Tobago’s water supply will improve once the desilting of the Hillsborough Dam is completed, said Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London.

The Chief Secretary contacted the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) last week for an update on Tobago’s present water situation. London said the Authority informed him that the desilting should take place within the next year.

London has been critical of WASA for its lack of preparation for what has so far been a very dry year with little rainfall. During last week’s media briefing, he reiterated that “all the statements I have made can be substantiated”.

The Authority, he said, has also activated two wells in Tobago.

“I was informed that in an effort to bring more water into the system they have actually drilled two wells, one on the Claude Noel Highway and the other at Arnos Vale. Water from these wells, according to my information, is in the system,” London said.

He said the levels at the Hillsborough Dam are still very low, which means that the water conservation request is being renewed and there is scheduling and water trucking.

“Until such time that the weather changes I do not see any hope the situation changing significantly,” he stressed.

The Tobago Chief Secretary said he did get a commitment on the Hillsborough Dam, adding that “my information again is that another tender has gone out. I hope that when this tender is approved that the funding is made available, so that the desilting of the Hillsborough Dam can take place within the next fiscal or the next calendar year.

He added: “It is only with the coming on stream of the Hillsborough Dam that we are going to have any level of predictability with respect to the water situation, especially when we have the kind of extensive and intense dry season that we have had in 2015.”