BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, 13 February 2024– The Department of Environment officially launched a project to improve wastewater management in St Kitts and Nevis, on Tuesday 13 February 2024, at the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Conference Room.
The occasion marked the official launch of two components of the Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management (CReW+) Project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in partnership with the Department of Environment.
Wastewater is considered as water affected by domestic, commercial or industrial use.
Director of the Department of Environment, Derionne Edmeade, during his opening remarks underlined the project’s pivotal role in shaping the nation’s vision on water management and its environmental future which he considers a step towards realizing the Federation’s Sustainable Island State Agenda.
“It is of pivotal importance that we, together with our partners, have committed to this venture as we seek to achieve our goals in wastewater management her in St. Kitts” expressed Mr. Edmeade.
Eavin Parry, Environment Officer II and Project Focal Point stated the significance of the GEF CReW+ Project, emphasizing its role as a mechanism for environmental change and that it embodies a collective commitment to sustainable development.
“The GEF CReW+ Project is a catalyst for environmental change” he added.
Focusing on actions and solutions, project consultant, Dr. Halla Sahely, gave an overview of Component 1 and stressed the project’s various approaches in addressing wastewater challenges through an improved policy framework.
“It is a task that is overdue and one that requires adequate and resilient mindset to be achieved in face of the various challenges” she explained.
Dennison Paul, Water Engineer and Alphonsus Daniel, Mechanical, Sanitary and Environmental Engineer, both functioning as project consultants, outlined Component 3. This is the project’s technical aspect as a nature-based, pilot treatment system, showcasing the depth of expertise that the project has used to drive its mission.
“The plant will effectively lower the chemical output of the wastewater that will be capture from the various sources reducing the coagulants released into the environment” Mr Dennison is quoted as saying.
Representative from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Pedro Moreo, CReW+ Regional Project Coordinator, gave a regional perspective reiterating “the collaborative spirit that binds nations in the pursuit of a cleaner, greener future”.
The project objectives are stretched across a 12-month timeline to implement critical activities that include:-
- A review of the Legal and Policy Frameworks
- A comprehensive review of existing regulations to ensure they align with evolving environmental challenges
- An integrated wastewater management plan
- Development of a holistic plan to safeguard water resources in the face of climate change
- Establish Effluent Standards, which are guidelines designed to protect surface and groundwater resources, so that they are in line with international protocols to protect the environment
- Sustainable Solutions
- Implementation of innovative technologies for wastewater treatment
- Reducing contamination of water bodies like rivers and streams.
This project builds upon its previous successful phase, Caribbean Fund for Wastewater Management (CReW) project (2011-2017).
GEF CReW+ is executed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Organisation of the American States (OAS) and the Secretariat of the Cartagena Convention (CAR/RCU) on behalf of the IDB and the UN Environment Program (UNEP).
