Water shortage still possible,
residents urged to save water
PHILIPSBURG--Even though the Dutch side is already receiving approximately 1,000 cubic metres of water daily from the French side water authorities, some districts may still expect irregular water shortages until the supply from the new water plant comes online by the end of December.
Residents are therefore urged to take conservation measures. An additional 500 cubic metres of water daily for the short-term via a second water connection with the French side is being worked on to alleviate the water shortage.
GEBE regrets the inconvenience caused due to the water shortage. However, this was a result of the consumption outpacing the production, Government Information Service (GIS) stated in a press release issued on Friday.
GEBE is responsible for the distribution of water, while the production of water is the responsibility of the Island Government. The total amount of water available from all sources the past couple of days was 10,500 cubic metres while consumption was 12,400 cubic metres.
The main water supplier Enerserve has experienced some difficulties and was not able to produce its maximum amount of 12,500 cubic meters per day, the press release stated.
“Enerserve has been working diligently and has been pushing the water production operations to the limit, in order to meet consumer demands. GEBE will continue to source water from Aqua Design and the French side as long as the water shortage persists,” GIS said.
Due to the high demand for water, GEBE was not able to maintain the normal amount of water in the storage tanks. These tanks will be replenished as much as possible during low consumption periods, such as the evening hours.
“Technicians have been working around the clock to make sure that the inconvenience to the general public is limited to an absolute minimum. GEBE is asking for the public to continue to conserve water until this challenge has been surpassed.
“Conservation helps ensure that our water supply is adequate. GEBE is not able to notify water consumers when a specific district will be without water.
“In the case of electricity, a load-shedding schedule can be accurately made. However, this is not possible where water is concerned. Many factors play a role, such as the level of water in the different storage tanks, water production, water demand in a specific area during a specific time, and the different elevations and complexity of the distribution network.”
Residents are therefore urged to take the following conservation measures:
Use a cistern if you have one.
Have several buckets of water (covered to prevent mosquito breeding) on hand that can be used to flush toilets, bathe and wash dishes in case there is a disruption in the water service.
Don’t run water unnecessarily.
Turn water off while shaving, brushing teeth and scrubbing dishes.
Defrost frozen food in the fridge overnight instead of using water to thaw it.
Scrape dishes instead of rinsing them.
Don’t use a dishwasher, or only run full loads.
Don’t wash your vehicle.
Take short showers instead of baths.
Use washing machines efficiently by only running full loads.
Keep swimming pools covered when not in use.
Water plants at night and only when necessary. You can use the runoff water from your washing machine on your plants.
