New reverse osmosis plant arrives to help solve water issue

The government is making positive strides to bring relief to water consumers who
continue to suffer from the lack of sufficient water to meet the daily demand for
the commodity.
Faced with the effects of a prolonged drought and with other challenges, in both
the production and distribution of water, consumers have had to do without water
for several days, in some cases leading to much dissatisfaction in the society.
Now through the cabinet, Utilities Minister, Melford Nicholas, is reporting that a
new plant, intended to expand water production, has arrived in Antigua and is to be
installed at Fort James alongside the existing plant, located in that same facility.
Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Lionel Max Hurst,
revealed that the minister informed the cabinet, that APUA has arrived at a novel
way to deal with the problem of the turbidity of the water, during ground swells.
“A discussion was held about creating near-shore wells that could be 95 to 120 feet
deep, and sufficiently wide to allow for pipes to be placed in them, to suck up
brackish water for the reverse osmosis plant. In Barbuda, wells are utilized for
securing water for the reverse osmosis plant; and at Pigeon Point, wells are also
utilized. However, the other reverse osmosis plants rely on water obtained directly
from the sea; plants are then turned off during times when groundswell, high
winds, and rough seas cause the water to be filled with sand, shells, vegetation, and
other debris that are harmful to the membranes in the reverse osmosis plants,” the
cabinet was told.
It was further explained that the wells will alleviate the challenge posed by the
adverse conditions that cause potable water production to decline. Antigua
consumes more than 11,000,000 gallons of potable water daily. Another reverse
osmosis plant, to be placed near Bethesda, would bring production to the same
level as demand. More than EC$120 million has been expended on the purchase of
reverse osmosis plants by the Gaston Browne administration.