New Water Supply, Sewerage and Solid Waste Rates in St. Vincent & the Grenadines

As of October 01, 2007, consumers in St. Vincent & the Grenadines can expect new rates for water supply, sewerage and solid waste services.

The announcement was made by Mr. Garth Saunders, General Manager of the CWSA at a news conference held on September 25th, 2007.

He stated that the justification for the proposed new rates came primarily as a result of the imminent repayment of significant loans by the CWSA.

Between 1996 and the present, several important projects were implemented. These projects were absolutely necessary and have improved the working environment for the staff of the CWSA and have also resulted in improved quality and quantity of water delivered to many of our consumers. 

According to the General Manager, funding for many of these projects was obtained at concessionary terms, however the time had come for the CWSA to live up to its promise to repay these loans.  

At the same time, the SWMU which is subsidized by the CWSA, loses money every year and now requires a further injection of dollars to improve the service on mainland St. Vincent and more especially in the Grenadines.  

Saunders noted that the $5 introductory charge to consumers for garbage collection was set without the benefit of the true operational costs of garbage collection including maintaining expensive trucks and operating sanitary landfills. Further, the collection service has since been extended to Richmond on the Leeward side of the island and to Fancy on the on the Windward side in addition to the Grenadines.

The records and accounts of the CWSA over the past five (5) years now show that this charge is now unable to sustain the operations of the SWMU. This is the true context of this rate increase now being presented to the public.

This rate review has come about as a condition of the Windward Water Supply Project, but more importantly the figures arrived at, have come about after a careful analysis of many financial and economic data done both by the CWSA and its Consultants BCEOM.

CWSA/ SWMU New Rates:

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