Saint Lucia’s Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) welcomes the island’s participation in continuing efforts to better manage wastewater and wetlands’ with help from neighbours in Martinique in a Caribbean project that carries nature and water to preserve and protect the island’s ecosystems.
WASCO is a local stakeholder in the Caribbean Cooperation for Wastewater Treatment Inspired by Nature (CARIBSAN), a regional project researching and training participants to develop technology for treatment of wetlands in Cuba, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint Lucia.
The water company’s Communication and Marketing Manager, Sherry-Ann Gillard, who participated in discussions and tours here last week by a CARIBSAN team from neighbouring Martinique to examine the state of local efforts to address wetland and wastewater problems, says WASCO welcomes the project’s objectives, particularly those regarding wastewater management.
“We’re very excited about it, because our focus is always on potable water, even though we also have responsibility for sewerage,” Gillard said.
“This project will further propel us in that direction,” she added.
The CARIBSAN project involves using natural means to treat wastewater, including use of the popular ‘Bird of Paradise’ plant (available across the region).
The company doesn’t have wetland treatment plants, but operates a wastewater treatment plant at Beausejour treating waste from hotels, businesses and residential areas in the North.
According to Mrs Gillard: “The CARIBSAN project is sure to offer us some interesting perspective on how best to harness nature to treat wastewater.”
The EUR 1.7 million project is co-financed by the European Union (EU) through the INTERREG Caraibes programme, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Water Offices (ODE) of Martinique and Guadeloupe, with coordination in Saint Lucia by the locally-based Caribbean Water and Sewerage Association (CAWASA).
Ti Kaye Resort in Anse la Raye also participated in the CARIBSAN meetings.