STUCO staff posing for a photo, with chief executive officer Fred Cuvalay (centre) and to his right, office manager Beulah Simmons-Merkman.
ST. EUSTATIUS--The mood at St. Eustatius Utility Company STUCO was both reflective and hopeful when the company held its 27th annual New Year’s Party at Mike van Putten Youth Centre/Lions Den, on Saturday, February 6.
In attendance at the dinner was STUCO’s chief executive officer (CEO) Fred Cuvalay, Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij, Acting Government Commissioner Alida Francis, Island Council Members Rechelline Leerdam, Adelka Spanner, Reuben Merkman, Clyde van Putten and Koos Sneek, STUCO’s staff and invited guests. The evening featured speeches and give-aways, as well as food and dancing.
After Cuvalay asked for one minute of silence in honour of STUCO employee Wilhelm Jarvis, who passed away, STUCO’s CEO reminisced about the problems the company had in regard to the water situation last year.
“We have had quite a challenging year with respect to the consistent delivery of drinking water, challenged by a failing water-transport line, adding to that the coming of COVID, the attached importance of having water available for washing of hands, and on top of that the prolonged presence of the drought and no rain.”
The water situation led to calls from colleagues on other islands enquiring as to how they could help, to discussions on the floor of Parliament in the Netherlands, and brought STUCO in the view of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water management, as well as the Ombudsman.
Dignitaries at the STUCO’s New Year’s gala.
Cuvalay stated that the company was aware of the water issues and had gone about seeking means to alleviate and solve the issues. “Three projects had already been approved and were in the execution phase to remedy the three major points of attention with respect to the delivery of drinking water from the ocean to the faucet at your homes.”
These projects were the expansion of the company’s water production capacity to meet the present and growing demand for water, the replacement and extension of the drinking water transport-line with expanded capacity, and the construction of a new storage tank.
In May 2020, at the height of the drinking water rationing crisis, when water was only available for six hours per day, STUCO received negative publicity and critique, which led to consternation, uncertainty and frustration.
Cuvalay said the projects would be ready in five to six months, which seemed to be quite an ambitious target with the projects starting in August 2020.
On June 20, 2020, the company was able to extend water availability for 15 hours, and one to two weeks later to 24 hours per day with some occasional interruptions.
To achieve this, the water crew regularly worked over 15 hours per day continuously for months, Cuvalay said. “I wish to commend them highly for their valiant effort exhibited and displayed.”
The utility company was faced with over US $100,000 in cost of charter flights to deliver materials urgently needed for the repairs of the water line, specialised workmen, consultants and materials for the new projects to Statia.
STUCO also faced some setbacks due to heavy rainfall last year, which caused significant damage, undoing a lot of preparatory and executed trench works. They also had to rush to prevent Claes Gut from possibly caving in.
The three projects were completed in October and November 2020, and Statia’s water woes appear to be over.
STUCO still plans to increase the resilience of the drinking water supply by adding another sea water well to secure the availability of source water; to add reliability to the production by adding another drinking water plant, and by bringing water to deprived areas such as White Hook and Lodi.
The company’s future plans include an information campaign, and increasing the knowledge and skills of the water crew.
“I wish to thank the STUCO staff who were all engaged with the water crisis and projects in one way or the other for their invaluable contribution, and I would also like to thank our local contractors who supported these projects in 2020, mainly Caribtel, Statia Construction and Maynard Construction.”
Cuvalay said STUCO’s aim for 2021 is to continue to provide higher quality and more reliable utility services by focusing on innovative and effective developments, and to continuously take STUCO to the next level in performance.
