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WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION Committed to Growth, Committed to Quality

Press

PRESS RELEASE – REDUCED WATER PRESSURE CENTRAL, SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEW PROVIDENCE – JUNE 23, 2022

Nassau Bahamas:  Customers residing in Central, Southern and Eastern New Providence are advised that they may experience periods of reduced water pressures over the next 24 hours due to the Corporation’s Blue Hills Desalination Facility experiencing extended periods of substantially reduced water production volumes from Monday June 20, 2022 through to Thursday June 23, 2022.  During this period strategic storage levels fell from ~ 28.0 MIG on the morning of Tuesday June 21st to less than 22.0 MIG into Wednesday, June 22nd and continued on Thursday, June 23rd due to lost production capacity. 

The failure was initiated by a lightning strike, and was compounded by a super power surge which overwhelmed the extensive integration of lightning arrestors and other control/prevention systems.  While the facility does have full standby power which was readily available, the communications & controls systems within the facility failed and extensive local & international resources had to be utilized to fully restore the systems which are required to operate the facility. 

The plant is now fully operational, but its operators are presently conducting an extensive review to prevent a re-occurrence, which could reduce production over an extended period. 

Given the falling storage levels, and in the abundance of caution, WSC took steps at 6pm Thursday to reduce our water into supply to preserve, and to rebuild strategic storage levels and this reduction of water into supply may result in some customers experiencing periods of low pressures or “no water” over the next 24 hours.   Customers should note, that normal supply pressures are expected to be restored at 6am on Friday, June 24, 2022.  The Corporation extends its apology to its valued customers for any inconvenience caused.

Customers should further note that due to the 2022 Hurricane Season, the Corporation will also be taking steps over the next 7 to 10 days to regain our strategic storage levels by ramping up production, and implementing limited water conservation measures, which should have minimum impact on customers but customers are being asked to exercise water conservation measures to the extent practical, and report signs of leaks and/or wastage to our Help Center at 302-5599 or our Emergency Number 325-0505.

The Corporation remains committed to providing consistent, high quality potable water supply to all of our customers across The Bahamas.