The Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Barbados Water Authority are advising residents of St. Lucy to boil water from their taps until further testing of water is completed.

The agencies say in a statement that routine post-flood testing in various parts of the parish has shown an increased presence of brown water and that this increased discolouration has prompted the implementation of the precautionary measure.

The statement adds that the BWA has been involved in a vigorous programme of mains replacement in the parish and is, therefore, fully aware of the probability of infiltration of flood water into the distribution system. As a result, the BWA has enhanced chlorination.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George, tells Starcom Network News that due to heavy rains and flooding and the poor state of the water mains in St. Lucy, there is the possibility that flood water could enter the system and contaminate the water supply.

Hence, the alert has been issued as a precaution.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George.