Newsletter of the VI. Planning Office and the V.I. Water Resources Research Center WAA TA“ Caribbean Research Institute College of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas, US.Virgin Islands 00801 809/774-1252 Ext. 250 Vol be No.6 a ANNUAL REPORT: YEAR 1 This issue completes the first year for publication of WAA TA'. We hope that our readers find the newslett2r both instruc- tive and helpful in understanding the sub- ject of water resources in the Virgin Islands. You can help make WAA TA’ a more effective publication by sending any com- ments and criticisms that vou may have. Also, please encourage others to read WAA TA' regularly by joining our mailing list. We presently have nearly 300 names of organizations and individuals in the Virgin Islands, the Caribbean, and else- where, including Guam and Hawaii, that receive our newsletter. In the first issue of WAA TA’ (Jan-Feb 1978) we stated ou~ purpose for this pub- lication. We feel that we have made sig- nificant progress in fulfilling that pur- pose by desseminating information about the various water resources research pro- jects and programs in the Virgin Islands as well as publishing information about work in other locations which could have positive applications locally. We intend- ed to publish a summary of monthly water statistics including “rainfall totals at selected points, water production by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA), water pumped from wells for pub- lic water supply on St. Croix and water use figures such as those for the Virgin Islands Housing Authority (VIHA)", After repeatedly ccntacting many private business2s and governmental agencies requesting their assistance by reporting water production/pur- chases/use data, only Hess Oil Company (HOVIC) has responded by submitting monthly reports to the Water Center. WAA TA' will continue to urge that businesses and government co- operate in this program in order that the water statistics for the Virgin Islands can be compiled and published. This year of publication has only been a suc~ cess because of the efforts and dedication of several people. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the help of Ms. Sandra Testamark of the Caribbean Research Institute staff who patiently types and re- types the copy and Mr. Winston Charles of the College's Duplicating Services Unit who prints the newsletter. Alsc, I appreciate the ef- forts of the p2ople who contributed articles © for the newsletter including--Ms. Teri Vaughan, formerlly of the Planning Office, Mr. Henry Smith of the Planning Office and Dr. Roger Peebles, Director of the V.I. Water Resources Research Center. We look forward to Year II of WAA TA'. A\at- To our Readers who have expressed newsletter and for the Water Center, we offer a schematic interpretation: V003S53 BLOCK GRANT FUNDS WATER PROJECTS The Community Development Programming Unit of the Virgin Islands Planning Office is the lead agency in the Virgin Islands _ responsible for the Administration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Dev- elopment (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program (CDGB). The primary objec- tive of the Block Grant Program is the Development of viable Urban Communities, by providing decent housing and a suit- able living environment and expanding eco- nomic opportunities, principally for per- sons of low and moderate housing. The "Block Grant" awarded the Virgin Islands, now in its fourth year, is a total of approximately eleven million dollars spread out over a period of five years. Since July 1975, monies have been appro- priated through CDBG for the funding of 41 project activities in the Virgin slands. Among these were several water related projects. Some of the completed St. Croix projects are the Grove Place Potable Water, the L. Harrigan Potable Water and Sewer Line and the Herbert Grigg Sewer Line Projects. In St. Thomas completed water projects include the Pearson Gardens Potable Water Line and the Pearson Gardens Sewer Line Projects. For the 1978 program year, the Virgin Islands entitlement grant for CDBG amounts to $1,802,000. From this grant, $150,000 will be used in St. Croix for construction of a potable water distribution system on Hannah's Rest and Stony Ground while in St. Thomas the drilling of wells will be started in the Bovini Housing. In addi- tion to the 1978 Entitlement Grant, the Virgin Islands has also received $624,000 from the Secretary's 1978 Discretionary Fund specifically to fund water projects. CDBG monies have also funded the develop- ment of a water supply and distribution system in St. John. In Cruz Bay, a well field has been developed, water storage tanks are in the final stages of com- pletion and work is in progress on a pipe- line system. The total buget allocation for this threepart project in St. John is $1,112,000. F WRRC TO STUDY CISTERNS The Water Center will soon initiate a one- year study of the quality of cistern water in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The project is intended to characterize the biological, chemical, and particulate content of cistern water used for domestic supplies throughout the islands. The research results will in- dicate if steps should be taken locally to insure that this significant source of water supply has no adverse impacts on public health. It is also intended to provide addi- tional information to that collected by the Caribbean Research Institute study of mercury and lead levels in cisterns in 1972. The research will be conducted by Dr. Frank P. Rhinehart of CVI's Science and Mathematics Division. Ms. Lesley Dewar, a CVI under- graduate, will assist Dr. Rinehart. Anyone wishing to cooperate in the cistern study by providing periodic water samples totaling 1-2 gallons of water (strictly rain- water) over the next year is invited to con- tact Dr. Rinehart (774-1252, Ext. 367) or the Water Center at (Ext. 250). Funding for the project is provided through the 1977 Annual Allotment of the Water Center a program of the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Watex Research and Technology (OWRT) .