GEF Antigua and Barbuda

Promoting best practices in water conservation and waste water disposal and grey water re-use in the North West tourism zone Antigua

North West Coast of Antigua is the main tourism zone on the island, with the greatest concentration of hotels and the highest levels of water use. This area is however within the Cedar Grove Watershed (W1) which is a drought risk zone with limited ground water stores and the lowest annual rainfall compared to other watersheds. There are no municipal waste water disposal facilities along this coast and many of the hotels have both private desalination plants and waste water disposal systems.

The NW tourism area has however been identified as an environmental Hotspot due to the high levels of liquid and waste contamination (nutrients, microbiological and chemical pollution; suspended solids; solid wastes). The systems used by the hotel may not be suitably located, managed or maintained.

The purpose of this demonstration project is to minimise both point and non-point sources of pollution (from poorly maintained septic tanks and private waste water disposal systems), whilst promoting water conservation and grey-water re-use schemes. The project will promote public private partnerships, and encourage the adoption of environmental management systems in hotels along this stretch of coast.

The project will investigate the possibility of implementing a Blue Flag eco-certification scheme for the beaches within the NW zone. The project will investigate the feasibility of implementing a grey-water scheme for the excess water produced by hotel for re-use for municipal and / or agricultural purposes.

Although this demonstration initiative will not be addressing the area of St. John itself, it will ensure close coordination and linkages, as appropriate, with the IWCAM demonstration project, Mitigation of Groundwater and Coastal Impacts from Sewage Discharges from St. John.