ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST (PREFERABLY NATIONAL OF SVG) M/F

The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (GoSVG) is the beneficiary of World Bank funds to finance the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Volcanic Eruption Emergency Project (P176943), that includes a Water Supply Subproject.

The Subproject includes: (1) the development of a water supply system using ground water source at Overland to replace the existing systems at Sandy Bay and Owia, (2) the improvement of water purification on the Perseverance water supply system along with storage and distribution expansion, and (3) the improvement of the existing Fancy water supply system The three (3) existing water supply systems of Fancy, Owia and Sandy Bay are supplied from surface (river) water sources situated on the slopes of the La Soufriere volcano that recently erupted explosively in April 2021 These eruptions resulted in the destruction of intake and treatment structures in the rivers and the deposition of thick layers of ash and pyroclastic material that now sit on the slopes of the volcano and are periodically washed into the supply river channels in the form of Lahars (mudflows) with every moderate to heavy rainfall event. The consequence of every moderate to heavy rainfall event is therefore an interruption of the water supply from these sources due to high turbidity, blockages, and closures from the resulting mudflows. This situation also presents operational challenges for the CWSA with its engineering department being on constant alert for Lahars, having to finance and manage repeated cycles of damage and restoration. One of the major impacts of the recent volcanic eruptions was extensive damage and destruction to many homes and industries situated along the river channels emanating from the summit of the volcano. This then required the mandatory relocation of many residents and some industries to much less vulnerable areas at Orange Hill and Waterloo, both situated just North of the Rabacca River and presently supplied by the Perseverance source. The existing surface water Perseverance system is supplied by intake, treatment and storage structures on the slopes of a separate mountain, Morne Garu, situated to the South of the La Soufriere volcano. Although this system is considered much less vulnerable to mudflows, it presently experiences new and repeated shutdowns due to heavy rainfall and high turbidity. Of equal importance is the new and increased demand now being placed on this system due to new residential housing and the relocation of the Arrowroot and other Agriculture industries. These recent developments will require significant improvements in both the quality and quantity of water available for consistent transmission and distribution.