Authorities have launched an investigation after barrels of oil were found dumped in high grass in the Belle, triggering the national oil spill protocol amid concerns about the potential impact on Barbados’ water supply.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning Marsha Caddle disclosed the incident during a Barbados Water Authority (BWA) site update on Tuesday, describing the dumping as dangerous and potentially harmful to the wider public.

“What we actually discovered was that some individuals had dumped some barrels of oil in the Belle area,” Caddle said. “That’s a very dangerous thing. A dump where people know that they are hidden, that you dump in high grass, that is the kind of event that seems malicious, and that we really have to realise that this is going to affect all of us.