THE EDITOR: Imagine, if you can, your water pump running nonstop after all your taps are turned off. The built-up pressure will either destroy your plumbing or the pump. All the weak areas would burst and there would be leaks aplenty.
Imagine that after a few repeat instances of busted pipes, leaks, damage and unnecessary cost you decide to pump the water to an elevated tank that cuts off the pump when filled. That tank then, through gravity, supplies water to your home at a constant pressure but never such that it damages your plumbing.
That in a nutshell is the problem and solution with water distribution in TT. In your home your pump automatically shuts off after your pipes are pressured to about 40psi. That is done through a pressure switch attached to your electrical system.
Long ago when governments were serious about water distribution they put in place several elevated tanks and pumped water to those for distribution along our network of pipes. These tanks are still visible and some in use in the system today. Most visual are the two tanks in Laventille, but there are many others. There are tanks on the hills in Mount Hope, Laventille, Lady Chancellor Hill, and many other elevated areas throughout TT.
The troubling question is why in a country with so many qualified engineers and a widely travelled public, who see the many water towers in other countries, do we accept the practice of pumping water directly to people's homes in a manner that sees some getting as much as 80psi pressure while others get a trickle? What kind of people allows the system to pump water at this high pressure, especially at night when there is low water consumption, to destroy the ageing pipe network?
Does it make sense to control this sporadic water pressure by turning on and off water control valves daily? Is this nonsensical way of controlling our water better than pumping water to elevated cisterns and have nature, through gravity, distribute our water evenly as is done in the developed world?
One can only imagine that the Minister of Public Utilities is correct when he indicated that all is not well at WASA. Could it be that an efficient system will result in not having to pay for costly repairs, not paying for desalinated water, not having to pay individuals to drive around turning on and off water valves to whoever they are directed to supply water? Could it be that efficiency displeases some powerful people who like things the way they are? Or could it be that there is no serious effort to address the country's water ills.
It certainly could not be that the highly paid managers, engineers, politicians and advisers don't know any better. But could it be so?
STEVE ALVAREZ
via e-mail
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