Cayman warned of potential drought

| 08/03/2018 | 58 Comments

(CNS): Regional experts say there may be a drought in the Cayman Islands this year. Antigua, St Maarten and western Cuba, as well as Cayman, are the Caribbean islands being urged by the Caribbean Drought and Precipitation Monitoring Network to closely monitor water resources in case of a short-term drought. Although Cayman has largely experienced normal rainfall levels over the last few months, the CDPMN is warning that the island could face a drought by May.

According to the Cayman Islands National Weather Service, 2016 was a record-breaking dry year for the island. Although 2017 was wetter because of a deluge of rain in October, several months of last year were especially dry.

The latest warning indicates that 2018 could also be another dry year for the island. Alongside the bulletin from the CDPMN, the Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum also has Cayman on a drought watch. According to local statistics, so far this year, as we pass through our driest time of year, just over two inches of rain has fallen in the islands, which is below the annual average.

CNS has contacted the Water Authority and the agriculture and lands ministry, which has responsibility for water, to see if any official action is being taken to mitigate the potential dry spell that the Cayman Islands might face this year.

See the bulletin here.

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Category: Science & Nature, Weather

Comments (58)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Wrong! All of Cayman’s “city” water is now sourced from ground water and purified. Not exactly “desal” in the “pure” sense. Pardon the pun. But of course that probably went way over your head!!

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Good, I hate rain.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    There is a HUGE aquifer in East End, miles wide and miles long. 250 feet of freshwater. Thats why their fruits and vegetables are so good to eat. Buy a piece of land and plant breadfruit, ackee, plums, mangoes and coconuts, etc. and enjoy your retirement.

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    • Anonymous says:

      No really? So sez Franky. 250′ feet deep, where’d you get that garbage gem of information from? I can totally agree with the growing good food bit though.

  4. Anonymous says:

    This is really nothing new, we haven’t learned yet. The raping and pillaging of land continues with concrete replacing natural flora. Cayman’s landscape has changed drastically since the island was first stripped of large trees in the 18th century to build ships in Jamaica. We bring in foreign trees and plants along with pests that are now killing more of our local flora. This situation is only going further south as nearly all our fresh water resources are contaminated with sewage and fuels. With only our stupid selves to blame living on this rock will only be frought with more cost and hardship until it’s reclaimed by the sea again in the near future.

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    • Anonymous says:

      This is not just a Cayman issue, it is becoming more common globally. That and rising seawater.

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      • Beaumont Zodecloun says:

        Baloney. That dog don’t hunt anymore. The “rising sea” meme is done and dead in the water (pun intended). When you gather up your resources and link to rebut this statement, remember this very salient fact: It is not possible nor logical to have a rise in seas/ocean in just a few locations around the globe.

        Obviously, the exceptions are those areas in which erosion has changed the local geography.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Go talk to the people in Florida, and the East coast US in general. Go talk to the people in Alaska. Go talk the people of Maldives/Seychelles and tell them its not real. You are in denial and it ain’t an Egyptian river.

  5. Cayman Eco Warrior says:

    Water monster is exactly right more trees and vegetation cut down or destroyed to build homes and apartments increased human waste and water consumption we mix cement with water in case you didn’t know that and more garbage more noise pollution and more carbon dioxide from imported cars what part of that is ignorant or racist because it mean you can’t come here and destroy our island . More people more problems with infrastructure and crime.

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  6. George Towner says:

    A hot drought could also mean a busy storm and hurricane season coming our way

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  7. anonymous says:

    Save water, shower with a friend.

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  8. Cor Blimey! says:

    The Civil Service have been ordered to cut their tea and coffee consumption by half, it is estimated this will save 650,000 gallons of water this year, in addition to increasing their productivity by 10%.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    There was a big drought already if you know what I mean.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    desalination from untreated cancer filled water. mt thrashmore comtamination that is unchecked?

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    • Anonymous says:

      The Water Authority only checks the city water for potential carcinogens once per year. What happens in between is anybody’s guess.

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      • Anonymous says:

        You forgot to mention how much sludge is in dem der pipes. Dem who drinks more water drinks more dirt and the shit that lives in it. I wonder if the Water Authority director drinks from the same tap or buys bottled water too? Bet you they have bottled water in their staff lunchroom.

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        • Anonymous says:

          WAC employee here, we only drink tap water. I drink tap water at my house in GT and at my friends/family in WB and NS – perfectly fine here.

          This way of thinking is quite ironic, isn’t it? Just a few decades ago, your parents were probably drinking rain water from a cistern that had a family of frogs in it.

          Your tap water is now analyzed for bacteria daily by an accredited lab that tests the various sample taps throughout the island. Please explain how dirt/sludge is supposed to get by an RO membrane, into the reservoirs and into the pipes.

