Water Shortage on La Isla Bonita Should be a Thing of the Past

Alvan Haynes

Belize Water Services is presently undertaking works to upgrade the supply for San Pedro by expanding the existing storage capacity.  In July 2018, the company began the construction of an additional one-million gallon ferro-concrete storage tank.  During extended peak demand periods such as Easter, Ambergris Caye has experienced prolonged water shortages and supply restrictions.  The construction of the tank will help to alleviate that problem.

Alvan Haynes, C.E.O., Belize Water Services Ltd.

“We have immediately tried to do measures to improve the supply at peak.  As you are aware, in the last few years there’s been particular stress during the Easter holidays which is the extended two weeks when Belizeans, in particular, and of course other tourists fill the island.  We have already commenced the process of building an additional one million U.S. gallon tank out there.  The design is that it is being done in two halves to improve maintenance, so one half can be maintained while the other maintains supply.  That is due to be completed in March.  We’re hoping by mid-March because the Easter is middle of April, because once the tank is completed we obviously have to fill it which will take a little bit of challenge because the real problem is that the tank doesn’t have the full capacity to meet the high demand.  So we will have to step that and make sure the tank gets filled so that when the Easter comes on we have adequate supply.  We should say that part of the Consolidated Water Belize purchase includes not only the plant, but also a one million U.S. gallon tank that was theirs which is right now the main reservoir.  So we’re boosting that but the challenge will be to have those tanks filled enough so that they can help with the peak demand.”