Estwick, believes that on its current path, the BWA ???should move from being in the red to being in the black permanently??? within another 18 months to two years.
The Minister was addressing the official handing over of the BWA/Ionics Freshwater Limited mains laying programme at Birdies on the Green, Rockley Golf Club, on Wednesday.??
???The two areas that caused that, have been electricity costs and continued leakages from the pipes,??? Dr. Estwick stated.??He explained that previously, between 25,000 and 30,000 water meters stopped working after six to seven years because of age, while as much as 60 per cent of the water from the BWA was leaking back into the ground due to faulty mains.
However, the Agriculture Minister pointed out that the introduction of the new smart meter and the replacement of mains had resulted in a significant reduction in these losses.??Dr. Estwick also pledged that when the institution ???settled down??? in terms of its revenue generating capacity and the inefficiencies were managed, the workers would also see the benefits being reflected in their wages.
He contended that as long as persons received the necessary training, other types of human resource development and contributed to the organisation, they should be rewarded.?????I feel that if the Barbados Water Authority is involved in a project and it helps to create opportunities for saving money, they should benefit from some of that money as well,??? the Minister stated.
julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb