Utilities

Electricity

Electricity for most power requirements on Grand Cayman is provided by Caribbean Utilities Co. Ltd., which operates under a licence from the Cayman Islands Government. Electricity rates are somewhat higher than in the U.S. or the U.K., a factor being the use of fuel oil to power the generators. Residents learn the importance of being conservative in the use of electricity to keep the monthly bill as low as possible.

The Cayman Brac Power & Light Company supplies electricity on Cayman Brac, and has a different rate structure to that on Grand Cayman.

Gas

Bottled gas is used for cooking in many homes and is available from Home Gas Ltd., Grand Cayman, at CI$49.75 per 100-pound cylinder.

Water

For water, the traditional sources of supply have been private wells and/or catchment in cisterns, but these have been supplanted by piped water supply in most areas of Grand Cayman and the western end of Cayman Brac. These public water supplies are provided by two companies, the Water Authority and Cayman Water Company. Both provide desalinated water.

The Water Authority

The Water Authority supplies water on Grand Cayman from the capital, George Town, to Breakers, in Bodden Town. The authority was continuing work in this area and on to Frank Sound during 1997.

The authority's service in Grand Cayman is distributed from four storage reservoirs, three in George Town with a total capacity of 3.2 million gallons. These tie into a 1.0 million gallon reservoir and re-pumping station in Lower Valley, which was commissioned in August, 1996.

The authority's water supplier is Ocean Conversion Cayman (Ltd.), which provides up to 1.452 million US gallons per day (USGPD) from its reverse osmosis plant at the Red Gate Water Works in George Town.

For the Water Authority, first-time connection fees range from CI$80 for a 3/4-inch diameter connection, up to $800 for a six-inch diameter connection. Monthly charges for water meter rental range from CI$5 for 3/4-inch meter, up to $58 for a six-inch meter. The authority levies a residential customer minimum monthly charge of CI$21.04 on Grand Cayman and of CI$27.40 on Cayman Brac.

Cayman Water Company

Cayman Water Company supplies in excess of 1.6 million USGPD to its franchise areas which comprise the West Bay Beach and the district of West Bay. The company's total storage capacity is now four million USG.

Cayman Water Company's charges are as follows: on the West Bay Beach, CI$17.45 per 1,000 gallons for the first 3,000 gallons, after which the cost increases to CI$17.68 per 1,000 gallons. In the district of West Bay, the rate is $14.73 per 1,000 gallons for the first 3,000 gallons, thereafter increasing to $17.68 per 1,000 gallons. Water for commercial purposes is supplied at the rate of $17.68 per 1,000 gallons.

Trucked Water

Three private water-trucking services distribute water to various parts of Grand Cayman. The trucking companies purchase water from the Water Authority's Red Gate Water Works facility in George Town as well as from the authority's East End groundwater facility. The Cayman Water Company also provides trucked water on Grand Cayman from its facility on West Bay Road. Trucked water in Grand Cayman can vary from CI$35 to CI$50 per 1,000 gallons, depending on the source of supply and the destination.

Last Updated: 2005-07-14