Barbados Implements the National Water Reuse Policy Promoting Behavioral Change

The year 2022 has been of special significance for the Water Program of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) and its participation as Executing Agency of the GEF CReW+ Project, in particular supporting Barbados in the implementation of their national activities. One of these activities consists in the Development of a National Communications Strategy and Implementation Plan to support the implementation of Barbados’ National Water Reuse Policy. The National Water Reuse Policy was developed in 2018 as a strategic measure to face the challenge of maintaining water security in the country considering Barbados’ current water scarcity conditions and probable future scenarios expected because of climate change. As the country advances in its implementation, the importance of adequately communicating the Policy was recognized. Communication plays an important role in facilitating the successful implementation of a Policy, aiming at ensuring the input and commitment of a wide range of individuals who need to be involved and informed in the process for the Policy to be effective and provide good results. For the Development of the Communication Strategy, the GS/OAS, through a competitive process, has recruited the Barbadian firm PRMR Inc. With an excellent and committed group of experts from the Caribbean, PRMR Inc. will be conducting a series of activities to identify, in coordination with the Environmental Protection Department of the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, the best way forward for the Communication Strategy which is expected to materialize by mid-2023. The GS/OAS team will accompany both parties in this endeavor as it continues to support the strengthening of Integrated Water and Wastewater Management in the Caribbean, as part of the GEF CReW+ Project. The project recognizes the leadership of the government of Barbados in promoting the implementation of public policies for promoting public participation in the Integrated Water Resources Management of the Wider Caribbean, this experience will be important for other countries of the region to follow and replicate.