Saint Lucians warned of possible drought

Monday, January 18, 2010 – Officials from the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), say they will continue to monitor closely the water situation on the island which is threatened by the possibility of a drought.

Deputy Director of NEMO, Mr. Julian Dubois, says there are contingency plans which will be implemented if the water situation worsens.

Those plans include activating the drought response plan and seeking assistance from regional and international institutions.

However, Mr Dubios is urging the citizenry to continue conserving water and adhere to the official information.

“We should not panic with regard to the forecast and what could possibly happen. As we say in disaster management circles, we have to plan for the worst but hope for the best; so we are planning for whatever may come our way.”

The ministry of health is also monitoring the situation closely and has vowed to ensure that the public supply of potable water is safe for consumption.

The ministry's representative, Wenn Gabriel, says although the situation has not reached one of crisis, the prolonged scarcity of clean water can pose serious implications for public health.

“Our institutions are operating as normal and there is always need for us to take measures to conserve water. Citizens should do all possible to use the public supply of pipe born water—try as much as possible not to use water from unofficial sources like rivers and springs, but if you have to use those sources ensure that you boil the water.”

In the coming days, it is expected that citizens will be affected by shortages in their water supply, as the authorities attempt to conserve and manage the depleted stock of water at various catchment sites.

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