Emergency Water Subsidy to Start August 24th

The Executive Council of The Public Entity Saba, has decided to introduce an emergency subsidy for potable water, starting on Monday August 24th.

The subsidy which will reduce the price of water produced on the island by two cents per gallon, and is intended to directly impact the consumer. This decision is being taken by the Council based on the duration and the intensity of the drought which the island is currently going through.

The Council is aware that the extended period of the drought places significant pressure on the budget of many people as most consumers and businesses are only used to purchasing water on an incidental basis and not on a regular basis as has become the case recently.

The money for the subsidy comes from the Drinking Water Covenant signed between the Executive Council and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment.

With the implementation of this emergency measure, consumers will pay less for water that is purchased through the water distributors, AquaSab and HES N.V. The two cents per gallon that is being subsidized by the government is to be directly passed on to consumers, so persons will see the price of water reduced, compared to what they paid previously.

As an example, if a consumer buys 1000 gallons of water, they should see a $20 reduction on their invoice, similarly the price should be reduced by 14.50 for 725 gallons and $10 for 500 gallons. All truckers that are delivering water must reduce their price accordingly.

Persons that have questions about the pricing should contact the Executive Council.

Residents are reminded that they should take all necessary measures to conserve water and be cognizant about their water use. Additionally considering the limited number of water distributors, residents should also make sure that they do not wait until their cisterns are empty before ordering water, instead they should place their order while there is an adequate amount of water for regular activities in the cistern, this way they will not have to be without water for any length of time.

Press release Saba Government Information Service.