Barbados Climate Resilient South Coast Water Reclamation Project (SCWRP) Barbados

The South Coast Water Reclamation Project (SCWRP) in Barbados aims to transform the existing South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant (SCSTP) into a modern Water Resource Recovery Facility (SCWRRF). The project focuses on producing high-quality reclaimed water to reduce dependence on potable groundwater, which is under threat from droughts and seawater intrusion. Key infrastructure includes a 25 km irrigation pipeline for 160 hectares of farmland and a system of injection wells for aquifer recharge in the Christ Church aquifer. The project also includes the restoration of the 33-hectare Graeme Hall Swamp and the installation of a 7 MW solar PV plant with battery storage to provide energy redundancy and reduce GHG emissions. Financially, the project employs an innovative 'Debt-for-Climate Conversion' (DfCC) mechanism, using savings from restructured sovereign debt to fund the investment. The total financing is USD 110 million, with USD 70 million requested from the Green Climate Fund (USD 40 million grant and USD 30 million loan) and USD 40 million in co-financing from the Inter-American Development Bank.

• Barbados faces severe water scarcity with only 285 m³ of fresh water available per capita annually, and climate projections until 2050 suggest annual precipitation will decrease by 119 mm, extending the dry season by two months.
• The project will upgrade the South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant (SCSTP) into a New South Coast Water Reclamation and Re-use Facility (SCWRRF) with an average dry weather flow of 9,000 m3/day, utilizing Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) including Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis (RO).
• Reclaimed water will be distributed via a 25 km pipeline to irrigate approximately 160 hectares at River Plantation and used for aquifer recharge through 5 injection wells and 3 abstraction boreholes to counter saline intrusion.
• The project includes the restoration of the 33-hectare Graeme Hall Swamp, a RAMSAR site, to improve ecosystem services and mitigate flood risks by preventing the discharge of untreated wastewater.
• To ensure energy resilience and reduce the carbon footprint, the project will install 7 MW of solar photovoltaic panels and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), aiming to reduce GHG emissions by 66,430 metric tons of CO2 equivalent over the project lifespan.
• The project utilizes a 'Debt-for-Climate Conversion' (DfCC) mechanism, where savings from the repurchase of sovereign debt via Sustainability-linked Bonds (SLB) will be used to repay the GCF and IDB loans.
• The total project cost is USD 110 million, consisting of USD 70 million from the GCF (USD 40 million grant and USD 30 million loan) and USD 40 million in co-financing from the Inter-American Development Bank.
• The project targets 50,707 direct beneficiaries, including smallholder farmers at River Plantation and those benefiting from aquifer replenishment in Silver Hill and Gibbon’s Boggs, and 231,293 indirect beneficiaries.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2024). Barbados Climate Resilient South Coast Water Reclamation Project (SCWRP) Barbados. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp251.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Barbados Climate Resilient South Coast Water Reclamation Project (SCWRP) Barbados. 2024. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp251.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Barbados Climate Resilient South Coast Water Reclamation Project (SCWRP) Barbados |date=26 November 2024 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp251.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2024barbados, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Barbados Climate Resilient South Coast Water Reclamation Project (SCWRP) Barbados}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp251.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }