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Reading about WAPA's water problems on STT, it is clear that is a really messed up operation. Sounds like WAPA management all used to work for the City of Detroit :D. Are the water problems in STT affecting STJ or does STJ make it's own water?
STT Resident wrote:
[quote=RockyDock]@dano50: I'm not an expert, but from reading the posts from SB08 and STTRes I would conclude that not enough truck loads of water were able to be delivered, to the buildings you were in, to handle the demand. When the cistern runs out, no water until the next truck delivery.
With all due respect I think you've misread the time frame and the sequence of events. The poster was not there during the water shortage and he/she was moved to another unit which had water. Ergo the problem was with the water in his/her unit, not in the whole complex where all the water comes from the same holding unit.
Sequence of events:
September: WAPA decreases production and implements rrationing while attempting repairs.
November 15, WAPA plant fails. Partial shut down. More rationing.
December 22, WAPA plant fails. Complete shut down. Rotating rationing. Many customers go long periods (days) with no water delivery.
During this process
National Guard brings in a water producing barge.
WAPA leases three temporary portable plants from 7Cs.
WAPA purchases from private plants and is delivering via truck.
WAPA is attempting to fabricate custom replacement parts to bring the plant back on line.
Dano's experience may be the result of Sapphire's inability to maintain it's in-house water delivery system or a symptom WAPA's recent failures. Hard to say for sure.
WAPA estimates normal STT demand at 1.8 Million gallons per day. Current production is estimated at 750,000 gallons per day resulting in a 1.05 million gallon per day deficit.
blu4u: thank you for the summary. Again, the poster who wrote about water problems he had at Sapphire and to which you appear to be responding had nothing whatsoever to do with this scenario of WAPA's water woes.
STT Resident wrote:
blu4u: thank you for the summary. Again, the poster who wrote about water problems he had at Sapphire and to which you appear to be responding had nothing whatsoever to do with this scenario of WAPA's water woes.
@STTRESIDNT, How can you be so sure? Do you think that the staff was not being honest with Dano?
Welp, assuming you are correct, then Sapphire has a problem with it's in-house facility (plumbing, piping, storage).
Anyway, nice to know that the management solved the problem and found a working unit for Dano.
blu4u wrote:
[quote=STT Resident]
blu4u: thank you for the summary. Again, the poster who wrote about water problems he had at Sapphire and to which you appear to be responding had nothing whatsoever to do with this scenario of WAPA's water woes.
@STTRESIDNT, How can you be so sure? Do you think that the staff was not being honest with Dano?
Welp, assuming you are correct, then Sapphire has a problem with it's in-house facility (plumbing, piping, storage).
Anyway, nice to know that the management solved the problem and found a working unit for Dano.
I can be sure because the units at Sapphire are all supplied with water from the resort's central source. The units do not have individual cisterns. If one unit is without water because of a water shortage at Sapphire all the units will be without water. If one unit has a water supply problem and the rest of the resort's units have water it is a problem related to that one unit's plumbing. The poster who had the problem in November was moved to another unit where there was no problem. I have no idea why the staff member apparently told the occupant of that unit that the problem was because of "rolling STT water blackouts". Throughout all this, Sapphire resort has not been affected by the water shortage. Plumbing problems happen. I'm baffled why one condo unit having a water problem has become such an issue.
I used to work in a hotel. If there was H2O in one unit and not another, problem was internal, not WAPA.
Linda and STT are right, obviously. Think about it, if your neighbor has water and you don't -- the problem is in your own house. Enough already.
In regards to where the water comes from to fill the tank across from the DMV on St. John.... I asked the hubby and he said that there is a RO plant on Moorehead Point (STJ). So, I guess we are not impacted by what is going on in STT other than we are sending a lot of trucks of water over.
stjohnjulie, you need to correct the poster on http://www.stthomasblog.com. He posted the other day that STJ was having problems with water. I think the people who stumble upon that blog need to read a post from someone who actually lives on STJ.
Julie Thanks for checking around about a RO plant in STJ - and Thanks to the water suppliers over there who have been sending STT the water too.
