Basseterre, St. Kitts – In the world of Rotary, March is recognized as “Water and Sanitation Month”. To this end, members of the Rotary Club of Liamuiga used its Breakfast Meeting on Wednesday 15th March 2023, to focus on the topic of water in St. Kitts.
Leading the discussion was Mr. Ryan Phillip, Assistant Water Engineer, at the St. Kitts Water Services Department, who spoke to members about the value of this precious resource.
According to Mr. Phillip, “over the last decade, there has been an increased demand for water while simultaneously a decrease in the supply of water from the island’s traditional sources, caused by several factors, including lower average annual rainfall and the impact of climate change.”
As part of the engaging and interactive presentation, Phillip also noted that two desalination plants are due to be constructed in the short to medium term with additional drilling for new wells to be undertaken to improve the situation.
The environmentalist and climate scientist advised Rotarians to employ water conservation measures. Siting examples such as taking shorter showers, using water-saving devices on taps and lavatories, and the need to look at harvesting rainwater from roofs using cisterns and/or water tanks.
With World Water Day being celebrated on 22 March 2023, the Rotary Club of Liamuiga joins with the St Kitts Water Services Department is asking all persons on St. Kitts and Nevis, to play their part in the conservation practices.
The annual observance which began in 1993, celebrates water and raises awareness of the two (2) billion people living without access to safe water.