AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Environment Lack of Water....

Martin - this is a subject of grave concern to islanders, and is being discussed exhaustively and research done. It just isn't appearing here much.

Sadly it isn't the only major issue currently facing us.

"While on the island we approached Area Representative for Belize Rural South and Minister of Tourism, Manuel Heredia Junior to get his input in this and other issues affecting the island. He told us that he was too busy to talk. This was as he chatted with a fellow resident in a golf cart." - nice.

another facet of this is the impact on tourism. thankfully its low season. we head there soon, but have been on island in low water times b4 and just roll with it - take the bad with the good. however, imagine a first time tourist who saved up for a year to come, only to have water rationed (not to mention cheese LOL!). wonder what they'd tell their friends about AC when they got home?

gotta admit i'm curious about hearing the test results...

I think some points need to be clarified. First, though BWS cannot say what the cause of the "fouling" is, they did say that they had asked to Department of Environment to stop work on Sugar Caye until they could resolve the issues. This seems to tell us that they do consider this project to be a possible cause for the "fouling" problem.
Second, BWS made it very clear that this is not a mechanical problem or staff problem. They clearly explained the well from which Consolidated draws its water has been tainted. The membranes that typically last Consolidated 5 years have lasted less than 10 days. The companys seem to be doing everything they can to work together and solve the problem.
Third BWS explained that while they are able to maintain a decent water pressure currently, consolitaed has not been able to replenish its million gallon tank and that we could experience water shortages again if demand increased as it did over Easter. They made it clear that they are very concerned about water supply for future peak times.
I think that it was nice of Sugar Caye to offer their Hydrologist Mr. Pantan, but I am sure BWS and Consolidated have MANY qualified engineers and hydrologists working frantically on this issue. I think that stopping work on the Sugar Developement as these companies had requested would be the MOST helpful thing the developer could do. It would also be a wonderful gesture to the community that is enduring the problem.

Oh one last thing...Sugar Caye did NOT do an EIA. Had they done an EIA they would have had to hold PUBLIC consulations, which they did not.
AND everyone PLEASE remember that the land that is Sugar Caye was originally acquired from Bob Witte because it was deemed to be a NECESSARY buffer zone for BWS, WASA and Consolidated. In the press conference BWS stated that they were not aware of this project until it started, and they were not asked to contribute their expertise to any EIA for this project..then who decied that it was no longer necessary for this area to be a buffer zone?
I for one would like to see the "EIA" done be Sugar Caye that did not even consult these companies, especailly since they were developiing land that had been aquired for them and taken away.

Is everyone afraid to mention David Mitchel's name? Is that something like the superstition of mentioning the name of the Devil?
His name is at the bottom of almost every environmental and development screw up on the island. Why aren't we questioning what should be done about him instead of what are we going to do about the multitude of problems his underhanded business practices have caused?
Sugar Caye development-David Mitchel
http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=14155&frmsrch=1
East West road-David Mitchel
http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=25002
Grand Belize Estates-David Mitchel
//ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/346949/Fishing_Guides_BROKEN_HEARTED.html
Cangrejo Caye - David Mitchel
http://sanpedrosun.net/old/08-051.html
http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_news_cast.php?news_date=2009-06-04#a1
etc.
?

This is of concern to me only because of the impact it is having on others as we have our own RO plant and don't depend on BWS. It does seem to me that given what they have done (or attempted and then backed off) with respect to taxes, the road up North that is trashing the lagoon, and now this development disaster impacting the most important of all public health issues (safe, clean available water) that someone on SPTC should get a strong message from the citizens.

Re: Membranes ..."They're cleaned occasionally, flushed out occasionally and then put back in service"
The membranes need a strict cleaning schedule. You should never stray from that or cut back on cleaner or sanitizer without consulting the membrane manufacturer. Yes they are very expensive but if you treat them right they will last as long as they should.

Elbert - it takes two to tango, and David Mitchell couldn't get away with what he does without the active collusion of the Mayor.

Keller - we don't know that the membranes haven't been properly husbanded. It appears that that company does have competent engineers and scientists on staff, but that they have been confronted with insuperable and unusual problems.

yes, i remember a large donation he made to the town a while back. tho i also think i remember reading auditors could not find the allocation...

if i'm understanding the article correctly, the crux of the problem isnt that the membranes weren't cleaned, or cleaned incorrectly, but that a new type of matter/substance, formerly unknown to them, has deposited on & clogged them and they cannot figure how to remove it. is that right? if so, as a former longtime fishpond owner, THAT i understand. if so it does suggest that something new (coincidentally?) is entering the system. it sounds reasonable that in good faith they should stop until the source of the new substance is confirmed.

Relating to the channel 5 news cast: I believe that Francisco Alvarado doesn't know difference between an Environmental impact Assessment (EIA) and an Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP).
Quoting from Belize Law:
"EIA means a study used for the prediction, evaluation, estimation and communication of the possible environmental effects of some proposed projects"
"ECP means a legally binding document developed by the Department of the Environment consisting of a set of legally binding environmental conditions, guidelines and policies and restrictions which the developer agrees to"
ECP's should be issued once all the environmental impacts have been assessed.
In the case of Sugar caye and GBE and other recent projects (Bonefish bay) ECP's have been issued without EIA's. Even though the size of these projects mean by law they require EIA's.

The ECP's for Sugar Caye were signed by the Mayor 10th Nov 2008.

How did the developer get away with not doing an EIA?

The Law clearly states under section 7, Housing subdivisions that all housing developments of more than 50 houses on the cayes requires an EIA.
DOE's response was that it is a community project for the San Pedro Town board so doesnt require an EIA. This is the same reason used for No EIA for Grand Belizean Estates.
The other item to note is that ECP's should be legally binding but the ECP's for Sugar caye have been continually broken by the developer.
Parts of the Sugar caye ECP's broken to date - construction activities should be limited to normal working hours 7am to 5pm (they have been working 24/7 dredging), Mangrove cutting - no permit was issued for outside their property lines although mangrove has been extensively cut in and around the old croc pond. Dredging limits - ECP's allows 45,000 cubic yards, almost twice this has been dredged.