Morrison Hershfield Ltd. and Golder Associates were contracted by Dominica Water and Sewerage Company Limited (DOWASCO) for the Water Supply Network Upgrading and Expansion Project in the Commonwealth of Dominica, an island nation in the Caribbean.
The overall project goal was to analyze the existing water supply and distribution network, identify any deficiencies, and then develop the least cost, technically feasible option for its improvement. This included reviewing the water sources, treatment, storage, transmission, and distribution system. The three major goals for DOWASCO were to address the following:
Two new intake locations were identified, designed and tendered. The project is now going to construction.
The unique challenges of this project include the mountainous terrain in Dominica, protection of source water and habitat for endemic endangered species, and uncertain land tenure issues surrounding the water infrastructure, which is a challenge unique to the Caribbean region. Dominica is also one of few areas in the Caribbean able to sell drinking water because of the additional capacity available on the island, which was part of the project.