Barbados Water Authority
Encyclopedia
Barbados Water Authority Limited (BWA), a government statutory corporation
, is the sole provider of water services. Water supplied by the BWA in Barbados is pumped from wells within natural coral
aquifers. The geology of Barbados is mostly composed of karst
limestone
which acts as a filter medium within the aquifers. The water service in Barbados is reliable and the water supply is safe and refreshing to drink, although the water source naturally of high quality; the BWA treats the potable water supply with chlorine
to comply with World Health Organization
(WHO) standards.
and Williams Industries-owned coastal desalination
plant in Brighton, St. Michael.
Prior to the introduction of indoor plumbing to all of the houses on the island, it was a common practice for most areas in Barbados to have a communal
-based standpipe
. Neighbourhood standpipes have since been turned off at many points across the island due to several instances where persons were found using the standpipe to conduct things like washing their cars in order to avoid paying for the high water usage at their residence.
Statutory boards of the Barbadian Government
The statutory boards of the Barbados Government are organisations that have been given authority to perform certain functions in society. They usually report to one specific ministry.*Accreditation Council, The*Archives Advisory Committee, The...
, is the sole provider of water services. Water supplied by the BWA in Barbados is pumped from wells within natural coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
aquifers. The geology of Barbados is mostly composed of karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
which acts as a filter medium within the aquifers. The water service in Barbados is reliable and the water supply is safe and refreshing to drink, although the water source naturally of high quality; the BWA treats the potable water supply with chlorine
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
to comply with World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(WHO) standards.
Desalination plant
Due to high demand, the water supply in Barbados is supplemented by joint General ElectricGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
and Williams Industries-owned coastal desalination
Desalination
Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water...
plant in Brighton, St. Michael.
Distribution network
Typically, water is conveyed by pumps at the individual sources to elevated reservoirs for storage before distribution to consumers by gravity. The headquarters of the BWA are at The Pine in St Michael.Prior to the introduction of indoor plumbing to all of the houses on the island, it was a common practice for most areas in Barbados to have a communal
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
-based standpipe
Standpipe (street)
A standpipe is a freestanding pipe fitted with a tap which is installed outdoors to dispense water in areas which do not have a running water supply to the buildings....
. Neighbourhood standpipes have since been turned off at many points across the island due to several instances where persons were found using the standpipe to conduct things like washing their cars in order to avoid paying for the high water usage at their residence.
Further reading
- St. Michael BWRO Desalination Plant, Barbados
- About Ionics Freshwater Limited, Williams Industries
- Water and the Consumer - Barbados Ministry of Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Business Development
- Caves and landslips in Barbados - September 16, 2007: Barbados Advocate
External links
- Barbados Water Authority - BWA - Official website