CASTRIES, St Lucia, January 20, 2010 – St Lucians have been put on warning that the island is being threatened by the possibility of a drought.
Citizens have already been put on notice that in coming days, they will be affected by shortages in their water supply as authorities attempt to conserve and manage the depleted stock of water at various catchment sites.
But citizens have been urged not to panic.
Deputy Director of National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), 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.
“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,” he said.
The Ministry of Health says it’s 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.
Source: Caribbean360.com