IA Joe: More than happy to answer your question and there's nothing indelicate about it at all!

A better quote is, "If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down."

Some parts of STT have piped-in city water but the majority on all the Virgin Islands relies on cistern water which of course comes from rain collection via the roof and gutters. It has little to do with septic systems per se but more to do with the amount of water we have in our cisterns at any given time and of course with weather systems. If we go through a very dry spell, then obviously our cisterns aren't replenished and if our cisterns get really dry then we have to buy water from one of the water trucking companies.

I have a restaurant on STT and the quote which I mentioned above is taped to the top of the toilet tank as a reminder that water conservation here is a pretty big issue! I have a low-flush toilet and most savvy residents throughout the islands use very efficient low-flow showerheads which deliver a more than ample stream but use less water than regular showerheads. We also take "sailor showers" in that we turn on the water to wet everything down and then turn it off, soap up and then turn it back on to rinse off. Same with brushing your teeth - turn on the tap to wet the brush and then turn it off as you brush and turn it back on again to rinse!

The larger hotels have on-site desalinization plants because obviously you can't educate visitors in short shrift, and I have no doubt that the airport restrooms make every contingency to accomodate the average small and big flush tourist routine. Very occasionally I've used both the airport and large store bathrooms, have flushed and have been happy to be standing up and back while doing so as the sucking force of some of those high-tech things is a bit scary (if I was still sitting when flushing could I lose my privates in that vacuum? Ouch!)

Villa owners often leave a note in their rentals asking guests to NOT put wads of toilet paper into the bowl but rather place them in a separate container as basic garbage, I'm really not meaning to sound crass but obviously if you're taking a poop then you're not going to put THAT paper into a separate container, but ladies taking a simple pee? Sure, use the container for that bit of tissue. As far as female sanitary things, definitely NOT down the lavvy. Wrap them up in a paper towel or whatever and put them in the garbage receptacle.

I've been here for so bloody long that all of this is just second nature but I always chuckle when I DO get off-island and back to the "real world" where family members and friends find it just a little weird that I now really don't care to take real baths, turn the water on and off while showering and DON'T flush for a simple pee!

Thanks for asking the question which, after a very long hard day's night and week, has been much fun answering and I hope I've helped a bit. Cheers!

STT Resident...that's funny that you mention your relatives thinking you're a little weird when you come to visit and still abide by the "island rules". My hubby and I have kind of adopted the "let it mellow" rule at home. It's nothing we formally discussed....it just started happening and I like thinking that we're conserving water!

In Mexico where my son lives water conservation is not an issue, but the age/size pf the sewer system is. They only flush bodily waste, no paper of any kind. They have a separate waste basket next to the toilet which they empty very frequently.

I understand about the cisterns..and the flusing thing. I'm wondering if the drinking water comes from the same cistern or whether the drinking water is filtrated some way??

How safe is it drinking the water if you're from the states. I usually always drink bottled water anyway, but i'd like to know so i can tell the other people that are going with us.

Wow, this is a great thread! I've read nearly every guide book I can find on the USVI, but none got this in-depth on the subject!

As always, thanks for the info. 😉

The cisterns we're talking about are simply water-holding devices, either above or below ground. Water is collected in the cistern via rainwater, well, or water delivery truck. The water is then pumped into your home and is used for all water-related household needs - washing, drinking, flushing.

For water/waste removal, a home is either hooked up to city sewers, or more likely, a septic tank. Some homes have two systems, one for gray water (dishwater and shower water) and one for black water (toilets). The gray water is reused as is for lawn or plant irrigation.

Right now our big problem on STX is lack of water. It hasn't rained in some time. We are having field fires. WAPA is turning off water from 9 pm to 5 am to conserve. So we are praying for RAIN -- sorry tourists.

The drinking water comes from the same source so (personally) I do not drink it. Some of the villa rentals do have a filter system so just check with them if your villa does or not.

Pia

Thanks all...i think it will be alot of bottled water for us. Got sick in Mexico once and it wasn't fun AT ALL.

yep I've been "out" of the tourist zones in some areas of Mexico and that is true about placing ALL paper products into a wastebasket next to the actual toilet.

As to whether or not to drink your villa's water, I live by the"check the gutter" rule. Remember that most water comes from the cistern. Most water in the cistern comes from the roof, via the gutters. If the gutters are disgusting, safe bet is the water is too. A growing number of villas have filter systems, but not most, by any means.
As to the delicate issue of flushing.. have fun in the sun, but please don't flush for # one. As to sanitary napkins, they really shouldn't be flushed anywhere, on island, or not. Ask any plumber!