Impact of hurricane Ivan on Grenada water supply

Caribbean islands suffer from many natural disasters. In September 2004 damages from hurricane Ivan in Grenada were estimated at US$900M, twice the gross domestic product. This study investigates the impact of hurricane Ivan on Grenada's water supply. While it was found that a lack of water supply immediately following the hurricane resulted in hardship to citizens, the impact was reduced in areas where rainwater harvesting was established. The long term impacts of the hurricane on water supply may be reduced due to the rapid recovery of damaged vegetation in the water-producing watersheds, facilitated by a decline in agricultural activities in these watersheds. The absence of a national land use policy and lack of consideration for women in the management of water resources can impact negatively in the future on Grenada's ability to overcome a similar disaster. It is recommended that the National Water Authority includes the cost of insurance for its infrastructure in developing water tariffs and mainstreams disaster management and planning in its operations.