Turks and Caicos Islands

6. Rainwater harvesting (i.e. from rooftops) and tanks: to store rain water as an alternative source of
drinking water so that communities aren’t solely reliant on groundwater.
7. Increase resilience to heavy rain events by improving infrastructure design
8. Local watershed management: support institutions that have the authority to manage the local
catchment in the interest of all stakeholders, including domestic water users; ensure there is
proper accountability in these institutions.
(Climate Change Committee, 2011)
These adaptation strategies are supplemented by the following action plan:
1. Build local understanding on the links between predicted climate change and the impacts that this
will have on water resources at a local level.
2. Educate the public on water conservation measures.
3. Educate the public about improving water capture in households.
4. Repair and expand public infrastructure for water capture and storage.
5. Establish a leak detection programme.
6. Conduct a hydrological study in the Turks and Caicos Islands to assess water availability and
location.
7. Enhance the local weather monitoring and modelling to provide early flood warning systems.
8. Explore the option of using groundwater resources for specific purposes (e.g. agriculture in North
Caicos).
9. Plan for expansion of desalination production based on the projected water demand.
(Climate Change Committee, 2011).
In addition, a new Environmental Management Bill is currently under discussion (Climate Change
Committee, 2011a,b) .
5.1.2. Management
The main stakeholders in the Water Sector of the Turks and Caicos Islands are the Providenciales Water
Company (Provo Water) which is located on Providenciales and is part public-part private owned; The
Water Undertaking Department which is responsible for pipeline distribution and water production on
other islands; The Water and Sewerage Board, the Department of Environmental and Coastal Resources,
Department of Planning and the Department of Health (Byron, 2011).
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands is committed to water supply mainly run by the private
sector, as happens on Providenciales with Provo Water, and aims to expand its role. The Government is
transitioning from the role of direct supplier to acting as a regulator, through the Department of Water
Undertaking in the Ministry of Communications, Works, Utilities, Housing and Agriculture, starting with
Grand Turk, South Caicos and Salt Cay. North and Middle Caicos will continue to be supplied by the
Department of Water Undertaking. Stated priorities are the expansion of desalination capability in Grand
Turk, the expansion of the water mains networks across the Islands, and a reduction in loss from the
distribution system. Universal installation of metering systems will also be implemented (DEPS, 2007a). In
addition, at the same time, the Government is committed to the centralisation of wastewater treatment
and disposal in strategic locations (DEPS, 2007b), as required by the Turks and Caicos Islands Environmental
Charter, which adds explicit procedures and standards for sewage disposal to Section 106 of the Water and
Sewer Ordnance, and provides for strong penalties to compel mitigation (DECR, 2009).
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