          Bottled water is literally also tap water from the USA too that can contain plastic that leeches in from the bottle, and is less regulated than our water which costs around a cent or two per gallon. Support local.

          Now that I’ve typed this, I’m certain you’re a troll.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Sorry wrong guess, and don’t live under a bridge either. For the record WAC employee please explain to da people dem how your maintenance crews go about fixing a pipeline that is under water, like in most of GT, when they only have a 2-bit pump to dewater the trench? How did they in years gone by and how do they now stop all dat mucky water going into the pipe? Please don’t claim they can flush it all out through a puny 2-inch valve. You must really take some people for fools. This is exactly why you lot should not be selling the water your producing especially whilst you’re responsible for the quality of it.

  11. Anonymous says:

    When I hear the press talking about “regional experts” and “may”, they are just blowing more smoke. What is it with the press wanting to keep us in a state of fear?
    We are not afraid. Those of us who believe in God fear one thing only and it is not fake news.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Please note 8/3/18 @ 8:18pm – Johnny-come-lately. Don’t suggest that desalination is a “foreign” concept. When CWC first started operations they were desalinating sea water. The large intakes were located right off Governor’s Beach. But the cost of desal water to the consumer – you and I – was prohibitive. It remains a more costly option whenever it becomes necessary again.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Dear “whenever it becomes necessary again”,
      Do you think there is some glacial-fed river aquifer in the mountains of West Bay? All of the piped water supplied on Grand Cayman, including Cayman Water supplied water, is desalinated seawater. Reverse osmosis separates the salt and other contaminants from the water leaving fresh water that is further treated to finished water quality and distributed to customers.

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      • Anonymous says:

        The fake news is there for the fake news people. Please don’t take it from them. Just realize it is not for you.

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    • Anonymous says:

      A drought of common sense.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If we had modern equipment the cost is now much lower…elsewhere…just not here. I wonder why.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Pretty sure there is a drought at this time of year every year… Rainy season will come in May/June as usual.

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  14. Water Monster Machine says:

    Easy so solution stop this population expansion rubbish going on in Cayman defy alden & Mckeeva idiotic little plan Reduce crime and strain on infrastructure by reducing work permits now simple less water & natural resources consumed Something has got to stop this bullshit going here!

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    • Todor says:

      Work permits….you racist ignoramus. This is a news story about water, yet you bring this up.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Calm down. And probably stop the name calling.

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      • Sucka FREE Cayman says:

        Yes unfortunately this is what happens nowdays when we threaten your no regard for other life forms besides you and your kind way of life.We get call names and you use obscure names to post which indicate the clear lack of intelligence and your bottom feeder mentality.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Obscure names? “Sucka Free Cayman”? You call yourselves stupid names. We don’t need to.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Sucka, how did you get to be so dumb? Think we don’t see what you did? Now go figure out how we worked it out. You really can’t have much to do that is important if you have time to do all that liking and disliking of your own comments and those that call you out. Certainly would suggest a lack of cerebral capacity.

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      • Cayman plastic Police says:

        Yes and he is referring to preservation and consumption you big dummy!!!

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    • Anonymous says:

      The population expansion is from our ever growing Caymanian underclass of illiterate and lazy young men giving babies to dumb girls with poor self esteem who can neither keep their legs together or take contraception, because everyone just loves a baby, right? Ever notice how every time someone is murdered we are told how many children they have with different partners and of course no one is looking after these kids XXXXX

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      • Naya Boy says:

        Your theory like todor and others defy reason and the truth. It is the imported garbage that is clogging up and destroying and polluting this island’s infrastructure and environment and like parasites will live and kill the host and move to another when it dies.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Doesn’t change the rainfall you muppet

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    • Anonymous says:

      Or just get rid of those on island who contribute nothing and take everything. Problem fixed. For the island.

  15. Anonymous says:

    What bull, I lived and worked in one of the driest areas on this planet and we were never short of water thanks to desalination and good management. We even had a big car wash operating in a town that normally only experienced one or two days of rain a year!

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    • Rain Spout says:

      If it was so great why don’t you go back and live there?What are you doing here? It aint rocket science the more people the more pollution the more problems. Some just feel nothing should ever threatened their wasteful way of life and that means the environment should suffer or other people who have the same rights should too. So they can enjoy life that is exactly what it is all about. So spares us with the racist branding and name calling.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And (assuming you are in Cayman) you currently live and work in a place where the annual rainfall is less than the annual water consumption and the difference is made up through … desalination. Just because there’s water in the taps doesn’t mean there’s not a drought. (Or won’t be, in this case.) It just means that in Cayman (and your other town) water is no longer an ecosystem service but an economic one.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Climate change doesn’t effect cayman says head up da?]s ass Alden

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  17. Anonymous says:

    And the more concrete and tarmac you build/lay, the more the rainfall will be affected.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Shhh, don’t tell them about desalination. Let’s keep it our little secret.

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