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by pltm
(PLTM) - Residents continue to wonder what is causing the major water woes on Tortola, well Works Minister, Hon. Mark Vanterpool, decided to provide a frank answer, one word, "BiWater".
Last evening, Friday, September 23, in the House of Assembly, Vanterpool unleashed on Opposition Leader and former Communications and Works Minister, Hon. Julian Fraser, who he blamed for putting the territory in this position.
Vanterpool revealed that BiWater has increased the cost for water, and government simply cannot pay for it.
He said that initially when the document was agreed to under the former Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration back in 2010, it was sold as government having to pay $12.17 per thousand gallons, now in July of this year government was billed $17.90 per thousand gallons, and then this month, $19.77 per thousand gallons.
Vanterpool, said that he wanted Fraser to be in the House of Assembly last evening to reply to him but the Member was not present. Vanterpool said he had given Fraser notice that he intends to speak on the issue.
"I am struggling to pay for the cost of getting the water to the people because of this document (BiWater agreement). It would never go away. People say man leave that BiWater thing, but it will never go away. And I , myself ain't quite understand it, still don’t understand it," he passionately expressed.
"I heard when this document was being delivered and signed that the government will be paying $12.17 per thousand gallons for water from BiWater. Plus, we would have to pay for all electricity to purchase the water; at the time it was $5 to $6 per thousand gallons, but now it’s lower $3.00 because of the lower fuel cost, thank God."
He went on to lament, "But in July BiWater billed the government without electricity at $17.90 per thousand gallons, that’s $5.20 more per thousand gallons than this document purported to give us..Here the story, here the news, in September, this month, you know how much BiWater is billing the government for water without electricity? $19.77 per thousand gallons, this is the piece of paper BiWater came to me with this month."
Minister Vanterpool, said that the company indicated that it's according to the contract, citing a number things he doesn't understand, including, consumption charge, CAP New etc.
"They said couple years ago it was $17, now the government just start receiving water from BiWater over a year ago, and already it is up to $19.77, and climbing. I, myself don’t understand the formula on how it got there."
He said: "On top of the $19.77 the government has to pay for the electricity to provide to the plant (at Paraquita Bay), a plant that in this day and age could produce 2.3 million (gallons of water), could cost over $25M. That is what this government has to pay for."
The minister added, "but I had to present why we are having difficulties providing water to the people, we cannot pay for it. It's too expensive."
Vanterpool also bashed Fraser over his concerns about water issues in Sea Cows Bay, noting that the main reason for the issue is the fact that the BiWater plant located in Paraquita Bay, is providing water to the western end of the island.
" And we received a plant in the most eastern end part of our island to send water to the western end of the island. If I was able to bring back up the Sea Cows Bay plant, I could provide water to Sea Cows Bay consistently."
"...This is BiWater, this is what we are dealing with, the water woes of the country...There are other issues that can be dealt with, but this is major issue that we build a plant in east end to supply west end," he said.
Vanterpool told the House of Assembly that he has been quiet while taking the blame, but it's time that the people know the truth.
"I want to put it to rest, get up and tell us why you (Fraser) give us this document that said $17 and now it's $19…I wouldn’t even calculate what that means in terms of millions of dollars that it is costing the people of the territory," he said.
"In July the same water cost us $1.2M, and September it cost $1.4M almost some $200,000 more...That doesn’t make any sense."
"This document (BiWater) is what causing the water woes in Tortola," the minister insisted.
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