Boa Vista Experience

jak · Senior Member Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 912

The island of Boa Vista is facing a shortage of drinking water that began Thursday of last week. According to A Semana Online’s sources on the island, the situation is a delicate one, and could have been worse if the population has not taken advantage of water from recent rains to clean their homes and wash their clothes. The situation has gone on for a number of days now with no explanation whatsoever from Águas e Energia da Boa Vista, the company responsible for producing and supplying water on the island. “This isn’t the first time there’s been a shortage of water on Boa Vista. But what demonstrates the company’s lack of respect for the island’s population is the fact that, when it resumes production, it first supplies all of the hotels and only then begins to distribute the precious liquid to the population,” complained one source.

And the current problem has not attained greater proportions only because a considerable amount of rain has fallen recently, forming small ponds all over the island that the population is using to wash homes and clothing and provide animals with drinking water.

A Semana Online attempted to contact Águas e Energia da Boa Vista, but was informed that the director is out of the country and no other employee is authorized to provide information to the press.

A Semana

andre · Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 7:27 pm Post subject:

Embaressingly 3rd world! Embarassed

thecrock · Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Posts: 82 Location: oxfordshire

..and just looking at the recent floods on boa maybe a resevoir should be constructed.....but no!!!!.......can't get building materials onto island because port doesn't work......grants from rich countries to develop infrastructure......money spent on more deserving projects else where.......ahh the endless cycle of poverty....

jak · Senior Member Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 912

What is also very worrying is that the island is not used to this much rain. There are no drainage systems to remove water other than the naturally occurring rivers. Therefore there are large amounts of standing water much of which is close to habitation with poor sanitation conditions. How long will it be before Dengue fever and Malaria appear on Boa Vista.

John

thecrock · Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Posts: 82 Location: oxfordshire

....and that is exactly what will drive tourists away....

andre · Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:08 am Post subject:

Any news on water /storm damage to buildings? Was a big issue last year!
Packing my water-wings/goggles + snorkel, + INSECT REPELLANT!
Is there still some beer on the island! Had 2 in the last 3 weeks, am parched!