{"id":267674,"date":"2026-02-20T06:19:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T10:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=267674"},"modified":"2026-02-20T06:23:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T10:23:58","slug":"watch-utilities-minister-pledges-24-7-water-for-eastern-communities-by-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/watch-utilities-minister-pledges-24-7-water-for-eastern-communities-by-saturday\/","title":{"rendered":"WATCH: Utilities Minister Pledges 24\/7 Water for Eastern Communities by Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Melford Nicholas Pledges 24\/7 Water for Eastern Communities by Saturday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas has pledged that residents of the eastern communities, including St. Philip\u2019s North, will have round-the-clock water supply by the end of Saturday, following complaints from constituents who say they have gone weeks without running water.<\/p>

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Responding at a constituency town hall meeting on Thursday night, Nicholas acknowledged the frustration of residents and said their concerns were justified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you have asked for, my dear, is totally within reason,\u201d he said. \u201cBefore the end of Saturday, the entire eastern villages will have 7 by 24 water. I give you that pledge now.\u201d<\/p>

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Nicholas said the commitment was made before Cabinet earlier that day after a reorganisation of resources to improve water distribution in the area.<\/p>

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He admitted that while national water production has increased significantly \u2014 \u201cthree times more water\u201d \u2014 challenges remain in moving water across the island, particularly to the far eastern districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot enough resources are available yet to make this a reality for the entire island,\u201d he said, explaining that infrastructure limitations have affected supply to some communities.<\/p>

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The minister also disclosed that he received what he described as \u201can angry\u201d call from Prime Minister Gaston Browne earlier in the day, underscoring the urgency of the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cTo understand and appreciate the urgency of this particular matter,\u201d Nicholas said, noting that the Prime Minister\u2019s intervention reflected the seriousness of the complaints coming from residents.<\/p>

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As part of the response, Nicholas said Cabinet has approved funding for an automatic water switching system to replace the manual process of opening and closing valves at locations such as Cock Pond and Church Pond. The upgrade, he said, will allow the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) to redirect water more efficiently and maintain consistent supply.<\/p>

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\u201cFor the time being\u2026 we have asked that we put in place a robust team to ensure that we can switch the water here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicholas told residents they should be able to access water at any time of day once the changes take effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether you get up at 4 o\u2019clock in the morning to take a shower, or you get home at 8 in the evening and you want to do some laundry, the water should be there on demand. Hold me accountable to that from Saturday evening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He invited residents to contact him directly if the problem persists after the deadline, providing his phone number and encouraging community members to report any ongoing issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not vexed with you. I welcome your contribution,\u201d he told one resident who raised the complaint. \u201cIt has my full and undivided attention.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister said the water issue in the eastern communities has now become a top priority as the government works to stabilise supply across the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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