The National Water and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa) is advancing a series of short-term interventions to strengthen water availability in south-east St George and southern St David, following the temporary decommissioning of the Baillies Bacolet Well #2 (BB2) due to saltwater intrusion.
Baillies Bacolet Well #2 is a groundwater abstraction system that normally produces approximately 110,000 gallons of water per day, which is transferred to the La Pastora Storage Tank for disinfection and distribution. It is one of 3 wells commissioned in the early 1980s and is the closest of the 3 to Grenada’s eastern coastline.
During the peak of the 2026 dry season, Nawasa’s continuous water quality monitoring confirmed increased salinity at BB2 as a result of saltwater intrusion. Water from the well was found to be outside the recommended drinking water quality range for this parameter, necessitating its temporary removal from service.
The shutdown has reduced available water supply in St David by approximately 110,000 gallons per day and has placed additional pressure on surrounding water supply systems.
Impact on water distribution
To manage the reduced supply and allow storage tanks adequate time to recharge, Nawasa has implemented nightly water supply interruptions between 9 pm and 5 am, consistent with measures previously employed during periods of reduced production in the dry season. Communities directly affected include Corinth, Westerhall, Fort Jeudy, Westerhall Point, Petite Bacaye, Red Gate and La Calome.
The impact extends beyond these communities because the La Pastora Storage Tank also supports the Morne Delice System and Woburn distribution network. Consequently, reduced availability at La Pastora is also affecting Calivigny, Egmont and Confer.
To effectively manage available storage and maintain distribution throughout the wider network, Nawasa is also required to regulate supply from both tanks at Morne Delice between 9 pm and 5 am.
Nawasa recognises the inconvenience these interruptions create for households and businesses and is working to reduce the duration and frequency of supply disruptions wherever system conditions permit.
Moving from immediate response to supply resilience
Nawasa has identified 5 strategic short-term interventions aimed at increasing water production, strengthening interconnections and improving the flexibility and reliability of the affected water supply systems.
These include upgrades to the Baillies Bacolet Well #3, which are expected to increase production from approximately 300,000 to 450,000 gallons per day, and the recommissioning of Woodlands Well #3, which could add approximately 110,000 gallons per day to the South St George supply system. The authority is also pursuing the recommissioning of the La Sagesse Well and advancing key interconnections within the Woburn, Egmont and surrounding systems.
The 5 interventions are at varying stages of development and implementation, with targeted completion dates between October and December 2026.
Preparing ahead of the 2027 Dry Season
While these interventions will not eliminate the need for longer-term investment in additional water production and storage, they form part of Nawasa’s immediate strategy to strengthen system resilience and improve reliability in communities that remain particularly vulnerable to water shortages.
The authority is prioritising interventions that can deliver additional production and improve the movement of water between systems before the onset of the 2027 dry season.
Nawasa will continue to monitor production, storage levels and water quality across the affected systems and will adjust distribution schedules as conditions improve. Customers in affected communities are encouraged to maintain adequate household storage, use water responsibly and pay close attention to official Nawasa advisories regarding changes to supply schedules.
Nawasa thanks customers for their continued patience and cooperation as the authority works to strengthen water security and improve the reliability of supply across south-east St George and southern St David.
Nawasa
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