By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A PORTABLE water plant has been installed on Abaco, bringing 10,000 gallons of potable water a day to residents.
The salt water reverse osmosis plant was donated by several non-profit organisations in the country.
Rotary Clubs of The Bahamas, in partnership with PureH2O and their Critical Path Foundation, had the water system installed in Treasure Cay in an effort to provide free clean water for anyone who needs it on the island.
The project valued at more than $110,000, can produce about 10,000 gallons of water a day. “It also has a 20kw generator for power and sits on its own chassis for easy transportation,” officials said.
“Once the need in Abaco is satisfied (however long that takes), the plan is to ship the unit back to Nassau to be stored and regularly maintained by Pure H2O at their facility and then deploy wherever in The Bahamas it is needed following any future disaster that befalls the country.”
Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Rotary past assistant governor Lindsey Cancino said the initiative was inspired by a similar project conducted in Grand Bahama after Hurricane Jeanne and Francis hit the island several years ago.
He said: “We had successfully created a reverse osmosis emergency water plant in Grand Bahama 12 years ago after hurricanes Jeanne and Francis did so much damage there and created a shortage of water.
“That project has been exceptionally successful. It was a $217,000 effort and sort of half and half between Rotary and the TK foundation and it still operates to this day.”
He added: “Having had that very successful experience, when the issue came up in Abaco we thought well how do we reproduce that there but in a much less permanent scale and less expensive and so we partnered with a local producer who came to us with a similar idea, not realising we both wanted to do the same thing.
“In PureH20, they are a local water system manufacturer and so they build (reverse osmosis plants) for a living and they wanted to do the same thing to help Abaco and basically we have agreed to split the costs and they provided the actual RO system.
“We provided the container, the generator, the chassis, the stuff that goes along with making it operate.”
After several months of working on the system, Mr Cancino said they were happy to have it finally completed and installed in Treasure Cay, its distribution location.
If the system proves successful, he said the organisations will seek to duplicate the plant and have it installed in Marsh Harbour.
“Assuming that it continues to work well, we may try to duplicate it for the north if need be up in Marsh Harbour but we’ll see how that goes because finding a secure place was a bit of a challenge and you have to make sure that once you create the thing, things don’t start walking away,” he said.
Comments
DDK 3 years, 11 months ago
The simple question is this: Why could this measure not have been under taken by THE BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT WATER & SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT months ago??
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 11 months ago
That's exactly what I was thinking. 100k??? thats it? It seems like they're only interested in solving problems that they can put million dollar underthetableable prices on
DDK 3 years, 11 months ago
Thanks to those that do care about the Forgotten Island and SHAME on W & S
Baha10 3 years, 11 months ago
On behalf of ALL Abaconians ... THANK YOU ... Rotary for actually “doing” as opposed to “talking” ... and the placement at “Treasure Cay” is appropriate given it was the location of the 1st Rotary Club established in Abaco, which used to meet at the (once “pride of the Caribbean”) Hotel, unfortunately demolished in the 80’s and most regrettably never rebuilt with the consequential effect that Treasure Cay has languished ever since in desperate need of re-birth.
Hoda 3 years, 11 months ago
If Rotary wanted to donate it or offered, why should the govt go and do it ?
ConchFretter 3 years, 11 months ago
By that logic, why should the government pick up trash off the streets when sooner or later Rotary or the Boys Scouts or Girl Scouts or some other organization will organize a day and do it?? Why should the government go out and purchase Covid 19 testing kits if non-Bahamian residents will donate them for "free"? Why should the government try to rescue its citizens after Dorian when local ordinary Bahamians will risk their lives and go out in boats to help those in need???
Rotary and PureH2O didn't WANT to donate it -- they saw a glaring need and plugged the hole. Notice, it is a PORTABLE water system. So the Government still needs to do its job -- 1) because it is the government and that is what governments are suppose to do, and 2) so this donated system can be recalled and maintained for future calamities.
Hoda 3 years, 11 months ago
Okay, l see you all like to get excited. I dont know what rotary wanted and did want to be thank you for the info. The reality is if the hurricane destrous everything. Then the govt has to pay to rebuild it all. Find, no arguments. So, in finding the means to rebuild everything and in attempting to do that, if rotary says i want to donate water why should rhe tovt them go build, purchase, the same thing equipment if aomeone has siad i want to help in this way. How do you know rotary never told the govt they want to bring a osmosis plant?. If they didnt that fine. Just like the other chariities you think they didnt say govt i cant donate or help this way? If not thats fine. No one is say that the residents of abaco and gb should be confined to the use of that system for perpetuity. Nonetheless, if some brings or offers a temporary solutoon so that you could apply you precious funds to the long term goal, again why should the govt go build a plant if rotary has offered.
Hoda 3 years, 11 months ago
I was born and raised in gb. I went to mary star of the sea and catholic high. I was in the hotel by the bazaar when it was destroyed by hurricane. From then gb has not recovered. From them my memory recalls hurricane after hurricane. The reality is people had blue tarp on their roof in freeport from matthew, or whatever hurricane when shane gibson and reckley were in charge. Now, in my experience, waiting on the govt to deal with the residual effects of natural disaster has has beem a long game. So my point is in my experience private donations will always be more responsivs and a neccessary supplement to govt aid. In my experiencd the DRA have been more responsive through their coordination with the big charities.
Blue242 3 years, 11 months ago
You make some good points however, I feel like I needed to clear a few things. This initiative was thought of and put into action IMMEDIATELY by Pure H2O following the devastation. This project took so long to be executed because they had to locate ALL of the components needed. Seeing as this was BUILT from the ground up, like most projects, you need to secure funding. With the help of the Rotary and Critical Path Foundation, they were able to accumulate the funds to create the container and get it to its rightful location. Mostly I felt it was important to state this project was inspired by the willingness to help using the resources Pure H2O had, the love of this country, and its people. Meaning Pure H2O definitely wanted to do this despite what the government was or wasn't doing.
bcitizen 3 years, 11 months ago
Government should have do it months ago for their people who do not have something as basic as water. How pathetic is that? The Romans had running water for their millions of people over 2,000 years ago and we cannet even barely do that.
avidreader 3 years, 11 months ago
Please recall that BPL is proving to be incapable of providing power to most of the residential areas of Marsh Harbour, using the excuse of a lack of manpower and restrictions on movement between the islands. Many people believe the early report that Florida Power and Light offered to send repair crews but were discouraged when told that they required work permits. Now that the entire country is being wrecked there can be little doubt that hurricane repairs will not be a priority (if they ever were). At least Marsh Harbour has an airport which is more that can be said of Freeport.
audleymitchell@gmail.com 3 years, 11 months ago
POTABLE - fit or suitable for drinking
PORTABLE - fit or suitable for drinking
Hoda 3 years, 11 months ago
I assumed they meant govt still has to provide a potable system.
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