WASA is flushing lines after discoloured water reached homes. Officials say the water remains safe for domestic use.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) said this week it is flushing the network in affected areas to clear temporary water discolouration. The authority linked the problem to a recent scheduled maintenance shutdown at the Desalination Company of Trinidad and Tobago, known as Desalcott. WASA said adjustments made to the transmission system during the shutdown, followed by the return of normal pressure, left some customers with discoloured water. It said the water remains safe for domestic use and advised affected customers to run their taps for a few minutes to flush their internal plumbing.
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath gave a similar account in Parliament on Wednesday, answering a question from Opposition Whip Marvin Gonzales. Padarath said the pressure changes disturbed sediment in sections of the network. He said recent rainfall had also stirred up sediment at water treatment facilities, making it harder to filter out sand and dirt. He said the problem is not limited to areas served by Desalcott or the Caroni Water Treatment Plant and has affected parts of north, central and south Trinidad. He noted that a similar episode occurred in 2022. Asked when it would be resolved, he said WASA had advised that remediation work is continuing, and he gave no timeline.
Residents in some communities say conditions have been worse than WASA’s description suggests. Residents of St. James told Guardian Media the water has been brown, and in some cases almost black, since the weekend. They said it has affected cooking, laundry and bathing, and some households are buying bottled water. Residents also reported discoloured water in storage tanks, filtration systems and swimming pools. One Morvant resident said repeated attempts to reach WASA went unanswered. Residents are asking the authority to explain the cause, say how long the problem will last and confirm whether flushing is under way in their areas.
Separately, WASA said the Seven Seas Desalination Plant would remain out of service for a further 24 hours for emergency repairs to a 24-inch main that carries water from the plant into the distribution system. The authority said customers in several Central and South West communities could face supply disruptions. The affected areas include Vance River, Guapo, Gonzales, Egypt Village, New Lands, Vessigny, Parrylands, Cochrane, Mahaica, Fanny Village, Harriman Park, Clifton Hill and Cap-de-Ville. Truck-borne water is available on request.
Customers can contact WASA’s Customer Contact Centre toll-free at 800-4420 or 800-4426, or use the WASA Service App or the Customer Portal on its website. The authority’s hotline for requesting truck-borne water is 800-4H2O. WASA apologized for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their patience.
Information for this report came from the Water and Sewerage Authority and the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian.