Navet information page

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RESERVOIRS AND DAMS

Navet Dam

OVERVIEW
The Water And Sewerage Authority is pleased to welcome you to Navet Reservoir. The Navet Waterworks was commissioned in 1962, the historic year of Trinidad and Tobago's Independence. From is inception, it has been a critical life source for the 'Industrial South'.

Originally, it was designed to supply San Fernando and some of its outlying districts including Rio Claro, Princess Town, Moruga and Gasparillo. Like the new nation, Navet developed and expanded its production in the course of time. Within the first two decades of its existence, it was extended first in 1966, when its original output of 27.5 cubic meters (6 mgd) was boosted to 55 cubic meters (12 mgd). Ten years later, its output was again increased to 86.4 cubic meters (19 mgd). The reservoir stretches out in several directions, to the foot of the distant hill. It forms an intricate pattern of inlets and coves, some as much as six kilometers (four miles) long. The entire reservoir area covers 324 hectares (800 acres) with a capacity of 18,200,000 cubic meters (4,200 million gallons). As Navet's production expanded, so did the area it supplied. In time it was to become the major water supply for all Trinidad up until 1980's when the Caroni Arena Project came on stream,

Navet Spillway - Click to get a Larger Image

relieving it of some of its areas of dependence. The road to the Navet Waterworks leads over the undulating hills of the Central Range, through the quiet villages of Longdenville, Caparo and Tabaquite. Besides these small settelements, it is boarded by large estates of sugar cane, cocoa and coffee, interspersed with kilometer after kilometer of tropical forest and natural vegetation. Often no one knows the exact place where a river is born. Hikers and hill climbers may follow a river's course upstream, but few can ever discover the hidden upland point where the river first breaks ground. Usually located where heavy rainfall feeds an underground basin, a river's source and the water closest to it are usually very clean.

There are three streams that feed the main Navet River, which has been dammed to form the Navet Reservoir. These streams flow down from three nearby hillsides at Mt. Tamana, Brasso Piedra and 'Chataigne' (so called after the chataigne trees that grow in abundance on its slopes). Although the Navet Reservoir looks as clean as any sparkling inland lake, its water still requires chemical treatment, to make it safe before transmission for drinking purposes and other domestic and industrial uses. Like all of WASA's water winning operations, the Navet Waterworks is operated to meet the standard safety requirements of the World Health Organization.

TREATMENT
Water treatment processes in use at Navet include settling, coagulation, filtration and disinfection. For the first treatment process, there are four settling basins. The water then remains, called 'settled water' is then channeled away to the filter complex on layers of porous material through which the water seeps. Each layer acts as a strainer for the fine particles that may still remain in the water at this stage.

There are layers of activated carbon, sand and gravel and as the water seeps over these media, it is separated from the pollutants, which may still be carried by it. The final treatment process conducted before water is distributed to consumers is the addition of lime and chlorine. These respectively serve to neutralize the acidity of the water and kill harmful bacteria, which may be present in the water. Afterwards, the water is off to turn the wheels of industry, get households moving and provide its necessary social benefits to residents in the vibrant South land.

LOCATION
The secluded area close to the village of Tabaquite

DAILY OUTPUT
86,363 cubic meters (M³/D)

COMPLETION DATE
Navet Dam - 1966
Navet Lower Dam - 1976

AREAS BENEFITING
The Borough of San Fernando, Debe/Penal, Princes Town, Rio Claro, Oropouche. La Brea and environs, Moruga, New Grant, Plaisance Park, La Romain and Fyzabad.

View Navet Capacity (Recent)
View Navet Capacity (Historical)
View Navet Rainfall Data

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