There has been little improvement, as of yesterday anyway, in the water distribution and the frustration and expense continues - If WAPA cannot solve this basic supply problem soon I still fear an outbreak of disease will be the result.
In case anyone is interested, here's the latest info from the St Thomas Source, and the Daily News is also staying abreast of latest developments. The WAPA website (linked in the Source article) is also being kept updated.
Things seem to be moving forward quite quickly. I spoke to a multi-store (retail) owner the other day and he said that I believe two of his outlets which are in town have been affected but only because of bathroom usage. His employees have brought in a couple of buckets of water a day from home which have served the purpose. I don't know what areas of Havensight have been affected but I had breakfast at the Delly Deck a couple of days ago and everything in that area was fine. This too shall pass!
Wapa's latest press release states that water service to Havensight will be cut of ff today so that water service to the low income housing communities can be attempted--a welcome relief to the residents in those apartments who have been without water for over two weeks, I think some of the buinesses in the Havensight area have back-up cisterns /water stroage. If you planning to visit that area today, call ahead and make sure your desitnation is open.
dano50 wrote:
my problem was a unit in sapphire village (blue roof units) on weds night nov 16th. i believe all blue roof buildings had no water until about noon (thurs) everyone was doing laundry. a resident told me it was rolling STT water blackouts that happened once in a while. i dont believe mgmt told me what the problem was. however they upgraded me to a red roof beach condo that did have water. thats all i know.
That explains everything. Sapphire Village (blue roofs) and Sapphire Beach Resort & Marina (red roofs) are two completely different complexes. I'm unsure where Sapphire Village gets their water, but I know they do not use the cistern @ Sapphire Resort.
exit zero wrote:
Julie Thanks for checking around about a RO plant in STJ - and Thanks to the water suppliers over there who have been sending STT the water too.
There has been little improvement, as of yesterday anyway, in the water distribution and the frustration and expense continues - If WAPA cannot solve this basic supply problem soon I still fear an outbreak of disease will be the result.
My pleasure. I cannot imagine how much they are charging for trucking the water over to STT, but I hope all the bills get sent to WAPA. I too worry about illnesses due to the lack of water. Not being able to dispose of sewage in a proper manner is alarming. When you have to go, you have to go. Not to mention not being able to bath, cook, and clean. Please keep us posted. I read articles online...but I rely on firsthand accounts to get a better idea of what is really happening.
Are the restaurants at Bluebeards affected by this fiasco?
Your best bet is to call ahead and get the story first hand. Rationing is rotated and changes daily. Some Establishments have cisterns (storage tanks for rain water and supplemented by water deliveries) from which they draw. Some resorts produce a private water supply via reverse osmosis. Some places are just using jugs. Not sure about BB.
Here is a link from the Virgin Islands Daily News
As long as there is not a Rum shortage, STT will get along.
This is just horrible news. I get there tomorrow, and I read this article that basically tells me that my beautiful vacation is about to be interrupted by hords of cruise ship traffic that are being directed away from downtown to the resorts...preferrably those that have water. I will be at Sapphire Beach Resort, and although I appreciate that it's a popular spot, knowing that cruise ship operators will be forced to push additional traffic to the east end sickens me.
I don't mean to sound petty, and I am really sorry for the residents and business owners who have to suffer through life dealing with a 3rd world government while living in paradise. I feel sorry too for the "boat people" who get off the ship excited about experiencing the charms of St. Thomas only to have to put up with eating off of paper plates, and pouring water into toilets to get them to flush.
I will see you on the beach; I will be the big guy with the fresh sunburn!
I'll bet none of those cruise ship "boat people" find lluh bay :@)
So they (VI Daily News) say water service was to have been restored.... can someone give an actual update?
Good Morning, Julie!
I understand that pretty much full service has been restored and that any isolated areas further away from the pumping station will be fully up and running by the end of the weekend. There have been some complaints that the initial flow of water coming out of the faucets has been brown and murky but this would be normal anyway. On a couple of occasions when I've had a cistern run dry the first water coming out after a refill has been pretty nasty but the pipes very quickly flush out.
