(CABINET NOTES)
The General Manager of the APUA, accompanied by the Water Manager and several technicians, were invited by Cabinet to address the water woes being experienced by several communities, during the current drought period.
The challenge is caused primarily by the drought, but the desalinating plants, producing more than 7,000,000 gallons of water daily, are not producing sufficient to meet the growing demand. The Covid-19 disease has increased water usage as supermarkets, business places and several institutions insist on handwashing for all customers entering through their doors.
There are now 800 more homes in 2020 than there were in 2014. Although many hotels have desalinating plants of their own and are not receiving so many guests since the opening of Antigua’s borders, they continue to depend on APUA to provide water. The demand has increased and the administration has contracted for two more desalting plants to be completed by early next year.
One plant is to be placed near Fort James; it will produce 3,000,000 gallons daily; another is to be built at Bethesda and it will contribute more than 300,000 gallons daily. A smaller plant is to be added to Ffryes Bay; it will also add a considerable amount of potable water. These investments will be supplemented by the replacement of broken mains that contribute to significant losses of water that are produced from working plants.
More than 8,300,000 gallons of water will enter into homes, businesses and institutions during the New Year 2021. The repairs of the broken mains has already begun, and that ought to yield additional amounts over the next five months, as the new plants are being constructed.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
If you know what drought is, how can it be the cause of water woes?
seems to me a lack of intellectual capacity, and economic will is the cause…
The reason the building burned down is fire.
It’s mind bothering to see Antigua still having water problem even 2020 and am speaking from I know myself growing up in the late 60s in Antigua. Every year around the rainy season and all Antiguans Barbudans knows when that is, enough water run through Antigua to last from season to season and that’s no wishful thinking.
If you are a born Antiguan and know Antigua well one would know the water ways in Antigua. Why can’t the government come up with ways to catch the water, be it by way of more dams, reservoirs, ponds or lakes what you want to call it to reserve water. Every year all this amount of water wash through Antigua and ended up in the sea. After watched all that water rushed to the sea they spending billions of dollars to take it back from the sea.
Come on brilliant mind us the water ways of Antigua to save water and not for people to live in. Some of those areas should be protected areas so no one build in the immediate areas. Antigua don’t rivers like Dominica or even like little Montserrat.
I grew up with my grandmother a very wise lady when it’s about to rain she make sure her Drum and Buckets are in place to catch water. Antigua it’s about to rain are you ready to catch water. Hope somebody is listening it is not too late!! 🇦🇬
Comments are closed.