COMMUNICATION

  BY

 THE HON. BRADLEY B. ROBERTS M.P.

 MINISTER OF WORKS AND UTILITIES

 TO

 THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

ON THE STATE OF

  WATER AND SEWERAGE

IN

THE BAHAMAS

  DECEMBER 13^TH, 2006.

 NASSAU, BAHAMAS

Mr. Speaker, I rise as always on behalf of the Great Constituency of Bain and Grant’s Town.

 Members will recall the emphasis I gave to the provision of safe and reliable water supplies in my budget presentation on 19^th June, 2006. At that time, Mr. Speaker, I said that WATER IS THE ESSENCE OF LIFE – IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMODITY IN THE WORLD, and I went on to outline the measures that had, and were, being taken by the Christie’s Government to address the potable water needs of the Nation from May 2002, up to the time of my presentation.

 Mr. Speaker, the traditional method of obtaining water from ground resources is no longer a viable option in many parts of the Bahamas save and except in certain parts of Andros, Abaco, and Grand Bahama.

 Mr. Speaker, supplying water via Reverse Osmosis using sea water is now the preferred method to supply potable water for many parts of the Bahamas.

 Mr. Speaker, that been a reality I have been obliged   to give close attention to the water supply situation in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and I am pleased to report that there are presently more contracts in place to correct the serious deficiencies that I discovered when I became the Minister responsible for this vital and critical utility than there have ever been in the past.

 Mr. Speaker I am particularly proud of the number of projects that Perry Christie’s Government have initiated that will bring comfort and relief to those Bahamians that live in the  Family Islands, and these projects cover the small and remote locations like Ragged Island and Long Cay, as well as the larger islands like Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, and Andros.

 Mr. Speaker, in my address I gave mention to the ten (10) desalination plants that this Government had commissioned at the time, and the one that is now producing water in Central Eleuthera. I also mentioned that the capacity of the plant in George Town, Exuma, was to be increased and I am pleased to report that these negotiations have now been concluded. Mr. Speaker we are now about to finalize contracts for desalinated water to be provided in:

• Green Turtle Cay,  Abaco.
• Sweetings Cay, Grand Bahama.

And bids are being sought for plants in:

• Salina Point, Acklins
• Snug Corner, Acklins
• Albert Town, Long Cay
• Williams Town, Little Exuma.

 Mr. Speaker, I made mention of many projects in the islands where water supply systems were being extended to provide water to those who had access to none or where the supply was considered non-potable. I also mentioned projects where old corroded pipes were being replaced so that water quality would be acceptable and losses due to leakage reduced.

 Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that we have replaced the mains that had to be replaced in Mangrove Bush, Long Island. In addition to this contracts were signed and have been completed to run new water mains from North Victoria Hill to United Estates in San Salvador, and from Steventon to Rolleville in Great Exuma. In Great Exuma we are also replacing mains in communities like Harts, Ramsey, Mount Thompson, The Forest, and Old Place, as well as the community of Rolleville itself, and at last we will soon be bringing water to Alien Town, Stuart Manor, and Curtis, as well as Williams Town,  and I have given instructions to the Water and Sewerage Corporation to include the extension of services to Barreterre as a component of the Exuma project.

 Mr. Speaker, I am sure you were pleased that contracts were signed to replace the old deficient mains in Upper and Lower Bogue, James Cistern, North and South Palmetto Point, Savannah Sound, and Bannerman Town, Eleuthera. These contracts worth more than $2 million were all signed with local contractors, and this too is a policy of the Government wherever this is feasible.

 Mr. Speaker, similar contracts using local contractors have also been signed to extend service in Coopers Town, Abaco, and extend service and replace mains in Stafford Creek and Behring Point, Andros.

Mr. Speaker, an arrangement is in place for the Abaco Club in Winding Bay, Abaco, to install a transmission main to Cherokee Sound and to install a distribution system in the settlement. Once this is completed these persons will have access to the same water as the property owners in the Abaco Club.

 Mr. Speaker, I mentioned that water produced by reverse osmosis would be provided in Acklins and Long Cay, and to make this water available to homeowners contracts have been agreed to provide distribution systems in Salina Point, and Snug Corner and Mason’s Bay, and also Albert Town. Once again we will be using local contractors.

 Mr. Speaker, in addition to the projects I have mentioned above I would also like to list the following projects that are now underway or completed:

• Upgrading the transmission main to Sandy Point and putting in a new storage tank, and pumping station.
• Installing a new 250,000 gallon storage tank at the Bogue, Eleuthera,
• Installing new storage tanks in The Bluff, South Andros, and Mangrove Cay,
• Installing a new well field in Colonel Hill, Crooked Island,
• Installing community wells in other settlements in Crooked Island,
• Upgrading the storage tanks at the Naval Base in Eleuthera,
• Upgrading the Corporation’s offices throughout the islands where improved customer service is required.
• Mr. Speaker, to follow up on my mandate I have also given instructions to address the following needs:
• The provision of a new source of supply to meet the needs of the Rock Sound and Tarpum Bay areas of Eleuthera.
• The extension of service in South Andros to provide water produced by reverse osmosis to Smith’s Hill, Kemps Bay, Black Point, Deep Creek, Little Creek, Pleasant Bay and Mars Bay.
• Extending service in Mathew Town, Inagua, to provide water to the new areas of growth,
• Installing a new water system in the Eastern sector of Grand Bahama to provide water to Freetown, and the Bevans Town area,
• Developing new water systems in Crooked Island to provide good quality water in Colonel Hill, Church Grove, Cabbage Hill, and Landrail Point.
• The expansion of water supply systems in Long Island.
• Working in partnership with the anchor projects in Mayaguana and Rum Cay to ensure all the residents in these islands benefit from the new water systems that will be developed in these islands.
• Developing plans to address the needs of Cat Island, other sectors of San Salvador like Sugar Loaf and Long Bay, and Little Exuma.

 Mr. Speaker, the Water and Sewerage Corporation is moving ahead as fast as it can in providing high quality water supplies in the Family Islands. Much has been done and more remains to be done. As I have said on every occasion available potable water is my priority and it will be made accessible to every Bahamian resident, and of course our valuable visitors. Because it is a costly commodity we will need to use initiatives and new methods to provide it in this archipelagic nation where duplication of services is a major problem.

 Mr. Speaker, sewerage is another serious issue that must be addressed in the islands, and as a start we are ensuring that the anchor projects and all new developments have central sewerage systems with proper treatment and disposal, and all marinas will have to pump out facilities. We must preserve our pristine environment because that is what attracts important visitors to our shores. Every Bahamian should be aware of this important role and they are strongly encouraged to work with the Government to improve and maintain acceptable standards.

 Mr. Speaker, you will have taken note that I have only addressed the needs of the Family Islands up to this point. However New Providence, our capital city, Nassau, has its own significant needs and these too are being addressed.

Mr. Speaker, I embraced this opportunity to warmly thank our warm and caring Prime Minister and the entire Cabinet for been sensitive to the urgent need to provide funding for these vital potable water projects.

 I also thank the Board of Directors, Executive Management and the entire staff of the Water and Sewerage Corporation for their support of the Government’s unprecedented aggressive program to bring potable to all Bahamians where ever they are in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I wish to re-emphasize that WATER IS THE ESSENCE OF LIFE – IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMODITY IN THE WORLD.

May Almighty God continue to bless the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.