Island to ask for exemption
from drinking water testing
PHILIPSBURG--Government will be requesting a special dispensation from articles of the Federal Ordinance on drinking water test as a part of the new water production and supply contracts.
Energy Commissioner Roy Marlin said at Wednesday’s Executive Council Press Briefing that the ordinance which calls for independent testing of water quality was discovered during the drafting of the water contracts.
As no independent facility exists on St. Maarten or Curaçao to test drinking water quality, government will request exemption from the Ministry of Public Health.
The ordinance also covers various other conditions, he added. Exemptions form articles of the ordinance that don’t apply to St. Maarten will be requested.
A new water production contract, spanning ten years, was awarded to a new company by the Executive Council recently. Negotiations with the company are ongoing.
Once the negotiations are completed, the contract will be taken to the Island Council to be ratified. In accordance with the Island Regulations ERNA, all contracts for over five years require Island Council approval, Marlin said.
The new water contract takes into consideration the estimated increased water demands of some 3,750 cubic metres for the island in the coming years and provisions for the construction of new water plants when necessary.
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