Company to export fresh water from Suriname

(De Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO—The Swiss based Amazone Resources has been granted a concession for 40 years to export fresh water. The company, with three Dutch owners, has a agreement that allows them to tap an average of 8 percent of water flowing in Surinamese rivers. This amounts to 12 billion cubic meters, Amazone Resources director, Cor de Ruiter, tells de Ware Tijd.
The company will be charged 36 percent in taxes and 22.5 percent in royalties starting in 2017. These royalties could climb as high as 38 percent between 2028 and 2052. The government and the company will deposit 10 percent each in a special fund for projects to improve the potable water supply.
De Ruiter explains Barbados is interested in fresh water from Suriname and the first export of 20,000 cubic meters is scheduled for late 2015. A cubic meter of water sells for three to eight US dollars in the Caribbean, but Amazone expects to be at least 50 percent cheaper depending on the distance.
The company’s main well will be the Coppename River, because this is one of the few sources not polluted by industrial activities.