Chicken farmers in Tableland and New Grant have started shutting down operations because of a severe water shortage.
This is as inadequate rainfall and dwindling water supplies have forced the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to impose restrictions on the use of water hoses and pressure washers.
In an interview on Tuesday, chicken farmer Rampersad Dhanraj said he was rearing his last batch of chickens for this season until he could supplement his water supply.
“I have to rear 10,000 chickens for the month and right now the chicks are one week old. We used up the last set of water from the ponds yesterday, so we will be forced now to shut down the pens if we do not get water.”
At New Grant in the vicinity of the Enchanted Gardens Complex, fields of citrus were yellowed and drying because of the scorching heat. An irrigation pond nearby was so low that bushes could be seen growing from the centre of the pond.
Two other farmers, who rear 30,000 heads of chicken, also said they were finding it difficult to maintain operations because of the heat.
Nutrina Division has 300 chicken farmers contracted to grow broilers exclusively for the company. Officials were not in office on Thursday to say whether the water shortage would affect their supplies to consumers.
Meanwhile, agricultural economist Omardath Maharaj said it was time a water management committee be set up to deal with water shortages in T&T.
“It is not the first time that we are experiencing this prolonged dry spell. Farmers do not have the resilience to handle climatic change but if we are talking about substantiality for farmers, we have to build their capacity,” Maharaj said.
He added that 80 per cent of water is used up in agriculture and T&T needed to have a better water management system if food production is to be boosted.
“In America they give farmers priority over water. If we set up this water management committee, there will be greater efficiency in the use of water,” Maharaj added.
Car wash owners also unhappy
Meanwhile, car wash owners also complained of feeling the brunt of the shortage saying the ban on water hoses was putting them out of business.
Owner of Noyz Boyz Car Wash, Ravi Samaroo, said using buckets was slowing down his operations.
“It used to take about 20 minutes with a pressure washer to wash a car properly, now it takes us 40 minutes and the underside of the car is still not as clean as the pressure washer would have gotten it,” Samaroo said.
When the T&T Guardian visited his business place in Hermitage, San Fernando, Samaroo said business has also slowed down.
“If it’s taking you longer and people can’t get what they are accustomed to, business will decline. I am using four barrels right now and I have to say using a bucket is wasting much more water than a pressure washer would have used.”
However, a visit to government-owned Vehicle Management Corporation of T&T (VMCOTT) in San Fernando, showed business as usual with the automated car wash.
The wash bay is now open 24 hours a day, everyday.
One employee said in light of the restrictions, VMCOTT has cut down on about 30 per cent of its water usage. The employee said the operations will continue unless WASA advises VMCOTT to stop.
More info
From midnight on March 18, WASA banned the use of hose pipes for watering private gardens and washing private motor cars in accordance with the Water and Sewerage Act Chapter 54:40 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago.
Customers were notified that under the act, the authority has the responsibility for administering the supply of water and promoting the conservation and proper use of water resources. The act bans farmers from taking, using or diverting water from a reservoir, water course, conduit, pipe or other apparatus belonging to the authority.