MONDAY, MAY 7: Members of the public are invited to attend a Community Conversation discussion entitled “Bermuda’s Water Supply: How Sustainable Is It?” on Thursday, May 10 from 6pm until 8pm at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute Auditorium.
The event is being organized by the Sustainable Development Roundtable (SDRT), within the Ministry of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy. The evening will provide a forum for the community to be informed of and understand the factors that influence the production, supply and availability of water, it will also look at Bermuda’s historical water use and highlight vulnerabilities to our water supply that we must begin planning for.
One of the major roles of the Sustainable Development Roundtable is to engage in public discussion and education on matters affecting our sustainability. The SDRT has decided to focus on Bermuda’s water supply since it is a somewhat unique story that impacts the quality of life for all residents.
The SDRT believes individuals, businesses and organizations must do their part in responsibly managing our water resources because it influences all of our lives.
Chairperson of the SDRT Ianthia Wade Simmons said: “The emotional stress and economic impacts are often overlooked in our conversations on water. These are just as important as the environmental considerations because even the most vulnerable populations deserve an adequate water supply. The SDRT aims to highlight holistic challenges that need to be considered when the water supply for current and future generations is being discussed.”
Distinguished Communication Specialist, Ms. Evelyn James-Barnett will be the moderator for the evening. Mrs. James-Barnett is currently the Director of Communications at Bermuda College.
This event will feature presentations from representatives from a cross-section of the water industry. From their respective position each participant will educate and raise awareness on issues that affect our water sustainability. They will form a four-person panel.
The event will begin with welcoming remarks by SD Roundtable Chair Ms. Ianthia Simmons-Wade and some brief comments by the Minister of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy, the Hon. Marc Bean JP MP.
Each panelist will spend about 10 minutes making their contribution from their particular area of expertise. The panel members include a hydrogeologist, who will begin by presenting information about Bermuda’s rain water supply. A representative from ACE, Bermuda Water Works Limited and the Bermuda Water Truckers Association will also be on the panel.
Following the presentations, the Moderator will invite attendees to make comments or ask questions of any one of the presenters.
“This is a timely event as historically April and May are the driest months of the year and for the past 6 months our actual rainfall has been well below normal levels,” Ms. Wade Simmons said.
The Community Conversation will also debunk common myths about water and provide a platform for dialogue about this crucial topic. Attendees will be able to leave with an understanding of the complexity of our water story and consider ways that they could implement conservation methods or technologies and move towards being more self-sustaining.