Bonaire’s Captain Don’s Habitat is First to Participate in STINAPA’s Get-Back-To-Tap-Water Campaign

Excellent idea..Bottled water should be extremely heavily taxed on the island to reduce it's consumption. (From someone who hates taxes).

vince
from what i understand divi does not have that water system and the water taste funny.
es

Hi All,

Just something I have to add here.........since I wrote the Insider article yesterday about Habitat's new program (which I greatly applaud), I've received a few private emails about it with a wide variety of reactions, but all in support.

One writer wanted to ban the import of bottled water. Vince mentions heavily taxing its import. Just something I want to point out from a resident's perspective: Although residents do not use bottled water to a huge extent (I would estimate the greater majority is sold to tourists), we do need it down here and available to stock up prior to hurricane season, as we do get storms which can pass rather closely (Ivan, Emily, Felix, just to name a few in the last years). If any of these storms actually had hit Bonaire, our water supply could have been interrupted, and the island would have been dependent upon its supplies of bottled water until such time as new supplies could be brought in.

So, in my humble opinion, I would rather see hotels and other tourism companies embrace the same idea as Habitat, which will reduce the need for much of the bottled water we currently import, but still have it available for those who need it when they need it, without the need for even more heavy taxes or price increases.

Just my two cents (or should I say three cents figuring in the cost of inflation?) from a resident's perspective.

Susan

We would periodically buy a pack of bottled water and then when empty, fill the bottles from the tap.

You can of course only do that a number of times before the water becomes toxic from the bottle.

It is always useful as any resident will tell you, to have a supply of bottled water as there are times (and unless you read or understand Papiamentu you will never know when) that the water goes off, sometimes for up to 12 hours.

There has to be a balance and I agree that Bonaires tap water is far superior to that bought in a bottle.

I would however be interested in consumption and output. Given the methods used at the moment to supply water to the island, can the WEB cope with the increased usage?

I agree - KUDOS to Habitat. I do hope other resorts follow the lead and I will email those I have stayed at regarding this.

In my 16 years here, I don't remember WEB ever having a problem with providing enough water, except for one time very long ago when there was a problem with getting in a part needed at the desalination plant. During that time, WEB received weekly supplies of water from Curacao, until the part could be replaced.

Oh, and understanding Papiamentu doesn't necessarily mean you'll know when they turn off your water. Mine just got turned off for the second time this week, but is now back on.

Susan.

I know that WEB would (if they were going to bother at all) announce in the local newspaper or on a Papiamentu radio station if they were going to cut supplies. A friend of mine who always listened to that station was an invaluable source of information.

I felt quite smug with my receptacles full of water during those times.

Antony, I have this mental image of you sitting there, grinning like a Cheshire cat, watching your saved water, while everyone else is drooling!

Yes, when they know in advance of having to turn off water, they're pretty good about trying to get the word out. Recently I know there's been lots of last-minute shut-offs in various neighborhoods, because of all the construction going on everywhere.

Susan and Antony (without the H), always welcome residents (and ex residents) perspectives on things as well.

I also aplaud Cap Don's for using bottles without BPA. A problem with some plastic water bottles, if they have BPA, when they get hot, toxins are released. Here's a good article on plastics, and plastic water bottles.
Plastic Water Bottles

captain don
where are thee???????????? please, want more stories. been coming to bonaire since 1985. so have seen lots of changes. good and bad. still love bonaire
elaine

We don't even think about buying bottled water or bringing it. The tap water on Bonaire is fantastic and we would love to haul a load back to Texas. Our water in San Angelo tastes like crap.