
Antigua Water Rates Set to Increase to Fund Water Expansion
Water Minister Melford Nicholas has announced that water rates in Antigua and Barbuda will increase to support a loan from the Antigua Commercial Bank. The loan aims to fund crucial water infrastructure improvements to meet the growing demand for water services in the country. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP
“During the course of last month, I had certainly presented to the cabinet that in order for us to meet the ongoing demands for water services, one of the things that we had to do is to remove the deficit that existed in terms of the production and the sale of water,” Minister Nicholas stated.
Commercial customers can expect an increase in water rates starting March 1st, with residential customers likely to see a similar adjustment shortly after.
Minister Nicholas emphasized the need to address the existing deficit in water production and sales to meet the rising demand for water services.
“I did intimate this when we had the launch of the second plant at Fort James that at some point in time during the new year, we would have to deal with closing this particular gap,” Minister Nicholas explained.
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The cabinet approved the plan to increase water rates, allowing the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) to implement the changes.
“The cabinet did give its consent and I certainly did ask the management team to move towards implementation of a change in water rates, commercial prices for water,” Minister Nicholas said.
The funding mechanism for the Bethesda plant takes into account the need for a change in the balance of the equation, with the increased rates expected to help fund the additional 3.2 million gallons of water per day.
The partnership with the 7 Seas Water Group is also expected to bring an additional 4 million gallons of water, further boosting the water supply.
“What I’m actually saying to the public is with the implementation of the 7 Seas Water Group, they are purporting to bring combined an additional 4 million gallons of water,” Minister Nicholas stated.
“Once we’re in sight of being able to complete before the end of this year a further 3.2 million gallons of water per day from the Desal plant combined with our existing capacity of approximately 7.5 to 8 million gallons per day, we will have more than enough water to satisfy the current and the expected demands that are going to be placed for water.”
Minister Nicholas reassured the public that the government is committed to ensuring there is sufficient water in the system before implementing the rate increase, ensuring that residents are not asked to accept higher rates without the necessary water supply to justify it.
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If the country was seeing the benefits, then we wouldn’t really complain about water rate rises. And with the recent tax increases as well, this move is utterly outrageous.
NO WONDER THE GASTON BROWNE RUN GONE AH ST KITTS & NEVIS … ONLY THE GASTONITES, ABLP ACOLYTES, AND THE LOUD MOUTH DIASPORA LIVING ABROAD WILL BE HAPPY WITH THIS MOVE.
Tax ar we too death ! Lol
Pay more for air to come though my pipe?
🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
Best joke all day!
Best you come take your water meter, for its no use to me anyway!
Bullish.. from right to left. The comunistoid global MF politics are barking what their Sodom boss ask them to do… increase,increase…the sheep’s already obey and the Overton window is wide open to justify the unjust.
Enjoy sheep’s,welcome agenda 2030
What is the present commercial rate per 1000 Imp. gallons, and what will be the new rate?
“Minister Nicholas reassured the public that the government is committed to ensuring there is sufficient water in the system before implementing the rate increase, ensuring that residents are not asked to accept higher rates without the necessary water supply to justify it”.
I know the article doesn’t specify 1st March of which year, but can we assume that we will have sufficient water in the system in a couple of weeks? 😳
If not, is the minister aware of the fact that we have been paying our water bill for years (and years) without getting water?
How the hell does he think it’s ok to propose a hike in water rates when we get no water?
Same old story of the party in opposition having all the answers until they get into power – then zilch!!
While people carting water and bathing in buckets (in 2024) Robin The Hood is being knighted for being a total failure. SMDH
A loan from ACB for water infrastructure.
No mention of the amount of the loan.
Melford seems not to grasp that if GOAB provides water consistently public consumption increases resulting in higher revenue/ increases.
Higher revenues from increase water uses should be able to pay the loan from ACB.
“What I’m actually saying to the public is with the implementation of the 7 Seas Water Group
Milford do you or don’t you have a contract with 7 Seas m water Supply Group to provide water at the current rates? or did you make an agreement on the basis that you are going to increase water rates?
This is why you don’t touch the profits from the statuary bodies Mr so-called wise PM,so when certain projects are impending, you don’t have to go raising rates, and borrowing money all over the damn place, and sinking antigua in future debt.
The Government should be running at a surplus, not just keep borrowing and borrowing like a jackass.
Whatever profits those individual bodies makes, should be put in reserve to fulfill the needs of that said body.
This man keep cutting off his fingers, just to spite his face..what a financial dunce we have here running the peoples affairs. Smdh.
I can’t speak for everyone, but for the past six weeks or more I have been getting water at my home 24/7 and more than full pressure, so much so that I have to turn down the pressure when I use the shower. During the water crisis I had invested in two additional water tanks (and no, I didn’t get any free tank from government) to supplement the other two I already had. One of them I placed high up to provide gravity feed, and the other I connected to a pump, so whenever water was off I had a constant supply. Now all four tanks are full and just sitting there while water from government or APUA is on 24/7. With this said and the government is considering an increase in water rates, I personally wouldn’t complain. Some of the people who are complaining are guilty of wasting the water whenever it was available, even during the drought crisis. I empathize with those who have been suffering over the years, and some maybe still suffering, and I pray someday your situation will also improve, and if I have to pay more so everybody can get water 24/7, I am willing to do that.
Increasing the rate don’t mean more water, because the bad power supply to these high speed motors that pump the water will continue to burn and diaphragm filters frequent change will maintain the same status quo like low maintenance will continue a no water situation, if they were certain they would redeploy the valve crew to maintenance instead of 24/7 rotation of valve control or shut off duty.
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