This study investigated the sources and microbiological quality of domestic water used by rural communities of Speightstown, Barbados; Carriacou, Grenada; and Nariva, Trinidad. The primary water source was harvested rainwater in Carriacou, and the public water supply for Nariva and Speightstown. Secondary water supplies of the communities came from untreated sources including rainwater, wells, boreholes and springs. E. coli was detected at higher frequencies in water from Carriacou (41.3%) and Nariva (47.4%) than Speightstown (3.6%). Generally, more untreated samples of rainwater (44.6%) and surface/ground water (58.3%) were E. coli positive than treated water obtained from the public supply (9.9%). These findings demonstrate the increased risk to residents in rural communities of the Caribbean who utilize untreated rainwater and environmental sources such as springs and wells. These results demonstrate the usefulness of traditional methods such as compartment bag test in determining the microbiological quality of domestic water in resource-challenged rural communities of the Caribbean.

The Caribbean region experiences significant water supply challenges, especially for 30% of the population who live in rural areas. Improved water resource management in this region would enhance water availability for its population, but this requires reliable quantitative data to guide relevant policy decisions. The Water Poverty Index (WPI) and its components can be valuable sources of such data but there has not been any recent calculation of this index for countries or communities in the Caribbean. In this study, the WPI was determined for three rural communities in the southern Caribbean: Carriacou, Grenada; Nariva, Trinidad and Tobago; and Speightstown, Barbados. Using data collected from 606 surveys of households as well as published statistics, the overall WPI scores were calculated to be 65/100 for Carriacou, 65/100 for Nariva and 70/100 for Speightstown, which all fell in the ‘medium-low’ and ‘low’ water poverty scale respectively. Resource and Use components had the lowest scores and thus require urgent attention. There were no statistically significant differences across the major components, which demonstrates the common water related challenges in these Small Island Developing States, despite geographical diversity. This research will aid in defining national water resource management policies in rural communities of the Caribbean.