Vincentians are being advised to store sufficient water at the homes, as the Central Water and Sewerage Authority says St. Vincent and the Grenadines is in the midst of one of its worst droughts in recent history.
From a regional perspective, the Barbados Met Services has reported that the drought conditions being experienced, are the worst in 72 years and International Experts have indicated that the low rainfall totals are expected to continue into 2020.
The CWSA says for the first four months of the year, all five of the major water systems, have on average experienced rainfall amounts totaling 40 percent below the ten year average.
Rainfall for April was 60 percent below the average monthly figure, while rainfall for the month of May has fallen from 248 mm in 2019 to just 48 mm in 2020.
At present the CWSA is operating at 35 percent of its capacity at the five sources and is now no longer able to supply over 50 percent of its customers with the customary 24 hour 7 says a week service
The CWSA has now joined Barbados; St. Lucia; Grenada and Trinidad in once again implementing an extended system of water rationing to try, as far as possible to achieve an equitable distribution of water during the 24 hour period.
The Company also stated that given the unpredictability of water use and the continuing reduction in river flows, that there is no guarantee that it may always meet the scheduled times for turning on and off the water supplies.
