73 million Gallons used in March causes Provo water lock-off 

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, April 7, 2024 – Over 73 million gallons of water were sucked out of the Suzy Turn Tank in March in an unprecedented wave of use according to Provo Water Company as they revealed to residents the dire situation that caused lock-offs in Providenciales.

“Over the past three decades water supply has never been an issue for us but this year was different.  The demand on our water system was unparalleled,” said Robert Hall, Managing Director of PWC.

Easter holiday demand was another serious concern from PWC.

With so much water flowing out, Suzy Turn was emptying faster in the day than it could be filled at night.  Hall said had this continued, some residents would have lost water anyway.

”Without restricting the outflow we risked being unable to supply west of Suzy Turn including critical customers like the hospital and international airport which would have had a significant impact on our community.”

The temporary lock offs, slated to last until the end of April, are acting as a stopgap for the problem but real solutions are needed in the immediate and long term and Hall is well aware of that fact

“In January we commissioned a 1.5 million gallon storage tank to the west of the island in anticipation of future growth.  We started building the new 16-inch pipeline to increase supply into the system from the production plant.”

The company already has a remote system that allows them to monitor for leaks. Other proposals are in the pipeline and residents say it’s full-time for those to be instituted, not only are they not happy about the lock offs, some have expressed frustration citing low water pressure and the late return of water in the mornings.

The company said they appreciated the openess that residents have displayed in sharing their concerns.

The government will be keeping a stern eye on proceedings, after assessments they found that Provo Water had taken the appropriate course of action.

With over 60 thousand long stay travellers each month and the number of residents also increasing, Provo Water has a short window to address the issue.

For its part, the government is fast tracking consultations to institute a new regulations oversight body locally.