Store water properly, says health ministry

The Ministry of Health is urging persons to take extra precautions when storing water in preparation for Tropical Storm Tomas.

The warning came after the National Water Commission (NWC) encouraged customers to make appropriate arrangements for water storage in the event of the island being impacted by the weather system.

Charles Buchanan, NWC corporate public relations manager, said the utility company wants all its customers to follow the advice of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management and store as much water as possible to last at least seven days for every member of the household.

"Everyone has a responsibility to do their part and be prepared by storing potable water for an emergency," Buchanan said.

Dr Eva Lewis-Fuller, director of health promotion and prevention at the Ministry of Health, said it was important that persons make sure to keep their stored water safe.

Lewis-Fuller stressed that persons should make sure containers used to store water are clean and covered to prevent it becoming a breeding site for mosquitoes.

She stressed that, if the water is not handled carefully, it could lead to gastro-enteritis and dysentery.

Lewis-Fuller said a rise in cases of dengue fever was not of major concern as the disease had been contained.