Dear Editor: I am writing this letter to the ditor in order to correct the record as recently printed in the December 5th issue of The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer (“Nevisians Gagging on Watery Promises”).” I feel obligated to respond to this article in the interest of the public.” Once again The Observer has made false accusations based on no factual information pertaining to the water development programme undertaken by BEAD for the NIA.” I find the article the misleading and I welcome the opportunity to offer some facts relating to the various false accusations and to enlighten the public. Contrary to The Observer’s statement that the contract was signed in late 2006, the contract award was announced in February 2007 but was not signed until May 2007.” Drilling began in November 2007, which was six months from the contract signing.” During that six-month period, we planned and executed extensive geological and geophysical exploration islandwide, with more than 21 miles of resistivity lines being laid, surveyed, and analysed.” In an effort to locate the drill sites in close proximity to existing storage reservoirs and due to the fact that the western side of the island was underlain by hot water due to geothermal activity, the area of investigation was severely limited.” In spite of these limitations, BEAD drilled 3 wells in the western portion of the island in an effort to find potable water.” As is often the case in nature and real life, the wells were insufficient in their performance.” These wells were of low yield and fairly high temperatures, and some had water quality problems.” Consequently drill targets on the eastern side of the island were selected.” Extreme care was taken to locate these wells so as not to impact the existing NIA wells while being close enough to existing NIA storage reservoirs so that the water found could be easily pumped into the NIA distribution system. The article claims that BEAD’s newly installed wells are in the same aquifer as NIA’s existing wells.” That accusation is completely false.” BEAD’s wells are located in completely different aquifers, which were unknown prior to the BEAD exploration program.” In fact, they are one-half to a mile away and are over 600 feet deeper than the NIA wells.” These wells are located in volcanic intrusive rocks, which obtain their recharge from Mt. Nevis, which has very high rainfall, whereas NIA’s wells extract water that infiltrates into the “apron” of volcanic debris that surrounds the island. The evidence that the BEAD wells are in completely different aquifers includes not only data from the well logs and geophysical surveys but the differences in the water quality of the two sources.” The BEAD wells have a TDS (total dissolved solid) content of 210 to 230 mg/l whereas the NIA wells have TDS ranges from 300 to 900 mg/l.” (The World Health Organization guideline is a maximum TDS of 1000mg/l.)” This very low TDS for the BEAD wells indicates that the recharge to this aquifer is very rapid and the residence time from recharge to discharge is very short.” The diagrams below show the geological relationship of the Maddens Heights and Fothergill’s Tank wells and NIA’s existing wells. I am appalled at the accusation that I lack the credentials necessary to successfully develop groundwater resources in the Caribbean.” I have been the senior technical scientist and/or project manager for all projects conducted in the Caribbean for Earthwater Technology, HydroSource Associates, and BEAD.” I managed a team of professional scientists, designed the exploration program that was appropriate on each island, and personally located most of the successful wells drilled in the Caribbean over the last nine years.” In fact, I have authored seven professional articles and have been co-author of four others that describe the results of my success in developing groundwater throughout the Caribbean.” Bedrock Technologies LLC spent many thousands of dollars in Grenada prior to learning that the government officials could not guarantee payment. As a result, Bedrock Technologies could not complete the project and consequently Bedrock’s business there became non viable and the project was abandoned. With reference to the geothermal project of West Indies Power, BEAD graciously allowed me to use my experience and BEAD’s equipment for the initial exploration activities for West Indies Power.” Many of the techniques used for developing groundwater supplies are applicable for the development of geothermal resources.” Consequently the combining of exploration activities for both projects resulted in a much more detailed understanding of the subsurface geology of Nevis than would have been possible if separate entities conducted the work independently.” This effort is not ‘shrouded in mystery” as has been stated in The Observer.” I authored and delivered a paper at the 2007 Caribbean Water and Wastewater Conference (CWWA), held in St. Kitts in October 2007, entitled “Simultaneous Development of Water and Energy for Sustainable Growth in Nevis.” The fact is that the current and future water supply of Nevis is far better and more secure than thought possible by many until now.” I welcome the opportunity to discuss the water development project and my professional expertise and credentials with the media and public alike. In closing, I would once again like to publically thank the many government ministers, Nevis Water Department staff, subcontractors, and the general public for their continued support and encouragement during the water exploration and development process.”” Thank you for publishing this letter. Dr. Roland Hoag, PhD Executive Vice President BEAD(Nevis)Ltd
