GEF Antigua and Barbuda

Point and nonpoint pollution are impacting Antigua and Barbuda's (AB) freshwater and near shore marine water. Such pollution is adversely affecting drinking water supplies, recreational waters, and ecosystem survival. In this regard, there is need to introduce “Water Quality Guidelines” within these watersheds to safeguard the public and meet the needs of water for agriculture, fisheries and recreational activities.

For AB to continue on a sustainable development path will require, among other things, maintaining and, if necessary, rehabilitating inland and nearshore water bodies and their respective ecosystems in a satisfactory condition. In this regard, effective management of pollutants from point and non-point sources is imperative. This will include applying a licensing regime and permits to control effluent waste disposal as well as applying BMPs at agricultural and construction sites, based on a catchment system.

The water bodies within watersheds of AB are been polluted as a result of:
- Effluent discharges from failing watertreatment plants and soakways;
- Chemical runoff from agricultural lands as well as development sites; and
- Chemical discharges from industrial plants.

To better manage water quality in watersheds will require establishing performance standards for receiving water bodies. The main criteria for use include freedom from pathogens, non-toxicity, and consistency of quality and quantity. The proposed Water Framework Directive (WFD) for AB seeks to create an integrated structure for the management, conservation and improvement of all water resources within a catchment as it provides standards for water quality. Some of the Directives to be formulated include the Nitrates, Bathing Water, Urban Wastewater, and Groundwater. Classifications should also be developed linking water quality to potential uses and thereby producing usage-based directives for the water quality (e.g. Surface Water Directive, Freshwater Directive, Fish Directive, etc.).

The water body and watershed management are inter-connected and stakeholders must advance a multidisciplinary and multi-participatory approach that may involve trade-offs in reaching a result based outcome.

Please see the attached document produced by ESAL: Water Quality Guidelines for Antigua and Barbuda.