Water

[Rob]

What other water treatment technologies would work? I have a feeling turning brown water into drinking water would not be 'palatable' to most people.

This article talks about a few of the newer technologies available.
https://www.amtaorg.com/Water_Desali...Processes.html

This is the Carlsbad CA plant webpage. Lots of info about how it works, not so much about waste products. Not sure if there is anywhere in the world more concerned about the environment than the Country of California - my guess would be that they have mitigated most of the environmental concerns either with this state of the art technology or through other means.
http://carlsbaddesal.com/

The US EPA seems to disagree. They state "Wastewater treatment facilities in the United States process approximately 34 billion gallons of wastewater every day. Wastewater contains nitrogen and phosphorus from human waste, food and certain soaps and detergents."

https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollutio...ons-wastewater

Most homes and businesses in the US handle their waste water this way.

In contrast all the desalination plants worldwide produce less than 23 billion gallons a day. USA water treatment alone processes one third more water than all desalination plants combined.

Interesting that you have to "guess" about the waste products at Carlsbad. Why don't they explain on their site more about this important issue?

Desalination is just not ready for prime time yet...

The Roaring River plant makes much more economic sense.

And waste water MUST be treated anyway. You can't just pump into the rivers or sea untreated. That is a dangerous lesson mankind learned the hard way.

[captaind]

Desalination is just not ready for prime time yet...

The Roaring River plant makes much more economic sense.

And waste water MUST be treated anyway. You can't just pump into the rivers or sea untreated. That is a dangerous lesson mankind learned the hard way.

Well said Rob. RR makes the most sense for supply. Disposal must be addressed.

We are after all the "land of wood and water"

Why we suffer for water is another issue <grin>

Cap

[Odinson]

Water Wars coming soon! - there are answers to all technical issues, just may take a few more years to resolve them. Even Bob Marley said, 'Have no fear for atomic energy'!

[johng]

Odinson,

Water wars coming soon is no joke!!! It is common knowledge in the US that large tracts of land with known aquifers beneath are being bought up as we speak. Those who own the water will control the world!! Think of the amount of money being made selling a plastic bottle of water for a couple of bucks.

As far as Jamaica goes and especially Negril the problem is two fold as Cap points out, the supply and the disposal. I am far from being a water engineer but obviously with all the development that has occurred in Negril the need for water and where and how to treat it has become a huge problem. Conservation comes to mind. Using as little water as possible while on vacation in Negril is a starting place. Sure you are on vacation spending big $$$ for accommodations some people feel entitled to using as much water as they want. I assume / hope that hotels encourage their guests to be frugal with their water usage as far as bathroom usage goes. The more you use the more to treat. But the bigger problem is the water supply. Hopefully Jamaica and all its Parishes have workable game plans in place.

Back in the 70's before the building boom were there even any water treatment facilities in Negril. As I recall there were few flush toilets and mostly outdoor cold water showers which leads me to believe there was mostly septic tanks and perhaps some direct discharge into the river or sea?? When were the treatment facilities built??

[Rob]

Johng,

There were no viable water plants or treatment plants until the mid 90's. Anyone on the West End back then remembers the huge holes in the road for the water and sewage lines​. Hard to miss a dozen 18 foot holes in the road. The construction nearly destroyed the businesses on the West End.

The small community in the 70's and 80's relied on the captured rain water, water trucks and the "wonderful" Elephant septic trucks to remove the waste water. All the water needed to be treated before consuming by boiling or by use of bleach. This situation would be beyond unacceptable today.

There is another water plant location available at Roaring River. Hopefully work will start soon to get this online.

A while back I wrote that Negril grew with little to no formal government planning. An article in today's Gleaner has the Minister of Tourism stating nearly the same thing. He promised this will no longer be the case.

[sabu]

Good to know Rob. Thanks for keeping the record straight

[Marko]

yeah Bartlett was referring to poor planing of the water, sewer and electric in Negril from the get go back in the day....
now they are trying to play catch up but in Negril the demand is outstripping the supply of everything.....
don't understand what they were thinking when they granted building those hotel projects without the proper infrastructure in place....
all I can say is plan on seeing a lot of utility work going on in and around Negril in the years to come.....
sumthin that should have been done a dozen or two years ago.......oh well

Cool Runnings, Marko

[Biggs of the week]

Only time will tell if the improvements can handle the expansion.I pray there are no more water shortages and the sewage can handle all the new toilets flushing.

[Kimbobwee]

Can you say ....back-up!? It's going to get real interesting the next couple of years. Give thanks and Praise.

[Todd]

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/regio...r-Negril_96104