Padarath mandates WASA to fix leaks

Water and Sewerage Authority workers repair a leak at Caribbean Drive, Point Lisas. - Photo courtesy Ministry of Public Utilities

MINISTER of Public Utilities Barry Padarath has mandated the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to expand leak detection and repair nationwide aggressively as it intensifies its Leak Management Programme at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.

A Ministry of Public Utilities release on January 13 said WASA has partnered closely with the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation (Plipdeco) over the last month to identify and address several long-standing leaks within the estate.

It said joint technical inspections confirmed 15 major leaks, nine of which are affecting high-demand petrochemical, ammonia, methanol, steel, and gas-processing facilities. Some of these leaks, it said, persisted for up to six years, largely due to underground congestion and access challenges. Collectively, these failures resulted in an estimated six million imperial gallons per day (IMGD) in water losses, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in treated water wasted, while communities across Central and South Trinidad endured low pressures and rotation schedules. Five of these major leaks are currently under active repair, with works being strategically sequenced to safely navigate underground hazards, including high-pressure gas pipelines, hydrogen and carbon dioxide manifolds, high-voltage T&TEC circuits, and telecommunications infrastructure.

The leaks identified were at the Corner of Atlantic and Pacific Avenue, Atlantic Avenue and Caspian Drive (Triangle), West of Atlantic Avenue and Caspian Drive (Triangle), LP #7 Amazon Drive (TSTT), LP #9 Amazon Drive, Methanex Driveway, Caribbean Drive, AUM Plant North, Caribbean Drive, South of Nu Iron, Caribbean Drive, and one at Brechin Castle requiring shutdown and heavy excavation. It said a preliminary investigation was ongoing into this major leak.

"It is deeply concerning that many of these leaks were reported to WASA as far back as 2020 and left unattended by the former WASA administration under the PNM government, despite the growing strain on national water supplies and the hardship faced by thousands of residential customers," the release said.

Minister Padarath emphasised that engineering complexity is not a justification for neglect.

“While citizens were asked to accept water shortages, known leaks of national significance were ignored for years. This government has the political will to confront inherited failures, no matter how complex, and to protect water security for households, communities, and industry alike.”

The ministry said the repairs are expected to be completed by the end of January.

Padarath said: “Leak management is a part of the multi-dimensional approach to achieving our Water for All mandate. This is what responsible governance looks like: confronting inherited failures, fixing what was ignored, and putting water back where it belongs in the taps of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Meanwhile, a post on Padarath's Facebook page on January 14 said the minister, through WASA, established four tank farms in Penal with a combined storage capacity of 80,000 gallons. It said the short to medium term measure would bring relief to the people of Penal, ensuring water for all.