APUA is working towards achieving its long-term strategic goal for Antigua and
Barbuda, which is having water service available to all consumers on a 24 hours
per day, 7 days a week (24/7) basis.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, following a tour of the new reverse
osmosis plant at Fort James, Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas, along with senior
officials of APUA, indicated that this goal is achievable perhaps within a year.
Nicholas explained that while this is the goal, there are several hurdles before the
authority chief, among which is the need for an additional US$50 million to
increase production capacity as well as replace aging pipes and overhaul the
switching system.
“So far, the investments into water production infrastructure have topped the
EC$200 million mark and we are not finished. It is more than likely that over the
next eighteen months, we are going to have to spend US$50 million more to get us
into the position that we want to get,” he stated.
The utilities minister said this money for additional investments may come from
one of two sources; through a grant or via a loan. “We are already having
discussions with one of our friendly countries to look at the issue of either a grant
or a loan on concessionary terms, to fix the distribution system. It is a significant
undertaking; we are not alone. I recently attended a water conference and I heard
my colleague minister for utilities in Barbados raise some of the same issues we
have raised. In Barbados, their pipes are over 150 years old in some cases,” he
noted.
According to Nicholas, the problem is now being faced by territories throughout
CARICOM, but it is a problem that must be addressed.
Minister Nicholas gave a commitment that over the next 18 months, the level of
investment into water production and distribution will be quite significant. He
cautioned that even with adequate production of water, there are certain
‘efficiencies’ that the authority must invest in to bring water availability to a state
where all consumers are happy.
Also speaking at the press conference were the General Manager of APUA –
Esworth Martin, Water Business Manager – Ian Lewis, Mechanical and Project
Engineer – Brian Nicholas, and Transmission and Distribution Superintendent –
Wayne Martin.
