Photo caption1: Minister Cornelius De Weever along with Hubert Lopez on site at the Point Blanch location for the water storage tanks.
Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor with responsibility for the production and distribution of drinking water, Cornelius De Weever on Monday May 13, 2013 visited the construction site in Pointe Blanche where two tanks for storage of drinking water will be built. The site is located uphill on the road to Monte Vista. A solid foundation with an impressive amount of reinforcing steel and concrete is being completed for the first tank. The retaining wall is already in place. The works for the construction of the foundation have been contracted out by GEBE to Liccom NV.
Photo caption2: Solid foundation with an impressive amount of reinforcing steel and concrete that will hold the water tanks.
Once completed the erection of the first tank will start which is a responsibility of Air-Fin /Seven Seas Water. The tanks will serve as reservoir for the water produced by two new seawater reverse osmosis plants to be built in the "Yellow Building" on the Harbour Cargo premises. Both tanks will be integrated in the distribution system of GEBE to supply drinking water to the community. Each tank has a capacity of 3000 m3.
"My proactive approach is to avoid reaching a potential water shortage situation as was the case that I met. The goal and planning that we have in place now is to ensure that we have enough water produced and distributed for years to come, taking into account the increase in population and following increase in demand of water. We are still looking at the water loss/leakage challenge and will be addressing this in the very near future," said Minister De Weever.
In August 2012 a three way agreement between Government, GEBE and Air-Fin /Seven Seas Water was signed specifying detailed arrangements of the supply, installation, commissioning, operation and ownership of two water tanks. The 3 way agreement is a sub agreement of the Water Supply (Production) Agreement between Government and Air-Fin / Seven Seas Water for 2008-2018.
The supply of drinking water is principally a Government responsibility with distribution tasks outsourced to GEBE and production to Air-Fin; Minister De Weever mentioned the importance of having the necessary infrastructure in place for the supply of drinking water to the general public, essential to guarantee public health.