The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has secured almost US$40 Million in grant funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), an agency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
According to an official statement from the 34th Board Meeting of the GCF in Incheon, South Korea, the funding will facilitate the enhancement of the health, wellbeing and productivity of Barbadians through the use of carbon neutral and climate resilient water and energy management technologies and strategies that ensure water is protected, managed, recycled, reused and conserved.
This is the second such win for the BWA and Barbados, made possible by the significant preparatory work of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC); the late Dr Hugh Sealy, who played a key role in developing the funding proposal; the Project Management Office, and senior management of the BWA; including General Manager, Keithroy Halliday and Technical Advisor to the BWA Board, Dr John Mwansa.
It solidifies the thrust which Barbados has been making internationally in the area of climate change, spearheaded by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, to find convincing support for climate change action, while leading the fight for greater resiliency and mitigation efforts.
The Green Climate Fund was established by 194 governments under the UNFCCC to limit or reduce greenhouse (GHG) emissions in developing countries and to help vulnerable societies adapt to the unavoidable impact of climate crisis.
The Barbados project R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) 3R-CReWS, involves total funding to the tune of US$50 Million with Barbados providing US$10 Million in co-financing.
The multi-faceted project involves, among other things, the development of a climate resilient pathway through the Upgrade of the Bridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant (BSTP) to a tertiary treatment system and the installation of wastewater treatment systems in two Zone A locations, to harness reclaimed water which will be utilized for aquifer recharge and agriculture irrigation.
The Barbados project will also feature the installation of renewable PV systems, automated controls such as variable frequency drives (VFDs) and a sludge dewatering system which contribute to a low emission pathway.
Other features include the enhancement of capacities and capabilities, primarily at the BWA, for managing, monitoring and operating the upgraded BSTP through the development of customized training, updating the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Operation Manual and implementing a risk management framework.
The Board of the GCF at its South Korea meeting, selected nine (9) proposals for funding from across the globe. The Barbados proposal was the only one from the Caribbean. (PR)
