Environmental Health Department Launches Climate-Resilient Water Safety Planning with CARPHA Support  

PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, May 5, 2025 – The Environmental Health Department (EHD), under the Ministry of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with consultants from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), successfully conducted a technical mission from April 28 to May 2, 2025. This mission marked the initial phase in the development of a Climate-Resilient Water Safety Plan (CR-WSP) for the Turks and Caicos Islands, aimed at strengthening national efforts to safeguard public health through improved water management.

The purpose of the mission was to assess the country’s capacity to support the development and implementation of a Climate-Resilient Water Safety Plan. This included identifying key stakeholders, describing the current state of drinking water systems across the islands, and laying the foundation for a structured risk assessment and management process that will ensure the delivery of safe drinking water, even in the face of climate-related threats.

Representing CARPHA were Mr. Shane Kirton, Officer-in-Charge of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development (EHSD), and Ms. Abbigail Liverpool, Technical Officer. Their visit involved a series of consultations and site visits with various stakeholders in the water sector. Meetings were held with the Water Undertaking Department, Provo Water Company, the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), the Planning Department and the National Public Health Laboratory. These engagements provided valuable insights into the existing systems and highlighted areas for improvement and collaboration.

As part of the visit, site assessments were conducted in Providenciales and Grand Turk. Visits to key facilities, including the Provo Water Company, Grand Turk Water Undertaking Department, and the Grand Turk Cruise Center, offered a clearer understanding of current water management practices and operational challenges. The team also completed a stakeholder mapping exercise, defining the roles, responsibilities, and mandates of each organization involved in the sector, as well as how they interact within the national water management framework.

This visit represents the first of three technical missions, with the Water Safety Plan expected to be completed by September 2025. The next phase of the project will involve a comprehensive risk assessment of the water supply systems in Grand Turk and Providenciales. CARPHA has committed continued support to the Ministry of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Health Department through the donation of water testing equipment and the provision of training materials, which will support capacity-building efforts for Environmental Health staff.

Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon. Kyle Knowles, expressed his full support for the initiative, stating:

“The development of a Climate-Resilient Water Safety Plan is a vital step toward ensuring the long-term health and well-being of our people. I commend the Environmental Health Department for leading this important work and thank CARPHA for its technical guidance and continued partnership. Together, we are laying the groundwork for a stronger, more resilient water management system that meets the needs of our islands today and into the future.”

The Ministry of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Health Department express their sincere appreciation to CARPHA for their technical assistance and continued partnership in advancing water safety and public health in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

For more information about this initiative or the ongoing work of the Environmental Health Department, please contact ehd@gov.tc or call 338-2143/44.