Detailed Description
This partnership intends to improve the management of the Grand Etang Lake as a water reservoir for southern Grenada’s drinking water supply, with the additional benefit of an eco-friendly use of the lake by local and international visitors. An added benefit could be an eco-friendly use of the Grand Etang Lake for locals and managed tourism. This will strengthen the need to maintain the lake’s drinking water capacity by initiating a more planned management and protection of the lake and scheduled removal of the reeds in the lake.
Grand Etang is a jewel of biodiversity and recreation for local and international tourists alike. Furthermore, it is the most important drinking water storage for southern Grenada. This fact is sometimes prone to be neglected by the tourism industry, which simultaneously depends on those same water resources for their operations (e.g. in hotels etc.). Little was known about the lake’s ecological characteristics and eco-system services, including for drinking water, despite several studies and management plans. None of those plans were properly implemented. IWaSP revived the discussion on a more integrated management plan and filled knowledge gaps during the preparation phase with two studies, which were recognized by the private and public sector.
IWaSP was able to act as a moderator between various interest groups such as NAWASA, individual hotels and three different Ministries relevant for the management of Grand Etang Lake. The transparent communication lead to improved information sharing and a new dynamic for the improvement of tourism facilities. As of January 2017, the partnership was at the transition between the assessment and commitment phases, and was facilitating ideas about the lake’s development (in particular for tourism purposes) and how they can be linked with water resources protection. The IWaSP team gained trust as a trustworthy and competent partner for this process, and has been engaged to bring in the water resources management expertise from the highest levels, including Grenada’s Prime Minister.
