Turks and Caicos water utility company implements temporary water restrictions

Turks and Caicos is experiencing an increased demand which has strained the water supply system, which has prompted the territory’s water utility company to apply water restrictions during the night in certain regions. The company has said that this step helps maintain the water supply to certain critical customers and locations.

Having said that, customers have spoken out against the Provo Water Company in recent days as instances of dry taps and long waiting times for the restoration of the water supply have become common.

Robert Hall, the Managing Director of Provo Water Company, issued a statement addressing customers directly, in which he explained that due to excessive demands during March 2024, the company has found it hard to maintain water levels at the Suzie Turn tank which handles two-thirds of the island’s water requirements.

Keeping this in mind, the Provo Water Company was forced to reduce the flow of water from the tank during the night which resulted in low water pressure in areas such as Lower Bight, Turtle Cove, Cheshire Hall, Blue Hills, Wheeland, Five Cays, South Dock and Chalk Sound.

Hall made it a point to highlight the fact that over the past three decades, the island has never witnessed such an issue with the water supply but this season has been quite unique in that regard.

Hall stated the following, “The demand on the water system was unparalleled with more than 73 million gallons alone used in March. This meant the Suzie Turn tank emptied more during the day than it filled overnight.”

Due to these reasons, the company had significant issues meeting the increased demand. Even though steps were taken to mitigate the effects of high demands, the company had to resort to limiting the flow of water from the Suzie Turn tank.

He also revealed that limiting the flow was a necessary step to ensure that critical clients to the west, such as the international airport and the hospital would have enough water to function without interruptions.

He went on to state that restricting the flow temporarily, allowed the company to cover the immediate risks posed, while also making sure that there was enough water to meet the next day’s demand.

Having said that, the public have been made aware that demand will be high during the Easter Holidays, which means that they must remain mindful of the circumstances as they unfold.

Provo has publicly stated that it is prepared to take a long-term approach to meet the needs of the Turks and Caicos Islands through the current spurt in growth and the increasing demand that comes with it. A major part of this thought process was Provo’s investment towards commissioning a water tank in the west. This tank is meant to hold 1.5 million gallons and cover the growing demand in that part of the region.

The company has already initiated work on a new 16-inch pipeline, which will increase the supply to the entire system from the production plant. Provo has also recommended that the pipeline along the Leeward Highway, supplying the Suze Turn tank should be improved while a new production plant is constructed in Wheeland.

Considering these initiatives and measure which are being employed by the Provo Water Company, Hall believes it is only right that customers practice water conservation in the meantime, especially in areas which do not have water restrictions in place.

The Provo Water Company issued a statement one week ago, in which it stated that the exceptionally high demand for water which is expected to last till the end of April 2024, has forced the company to apply water restrictions from 9:30 pm to 6 am.

The company has asked customers to remain aware of their water usage during this timeframe and keep water in reserve for their most basic needs.