A top Official in the Ministry of Water Resource Management is hopeful that an on going three-day workshop on a National Policy for Integrated Water Resource Management will provide the means for the process of a draft water policy for Dominica.
The workshop got underway in Dominica on Tuesday and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing Settlements and Water Resource Management, Davis Letang, said it is relevant since Dominica is reviewing a draft policy on water resource management.
“I see this as very relevant since we are in the process of reviewing the draft national policy on integrated water resource management which was prepared with the assistance of the Caribbean National Health Institute (CNHI) and the Organization of American States(OAS) and the integrated water and coastal Areas Management,” he said. “This policy we hope will serve as a framework for guiding activities in the sector and will seek to define more clearly for all relevant stakeholders in water resource Management.” he remarked.
Letang also said that the final draft of the integrated water resource management policy will be submitted to cabinet soon.
“It is my hope therefore that this workshop will serve as a further catalyst to moving the policy process forward that the Ministry is currently engaged in and shortly that the final draft policy document can be submitted to the Hon. Minister for consideration by the cabinet,” he said.
He noted that managing water is not just for DOWASCO or the Ministry of Water Resource Management but for all Dominicans.
The workshop is facilitated by a four-member team from Columbia.
Earlier this year, a team from Columbia visited Dominica on a fact finding mission on Dominica’s water resources and a team from Dominica also visited Columbia to study how water is managed in that country.
there can be no sound water management in the absence effective forest management and our water catchments … and that has to do essentially with proper land use planning. Classic example as stated by “Roger that” ….. how can you even consider building a slaughter house in Layou Park!!!
Now lets turn our attention to water management re: Water quality… In 2013 Dowasco stills highlights that the addition of Chlorine to water is the most common form of disinfection practiced. According to the company the process is a safe, practical and an effective way to destroy disease-causing organism in water. However we all know that and unfortunately, we are learning the hard way that our attempts to prevent illness by adding chlorine in drinking water has contributed to another problem—the increase of cancer and heart disease “Cancer risk among people using chlorinated water is as much as 93 percent higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine,” according to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality.
According to the BreastCancerFund.org,“One common factor among women with breast cancer is that they all have 50 to 60 percent higher levels of these chlorination by-products (THMs) in their fat tissue than women without breast cancer . . .”
“Long-term drinking of chlorinated water appears to increase a person’s risk of developing bladder cancer as much as 80 percent,” as documented in a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Some 45,000 Americans are diagnosed every year with bladder cancer.
“The drinking of chlorinated water has finally been officially linked to an increased incidence of colon cancer. An epidemiologist at Oak Ridge Associated Universities completed a study of colon cancer victims and non-cancer patients and concluded that the drinking of chlorinated water for 15 years or more was conducive to a high rate of colon cancer,” according to Health Freedom News, January/February 1987. What most people don’t realize is that chlorine in drinking water is not the only problem. According to the Journal of Public Health, “Up to two-thirds of the harmful effects of chlorine are due to inhalation and skin absorption while showering.”In addition, since the shower is warm or hot, our pores are wide open and our skin readily absorbs the chemicals. And then there is the cosmetic effect of chlorine – it strips the protective oils from the skin and hair, causing excess drying and wrinkling of skin as well as dry and brittle hair. Thus The inhalation of chlorine and other chemical vapors into our lungs means that these chemicals enter directly into our bloodstream.
The primary reason adding chlorine to water for disinfection has become so widely accepted is not because it is the safest or most effective way to disinfect water — it is the cheapest. So as we on water management time for us to start to think of alternative cost-effective and safer ways of bringing top quality water to us locals. Anyone interested see
http://www.waterbenefitshealth.com/chlorine-in-drinking-water.html
If you don’t want to use Chlorine to disinfect the drinking water, then go for Hypochlorite nuh!
The adverse effects that you mention Chlorine will/can cause is not limited to Chlorine only. Everything we eat and drink has some form of carcinogen. Even the air we breathe has polutants. In regards to Chlorine in drinking water, if it was all that bad we would all have already been dead. I would agree though, that the amount of Chlorine now being used should be reduced. Also, there are times when very little Chlorine is needed to treat the water. It all has to do with temperature, weather etc. For example, during a heavy rainfall more Chlorine is needed as the water becomes turbid with silt from run-offs, land slides and so forth. Thus, there needs to be a periodic dose adjustment of the Chlorine input that is safe for the public consumption, and not just a one dose setting for all weather conditions. Everything and anything in excess is dangerous.
It is amazing to me that there is being built a 10 million US dollar ABATTOIR (slaughter house) on the water table in Layou Park. If this plant has leakages then it will damage the whole water system in the Layou valley including the Layou river?? This is madness is it not?? Building a 10 million US dollar ABBATTOIR. Why are they doing this project on a beauty spot where tourists travel! All the animals to be slaughtered have to travel up terrible roads and up hills! Whoever in their right minds would do this?? By the way where on earth are all the animals to be slaughtered on this Island! Another crazy scheme for a very few. We need a state of the art 10 million US dollar HOSPITAL!! Let’s wake up and smell the coffee! Only in Dominica me thinks a gift from Venezuela!!
i think we should not misuse the water we have.we should use water wisely even if it seems it is in abundance.
Why does every administration that has been in power in Dominica, since its independence from Great Britain; has in one form or another talking about draft policy on water management in Dominica.
For crying out loud it has been almost 35 years since independence, and our policy makers can’t come up with a policy on water management for Dominica? Oh yes! by the next 35 years we will run out of water in Dominica, and only then we will come up with a policy. It will be a state of the art policy.
Look forward to seeing the draft. It is my hope that the policy touches on water use in geothermal power plant development since water availability is critical in the function of geothermal power plants.