Mainstreaming Climate Resilience into Water Sector Planning, Development and Operations in Saint Lucia

The project aims to establish a climate-resilient water sector in Saint Lucia to address vulnerabilities caused by extreme weather, droughts, and aging infrastructure. It proposes a four-component approach: strengthening water governance and tariff structures, implementing integrated watershed management, upgrading physical water supply systems (including the John Compton Dam), and building capacity for vulnerable users through rainwater harvesting. The initiative is led by the Caribbean Development Bank and UNOPS, targeting 134,167 direct beneficiaries.

• Saint Lucia's water sector faces a significant supply deficit, estimated at 35%, with 47-55% of produced water lost due to leakage, meter errors, and illegal connections.
• The water utility company, WASCO, is severely impacted by climate-induced risks, including high turbidity during rainy months and low river base flows during the dry season, which constrain its ability to meet demand.
• Climate projections for Saint Lucia indicate a general drying trend, with annual average precipitation potentially decreasing by 13.74% to 46.19% by the end of the century.
• The project identifies critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, specifically the John Compton Dam, which provides water for over 60% of the population but has been heavily silted by high-impact rainfall events.
• Financial and institutional barriers hinder the sector, including a lack of grant financing and a tariff structure that is heavily subsidized, leading to water wastage and insufficient funds for operations.
• The proposed project consists of four components: enhancing water governance (USD 2 million), integrated water resources management (USD 5.824 million), upgrading water supply systems (USD 34.5 million), and public sensitization/capacity building (USD 5.176 million).
• The project intends to provide direct support to 21,000 beneficiaries from poor or water-stressed communities through a challenge fund for rainwater harvesting and storage systems.
• Energy costs are a significant operational burden for the water sector, accounting for at least 25-30% of operating costs.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2023). Mainstreaming Climate Resilience into Water Sector Planning, Development and Operations in Saint Lucia. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/29120-mainstreaming-climate-resilience-water-sector-planning-development-and-operations-saint-lucia.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Mainstreaming Climate Resilience into Water Sector Planning, Development and Operations in Saint Lucia. 2023. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/29120-mainstreaming-climate-resilience-water-sector-planning-development-and-operations-saint-lucia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Mainstreaming Climate Resilience into Water Sector Planning, Development and Operations in Saint Lucia |date=28 April 2023 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/29120-mainstreaming-climate-resilience-water-sector-planning-development-and-operations-saint-lucia.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2023mainstreaming, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Mainstreaming Climate Resilience into Water Sector Planning, Development and Operations in Saint Lucia}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/29120-mainstreaming-climate-resilience-water-sector-planning-development-and-operations-saint-lucia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }