Challenges and Opportunities
Climate change poses a severe threat to Grenada’s water supply, given that it relies on surface water sources and rainwater catchment. Although there are watershed areas in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, catchment and storage capacity are much less. Hence, rainwater harvesting and desalination activities are implemented to supply water needs. Although 54,600 cubic metres of water are available on mainland Grenada during the rainy season, yields drop to 31,800 cubic metres during the dry season. Whereas, demand is 45,500 cubic metres during rainy season and 54,600 cubic metres during dry season.
Along with the increase in average temperature due to climate change, this deficit causes a serious current and potential threat as annual rainfall is projected to decrease by up to 21%, which will lead increasingly to droughts.
Saltwater intrusion into coastal groundwater aquifers, due to sea level rise, will further limit the availability of water in
the future. In addition, the projected increased frequency of heavy rainfall events will aggravate the problem of more
frequent water supply outages due to high turbidity in the raw water supply. Additionally, infrastructural damage from
extreme weather events (hurricanes, storms and flooding) may interrupt reliable water distribution during and after a weather event.
Apart from climate change, environmental degradation presents a number of challenges. Population growth and tourism expansion, have contributed to reductions in stream and river flow volumes, increased siltation of dams and reduced groundwater recharge rates. Agricultural activities have also contributed to groundwater pollution and increased demand for irrigation. These factors therefore affect the quality, quantity and availability of surface and groundwater supplies. Based on this, the water sector has been identified in a number of national policies and strategies as a key sector affected by climate change.
Water Governance
There is no sole legislation for Grenada’s water sector, neither is there an entity providing oversight for it. Various departments and authorities address certain areas.
Responsibilities of Main Agencies in Grenada’s Water Sector
| National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) | Provision and maintenance of water and sewerage services | National Water and Sewerage Authority Act, Cap. 208, as amended |
| Ministry of Agriculture | Protection of watersheds (including forests and protected areas) | Forest, Soil and Water Conservation Act, Cap. 116 Grand Etang Forest Reserve Act, Cap. 124 National Parks and Protected Areas Act, Cap. 206, as amended Pesticides Control Act, Cap. 238 |
| Ministry of Health | Oversight & audit functions to ensure compliance with drinking water quality standards | Public Health Act, Cap. 263 |
| Physical Development Authority | Managing physical planning matters including requiring developers to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments & enforcement of the Building Code | Physical Planning and Development Control Act, 2016 (includ. S.R.O. 42 ) |
| Sanitary Authority | Operation of the Water Quality Act which governs matters related to the quality of water intended for human consumption | Water Quality Act, Cap. 334B |
Policy Framework
The revised and updated 2020 National Water Policy defines the policy vision as: “A water secure Grenada in which present and future generations have sustainable access to adequate, safe and affordable water, and sanitation, to maintain and enhance the quality of their lives and livelihoods and the integrity of natural ecosystems.”
The Policy proposes four key areas that need to be addressed, namely the:
- Management of the country's water resources.
- Provision of water and waste water services.
- Water quality regulation as it relates to public and environmental health, and economic and service regulation.
Further institutions are necessary for this Policy’s implementation. In order to separate water services provision from water resources management, a new entity is proposed to carry out the day to day management of Grenada’s water resources in their entirety. It is also proposed that the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (established by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission Act, 2016) will provide policy level and administrative oversight of the proposed Water Resources Management Unit (WRMU), water and wastewater services regulation.
Over the past few years, Grenada has developed several national policy documents and plans, the following of which have direct relevance for the water sector.
National Codes and Standards
- The OECS Building Code (2015) is now enforceable in law under the provisions of the Physical Planning and Development Control (Adoption of Building Code) Order, 2016
- Grenada National Standard GDS 79:2006 Specification for Effluent from Industrial Processes Discharged into the Environment. Grenada Bureau of Standards
- Grenada National Standard GDS 71: 2003 - Specification for Packaged Water
- Grenada National Standard GDS 72: 2003 - Code of Hygienic Practice for the Collection, Processing and Marketing of Packaged Water (Mineral Water, Spring Water, Purified Water).
Regional Agreements
At the regional level, Grenada has committed to the following environmental agreements and instruments:
- George’s Declaration of Principles for Environmental Sustainability in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS);
CARICOM Implementation Plan for the ‘Regional Framework for - Achieving Development Resilient to Climate Change’ (CCCCC, 2012); and
- OECS Water Sector Model Policy and Model Water Act for Countries within the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS, 2013a).
Grenada has also ratified or acceded to the following international conventions and agreements which require measures and systems to be implemented at the national level for the protection of the environment:
- The Cartagena Convention (The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region) and the Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution Protocol;
- Convention on Biological Diversity;
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification;
- Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction;
- Addis Ababa Action Agenda; and
- 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Water Resources
Grenada’s humid tropical climate shows a distinct dry season and wet season, and the intensity and distribution of rainfall each year can directly influence how much freshwater is available from various sources.
Facts and Figures:
75% of Grenada’s total rainfall each year occurs during the rainy season.
98% of Grenada’s population has access to piped water supply.
91% of households in Carriacou and Petite Martinique own cisterns as their main water storage.
The average person in Grenada currently consumes 34 gallons of water each day.
During dry season, daily water demand exceeds daily yield by 5000 gallons.
The water sector’s vulnerability to climate change is assessed as medium-high.
Grenada receives on average about 1,150 mm of rain per year, while in the neighbouring islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique experience a drier climate. Mainland Grenada primarily relies on 29 water supply facilities (23 surface water, 6 groundwater) delivered solely in potable form by the National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA). Drinking water comes mainly from water harvested in dams in the mountain ranges of the northern region and is distributed to households through gravity systems. Groundwater contribution to domestic water supply is small and is used mainly during the dry season. Grenada’s current risk of water shortages is visible by the gap between demand and yield during the dry season (22,800 cubic metres per day or 5,015 gallons per day).
Current Daily Water Yield and Demand from NAWASA’s Water Supply Sources
| Water Yield (cubic meters per day) | 54,600 | 31,800 |
| Water Demand (cubic meters per day) | 45,500 | 54,600 |
All public drinking water supplies are treated to meet WHO standards and there is a protocol for monitoring water quality. Read more...
With limited groundwater and no permanent stream flows, the sister isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique depend almost exclusively on rainwater harvesting for residential (namely through underground and above ground concrete cisterns) and agricultural uses. Desalination is also currently utilized by two major private sector entities to supplement the harvested rainwater domestic supply.
Water for agriculture comes predominantly from rainfall as well. For larger operations it is classically pumped downstream of rivers, while for small backyard-type gardening and livestock production, water comes from the public supply.
Water for nature includes lakes (Grand Etang, Lake Antione and Levera Pond) and waterfalls (Concord, Seven Sisters, Annandale, Tufton Hall and Mt. Carmel) along with their adjoining rivers and streams. These inland water sources in nature offer habitats for a variety of indigenous fauna. They also provide cultural services inclusive of recreation (sightseeing, swimming, fishing and river tubing). Some estuaries have developed into unique wetland systems providing not only recreational but educational services.
Grenada’s high exposure and high sensitivity to hurricanes, droughts and heavy rainfall, yet lower exposure to sea-level rise, is projected to be exacerbated because of climate change in the coming decades. Therefore, the GCREWS Vulnerability Assessment evaluated Grenada’s water sector as medium with a trend towards high.
For more information, refer to these documents, available in the Document Library.
