KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, May 11, CMC – The Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) says it will be implementing daytime and nighttime rationing for consumers across a large section of St. Vincent as the drought affecting the country deepens.
CWSA said that water distribution will continue in the Grenadines, which has no rivers or streams and no municipal water supply.
In a statement, CWSA said that large sections of southern St. Vincent , where the majority of the population resides, will be without water for a six hour period. This is in addition to the nighttime rationing for resident whose supply has been disrupted from 10.00pm to 5.00 am (local time) as the drought situation has affected river flow and intake into the Dalaway Water System.
Over the last weekend, the CWSA used a local ferry to transport water to the island of the Southern Grenadines, where cisterns have run dry and have been urging consumers since mid-January to activate their home water storage plans.
The company had said then that information from the local Met Office had indicated that the island had received about 50 per cent less rainfall during the 2025 rainy season than in the previous four years.
The country received just 687.1 mm of rain during the 2025 wet season, compared to 1,552 mm in 2025 and 1,455 mm in 2020.
“With surface and ground water aquifers not fully replenished during the 2025 Rainy Season, it is forecast that the island will be facing the upcoming Dry Season with limited water available, compared to previous years,” the CWSA said.
It said the situation is especially crucial for communities supplied by the Montreal, Dalaway and Mamoon Water Sources, “as based on our records, they are the first and most severely affected during periods of low rainfall and drought conditions”.
In its publication earlier this month, the Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum’s (CariCOF) had forecast short-term drought conditions for SVG up to March and a long-term drought up to May.
CWSA said that it might be “forced to adapt and change its normal operating protocols.
“The rationing of water may start earlier and for longer periods of time, as well as the implementation of stringent water conservation practices,” the company said.
The CWSA said both Mamoon and Montreal Water Systems remained in Level Red, with water rationing for Montreal increased to twice daily. Dalaway remained at Level Yellow.
Level red is a warning issued by the CWSA when a water system is at risk, and strict water conservation measures are put into place. Car washes, power washing and all other non-essential uses of water should cease completely, while under the Level Yellow, consumers supplied by the flagged catchment should begin preparing to store water if the alert level increases.
Under the Level Orange, consumers should immediately activate water storage measures. Nonessential water use should be reduced.
In its latest statement, CWSA noted that “ongoing monitoring of weather patterns, local climate stations, and river flow data, along with updated reports from CariCOF, confirms that drought conditions are expected to persist across St. Vincent and the Grenadines until the end of May 2026, adding that CariCOF had officially placed the country under a drought watch.
“As a result, the Dalaway, Montreal, and Mamoon water sources are under significant stress, with reduced river flows due to decreased rainfall in the upper watershed. This has led to a noticeable shortfall in water supply.
“Consequently, some domestic and commercial customers, particularly those in the Vermont Valley to Calliaqua …as well as the Marriaqua Valley and surrounding communities, are experiencing intermittent disruptions to their water supply.
“These disruptions will continue until conditions improve,” the company said.
CMC/kd/ir/2026