By Sue-Ann Wayow
A $63 million water treatment plant was commissioned on Tuesday in Trincity.
The Trincity Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) located at the Macoya Industrial Estate is expected to serve seven communities.
The old WWTP facilitated 7,540 residents. With the expanded capacity, the plant will now benefit 17,080 people.
Speaking at the commissioning on Tuesday, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said, “The Trincity WWTP was over half a century old and in dire need of upgrades that would make it functional while bringing it in line with 21st century standards.
“By successfully implementing this project, WASA, under the guidance of MPU and with financing (US$50 million) from the Inter-American Development Bank, is heralding our intention to, bit by bit, and project by project, transformation of the waste and wastewater sector into a force to be reckoned with. It will be a sector that adequately meets the needs of the growing population, while under-girding the thrust towards our national sustainable development goals, as outlined by United Nations.”
The minister added that long-term plans have already been laid out for the development of large centralised wastewater treatment facilities in Maloney and Chaguanas.
Treating wastewater was more than just a public health issue but also environmental, agricultural and industrial, Gonzales said.
The city of San Fernando can expect another plan within a month’s time, the minister said.
And by the next of April, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is expected to receive the report from the transformation plan for the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
“The transformation is expected to be completed in a month’s time. It is on my desk. The board submitted it and it is currently being examined by the Cabinet sub-committee,” he said.
Earlier this month, Gonzales said that the ministry was working towards producing more water with the establishments of modulated water treatment plants in partnership with Canadian authorities.
He also said that WASA had not had a price increase in almost 30 years and within two weeks would have a new price rate ready to be submitted to the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC).
