District leaders visit Le Niol water projects |15 October 2013

A major water project is underway at Le Niol in the Bel Ombre district and is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

Yesterday, the Bel Ombre district MNA, administrator and NGO members visited the different sites where the project to carry water from Odas, Le Niol and Mount Simpson Rivers to La Gogue Dam
is taking place.

MNA Galen Bresson said the visit was initiated over a year ago following various concerns related to water shortages and restrictions and the different problems associated with poor road conditions as a result of the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) pipe-laying work for the project, which started in 2011.

Accompanied by PUC officials, the district team received first hand information, explanations and could ask questions and seek more clarification on the Odas new water barrier and storage tank, the Le Niol treatment plant and the Mount Simpson water barrier all associated with the project to carry water to La Gogue Dam.

Project director Ravin Sunassee said there are different challenges which have caused delays to the project and these include lengthy negotiations with some inhabitants for way leave access on their properties for PUC to lay the pipes and this of course lengthens the time that road or other parts of the area remain unsurfaced thus causing inconvenience to the public.

“The project involves a lot of work and many metres of pipe to be laid,” Mr Sunassee said, adding that public understanding and cooperation is essential to the successful and speedy completion of the project.

Mr Bresson pointed out that that there are so many rivers and water sources in the Bel Ombre district whose  inhabitants  ironically suffers a lot from water shortages and PUC restrictions and it was important to see what is being done to alleviate water shortages and other related problems for people in the community.

He noted that the projects at Le Niol once completed would have a great impact not only on the Bel Ombre district but on water distribution in the country as a whole.

Pharisianne Lucas, the district’s administrator said it was important to be better acquainted with the different water development projects so as to better inform frustrated inhabitants.