Dear Editor,
With the country facing one of the most serious droughts in the last 20 years, there is a need for renewed focus to be placed on the issue of rainwater harvesting to ensure that, when the heavens open, we make the most of the opportunity to store the precious resource.
Rainwater harvesting should be an important activity for residents of the Corporate Area as the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew are located in the rain shadow of the Blue Mountains and thus these parishes receive less rainfall per year when compared to northern and eastern parishes.
Furthermore, the increased unreliability of the National Water Commission and the escalating cost for trucked water from private enterprises should be reasons which push residents and companies to harvest rainwater.
Policymakers, technocrats and residents of these parishes need to make greater efforts to collect and store rainwater for purposes such as flushing toilets, washing utensils, clothes items and for agricultural and industrial activities. As a part of the thrust for sustainable, climate conscious development, the Government should make greater efforts to encourage residents and private and public institutions to invest resources, time. and thought for a rapid expansion of the rainwater harvesting operations.
Policymakers, technocrats and residents of these parishes need to make greater efforts to collect and store rainwater for purposes such as flushing toilets, washing utensils, clothes items and for agricultural and industrial activities. As a part of the thrust for sustainable, climate conscious development, the Government should make greater efforts to encourage residents and private and public institutions to invest resources, time. and thought for a rapid expansion of the rainwater harvesting operations.
One of my major disappointments in this matter is the visionless and myopic thinking of the University of the West Indies' management committee with regard to rainwater harvesting. In the past three weeks, as the rain fell heavily for a time, a grand opportunity for rainwater harvesting was provided. This opportunity was however not grasped because there are, from my investigations, no facilities available for rainwater harvesting in any department or faculty on the campus. With just a few days for the commencement of the first semester of the 2015/2016 school year, students may be denied access to bathrooms in critical locations, chiefly because of the lack of water. I say the thinking is myopic because droughts and water shortages are not new to the university, but no serious step is being made to combat the repercussions of these events, which are mostly experienced by the student population.
It is sad that as water runs freely from many roofs on campus, students are forced to tighten their bladder muscles or do the unsanitary thing. The university needs to do more in this regard or we will continue to suffer as climate change and its effects are felt yearly. I certainly hope that as a new hall is constructed on the campus, new policies are implemented for rainwater harvesting.
Maurice Mills
Dressikie PA
UWI and others need to be serious about rainwater harvesting
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With the country facing one of the most serious droughts in the last 20 years, there is a need for renewed focus to be placed on the issue of rainwater harvesting to ensure that, when the heavens open, we make the most of the opportunity to store the precious resource.
Rainwater harvesting should be an important activity for residents of the Corporate Area as the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew are located in the rain shadow of the Blue Mountains and thus these parishes receive less rainfall per year when compared to northern and eastern parishes.
Furthermore, the increased unreliability of the National Water Commission and the escalating cost for trucked water from private enterprises should be reasons which push residents and companies to harvest rainwater.
Policymakers, technocrats and residents of these parishes need to make greater efforts to collect and store rainwater for purposes such as flushing toilets, washing utensils, clothes items and for agricultural and industrial activities. As a part of the thrust for sustainable, climate conscious development, the Government should make greater efforts to encourage residents and private and public institutions to invest resources, time. and thought for a rapid expansion of the rainwater harvesting operations.
Policymakers, technocrats and residents of these parishes need to make greater efforts to collect and store rainwater for purposes such as flushing toilets, washing utensils, clothes items and for agricultural and industrial activities. As a part of the thrust for sustainable, climate conscious development, the Government should make greater efforts to encourage residents and private and public institutions to invest resources, time. and thought for a rapid expansion of the rainwater harvesting operations.
One of my major disappointments in this matter is the visionless and myopic thinking of the University of the West Indies' management committee with regard to rainwater harvesting. In the past three weeks, as the rain fell heavily for a time, a grand opportunity for rainwater harvesting was provided. This opportunity was however not grasped because there are, from my investigations, no facilities available for rainwater harvesting in any department or faculty on the campus. With just a few days for the commencement of the first semester of the 2015/2016 school year, students may be denied access to bathrooms in critical locations, chiefly because of the lack of water. I say the thinking is myopic because droughts and water shortages are not new to the university, but no serious step is being made to combat the repercussions of these events, which are mostly experienced by the student population.
It is sad that as water runs freely from many roofs on campus, students are forced to tighten their bladder muscles or do the unsanitary thing. The university needs to do more in this regard or we will continue to suffer as climate change and its effects are felt yearly. I certainly hope that as a new hall is constructed on the campus, new policies are implemented for rainwater harvesting.
Maurice Mills
Dressikie PA
UWI and others need to be serious about rainwater harvesting
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