STUCO’s new pump house will have the capacity to transport four times the current water consumption needs in St. Eustatius on its completion in October 2020.
- EUSTATIUS--St. Eustatius Utility Company STUCO made potable water available to the public for fifteen hours on Monday, June 8, an action that was repeated on Tuesday, June 9, for another fifteen hours, while monitoring pending works yet to be completed.
Water will be available again today, Thursday, June 11, from 5:00am to 8:00pm. Barring any “spontaneous developments”, the company intends to continue with this trend while monitoring consumption until Saturday, when STUCO will be carrying out “corrective” works on the main water-transport line.
This is all part of the company’s efforts to decrease the hours of water rationing to its customers. Depending on the stability of the water level in the storage tank, the utility company hopes to add one hour to each block in the morning as well as in the evening.
STUCO instituted water rationing due to the drought and constant leaks in its water distribution system. Therefore, water was only made available to customers 5:00-8:00am and 5:00-8:00pm.
STUCO’s Chief Executive Officer Fred Cuvalay said that during the “crisis” Queen Beatrix Medical Centre, St. Eustatius Auxiliary Home and the low-income houses had water available continuously, but all other clients were rationed.
“STUCO covers the entire island with the supply of electricity to our 1,850 clients. However, with last month’s billing only 39 per cent, or 723 clients, had made use of our metered water connections, as well as some others by truck.”
Cuvalay said the company recognises that a number of its customers do not have a cistern or adequate water storage at home. For this reason, STUCO has decided to provide additional support for this group of customers at no cost to fill any storage they have on hand between the rationing hours during the daytime.
“Secondly, for those customers in Princess and Upper Princess, who at times have been left without water during rationing, we provide additional support with the delivery of some water at no cost,” Cuvalay said.
STUCO is advising persons not to fill up the cisterns. However, should customers have an empty cistern and want water, they can proceed to purchase a half load of water at STUCO’s main office as usual.
“If we are unable to supply you, then we provide you with the option to pick up water at no cost while providing for your own transportation. Also, should you be without water in your cistern and in dire need with no means to acquire water, being a customer of STUCO, we can evaluate your situation on a case-by-case basis and deliver you a free half load of water. All other cases would have to purchase a half load of water,” Cuvalay said, adding that water should be consistently available to customers during rationing.
