No, don't cancel. It's nothing to worry about. Since we have no fresh water here, it all comes from the sky, lands on your roof, and ends up in the cistern. We are very water conscious here. ("In this land of sun and fun, please don't flush for #1. If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." - That's six gallons right there!) We take very short showers and shut the water off as soon as you are wet. Then soap up, shave, shampoo, and rinse off quick. Shut the water off while brushing teeth or shaving. Stuff like that. But, since we rely on rain to fill our cisterns, sometimes they empty out and you have to pay a truck $400 to deliver 5,000 gallons to your cistern. I have lived on STT for 7 years and only had to buy water once. Obviously, I am very frugal with it. Some have access to desalinated water (Westin, Caneel, Charlotte Amalie area on STT, etc.), so they don't mention it, as it's an unlimited supply. But the rest of us have to be careful. And if your villa runs out, don't worry, they'll have some delivered. Just please be responsible with it.

Thanks Marty, but my friend on St. John said they can't even get a small water delivery for 3 weeks. Sounds like they're up a creek (a dry creek) unless it rains soon.

It's not who you know...but who you know! haha! Your friend should investigate further, as it can be done within 6 hours...even on STJ. Might cost a little more,but better to have water. (Of course, as the cistern is being filled, it will rain buckets down for about an hour! Grrrrr!!!)

Hello Deb,

There is frequently a water shortage on St. John around this time of year. It is a little worse this year then in the past or so I have heard. Hasn't rained really in about 2 months which is somewhat normal considering February and March are our driest months. The months we get more rain are Nov, Oct and Sept. And after those three months May. So hopefully next month will bring some much needed rainfall.

So yes there is a water concern on St. John. Solutions have always been thought of in the past though. I believe villa reps are trying to reinforce the issue so that guests pay very close attention to trying to conserve water. I wouldn't cancel the trip. Keep an eye on the status and notes from your villa rep. on the issue so that you are informed.

Regan, Chris Cody, Larry, Brad - any more you guys could add about this issue?

--Islander

Also, we are heading into the rainy season. May is a wet month. And July is a looong way away.

Relax

reminds me of the song "Trouble" from the Music Man..."get cought with a cistern empty on a Saturday night...and ya got trouble!

My soultion is drink rum and bath in the ocean! Marty and Islander...a question. Doesn't this happen pretty much every year after the high season?

St. Thomas' average rainfall:

Jan 1.86
Feb 1.53
Mar 1.58
Apr 2.76
May 3.34
Jun 2.50
Jul 2.44
Aug 3.41
Sept 4.95
Oct 5.35
Nov 5.70
Dec 2.95

Hello Wes,

Yes, water becomes a concern during the summer months pretty much yearly. There are exceptions... like when we have lots of rain. For example in November 2003 when St. Thomas experienced 18.39 inches of rain and St. John 18.91 inches. But then hey that creates another problem - flooding. 😛

Here here for your drink rum, bathe in the ocean idea.

--Islander

St. John's water problems happen when the Waer and Power Authority can't keep up with the demand to give the truckers enough water. The tank takes a long time to fill, then they ration it. Some truckers come over to St. Thomas just to get water, rather than wait the few days they are sometimes forced to. Villa managers pay the differece for the barge trip. I know that the Westin also sells their excess water to the truckers, but in a drought situation like this, they too tend to ration. I spent many months sharing an office with Paris Rental Cars and their trucking companies a few years back when I sold building supplies over there. It's a booming business. Paris Sr. had two trucks and Paris Jr. three!
Ronnie