National Water Reuse Policy 2018.

The National Water Reuse Policy is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The policy objectives are: (I) to promote the safe use of reclaimed, storm and non-potable water in urban, agricultural and the industrial sectors without compromising human health and environmental quality; (II) to ensure compliance with water reuse guidelines, standards, and codes of practice as amended over time and improve the quality of storm, ground and marine waters; and (III) to facilitate communication and participation of stakeholders in the wastewater treatment and water reuse system and provide adequate information on the approved guidelines, standards and codes of practice.
The treatment of sources of water, such as sewage, harvested rain water, storm water and non-potable water, will be encouraged. Traditional and non-traditional treatment methods will be used to minimize or remove microbiological and chemicals pollutants that inhibit the use of the water for intended purposes such as agriculture or industry. The feasibility of establishing a wastewater revolving fund will be investigated to facilitate investment in wastewater treatment infrastructure, and training of wastewater operations. Where feasible wastewater treatment revolving fund will be established with the appropriate legislative tools and human resources to operate the fund. Wastewater operators will be trained through partnerships with regional agencies and certification of wastewater treatment plant operators will be encouraged. The water use categories will be formalized in legislation. Water use standards will be established for all categories and uses of water to ensure that all water meets the minimum standards for usage that complies with approved health criteria. Plumbing code will be established to ensure the safe transfer of different quality waters from one location to another and within same building. The partnerships with educational institutions, professional associations and the Government will be promoted. The formation of a plumbers’ association will be promoted for the upgrade of knowledge and skills. A mechanism with the University of the West Indies will be established to facilitate research in environmental pollution, water reuse, water efficiency, emerging contaminants of concern and other environmental and public health threats.
The reuse of reclaimed water/effluent will be promoted in agriculture within the limits of public health standards. A reclaimed water distribution network will be established to move water from urban areas to agricultural area for use in agriculture. The laboratory infrastructure will be improved to ensure adequate testing of reclaimed water, food crops produced from reclaimed water and potential health impacts on users. The use of reclaimed water will be restricted to agricultural activity through surface drip and subsurface drip irrigation systems. A vegetable greenhouse will be established as a demonstration project at the Ministry of Agriculture utilizing reclaimed water and employing computer technology to grow vegetables and other crops.
The policy further promotes and encourages strategies to harvest rainwater. Groundwater recharge will be encouraged through onsite infiltration through appropriately located drainage wells or surface impoundments, to augment potable water supply and maintain the subsurface saline intrusion freshwater barrier. The contamination of the storm water will be minimized by reducing surface runoff from developed properties through planning control in the Physical Development Plan. The economic and financial instruments will be evaluated to encourage full installation of rainwater harvesting technologies. The use of aquifer recharge systems with rainwater from residential and institutional structures will be promoted. Standards will be established for the colour coding standards for the conveyance of potable and non-potable water for domestic, agricultural and industrials uses.