AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Environment Lack of Water....

Geez Louise!! A year to get this solved? That is as major problem for the island, no doubt! It couldn't possibly take that long to discover what is the "fouling" factor.

While I agree in principle that EIA's should be done on all projects, as supposedly required by law, not to mention good sense . . .there's really not that much point in continuing to beat on the Sugar Caye project until the results are in.

The problem with not "beating" the Sugar Caye issue is that Consolidated and BWS have asked DOE to stop Sugar Caye from doing any further work until they can resolve the cause of the "fouling." DOE has not responded and Sugar Caye has not stopped working. I guess that i feel like if those two companies are asking Sugar Beat should cooperate. If nothing else it maybe a gesture that delays them making their money, but considering what the water shortage has and could cost the community it seems like a good idea to make the gesture.

I believe the authorities have refused to order Sugar Caye to stop working unless there is concrete proof that it is their works that have caused the problem. Since there cannot be concrete proof they are content to allow the damage to continue. It may already be irreversible anyway. We may be looking at years of reduced water supply - this is very possibly the worst crisis this island and its tourism have ever faced.

As I said elsewhere, there is no point in doing an EIA now, for two reasons:- (1) it won't be independent but run by the contractor, which is hardly likely to implicate itself, and (2) there is no political will to stop the work whatever an EIA might say. We really have to recognise this as a direct consequence of the corruption we have all acknowledged for a long time, and instead of just wringing our hands get together and demand change. If everyone clubs together we may perhaps get results.

So David Mitchell is to blame for the water shortage? I will remind him next time I see him then!
Donald

Anyone who digs into our fragile ecosystem without understanding or caring what is down there can unwittingly cause great damage. There have been several instances both in Belize and Mexico of people dumping soiled water and rubbish into "disused" wells, genuinely believing they were doing no wrong but taking no expert advice to confirm that. The resulting pollution has had major long term effects on what had previously been clear fresh water.

David Mitchell is a business man who apparently single-mindedly pursues his goal of profits. Nothing wrong in that per se - it's the capitalist way. But there must be effective checks and controls to ensure that these activities don't have major unforeseen effects. These appear to have been flouted and ignored. So yes, it is quite possible that David Mitchell is responsible for the water shortage.

Other than the fact that things will get done on "island time", I'm sure they will be able to make changes, adapt and get things back to normal. Surely there is nothing new in the water on AC that has never been discovered elswhere in the world. Purifying water isn't a new science.

The problem may be that the aquifer that provides the source water has been breached, allowing salt water to enter. If so that can't be corrected, but may require relocating and drilling to find another aquifer.

According to Consolidated waters website they have a desalination plant on Ambergris Caye,Belize.

OK, ecoman, I get what you are saying vis a vis the two companies asking for a cease from Sugar whilst they analyze. That said, I can also see the other side of the coin, wherein a venture that has not been proven to be causing the problem should not be required to lose valuable time and money until that proof exists. And THAT said, it would then appear that the government is the core fault here. Again, Belize shoots itself in its own foot. Again, Belize kills its own goose that lays the golden eggs.

There are very few things more important in a country like Belize than caring for/managing/protecting its own environment and therefore, its people and its economy.

There should probably be a link to the sugar caye development thread right about here.
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