Gov’t asks for public’s patience as water shortage is resolved

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The ongoing water shortage being experienced by home and business owners in Antigua and Barbuda will soon be a thing of the past.

This is according to Prime Minister Gaston Browne who has reassured the public that relief is coming over the next several months, as his government has invested huge sums of
money to remedy the water shortage.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM over the weekend, the prime minister asked consumers to be patient a while longer as the government takes positive
steps to relieve the water shortage.

He explained that a confluence of issues have occurred that are at the heart of the water shortage.

Among them, is the severe drought that the country has experienced, with 2021 being the driest year on record with record low rainfall of only 18 inches.

The situation was further frustrated by interruptions in global supply chains and shipping delays due to the pandemic which caused membranes, purchased for the reverse osmosis plants, to become stuck in foreign ports.

“Over the past year, we ordered two additional plants; one for Fort James and the other for Bethesda. I am told that the one for Fort James should be installed by the end of June
and the one for Bethesda by September, producing an additional 3 million gallons of water per day,” he disclosed.

Recognising that as much as 20 per cent of all water produced in the country is lost to leakages, PM Browne added that new pipes have also been ordered to replace the aged
ones.

The government has given a firm commitment that by the end of September, or by the end of the year at the very latest, the nation’s water problem will be solved.

Speaking on the same programme, Information Minister Melford Nicholas, said the three main areas of priority for the government have been health, education and water.

Nicholas, who also promised that an end to the water shortage is in sight, reported that over $1 million has been spent over several years to solve the problem.

Antigua’s daily consumption of water is approximately eight million gallons. By the end of the year, water production from reverse osmosis sources is expected to exceed 10 million
gallons daily. POINTE XPRESS

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8 COMMENTS

  1. JANICE SAMUEL, who is in her late 40s, stole $107,119.27 from plumbing firm H2OneLimited where she worked as an office assistant.

    The former OBSERVER RADIO media personality went on to question why this happened to her, adding that it will never happen to her again.

  2. That Chinese 👁️ never see a buffet that he don’t like Nicholas is a idiot.
    The three priorities for the Govt is “health,water and education”.
    I guess jobs so folks can put food on the table for their family isn’t a priority just go home and drink the water .
    Education but no jobs hmmm.

  3. Election coming so government now suddenly concerned about water shortage. After 8 long years of no water. Now suddenly Gaston concerned. I am willing to bet all my money that the water shortage is not fixed by September or the end of the year or at all before the next election. Economic powerhouse, my ass! Remember when Gaston promised us that we would become an economic powerhouse like Singapore? You think Singapore people have to bath in buckets everyday for 8 long years? Cha!

  4. Minister Melford Nicholas words, words words. answer your emails. What happened to the tender board Covid proposals?

  5. “The government has given a firm commitment that by the end of September, or by the end of the year at the very latest, the nation’s water problem will be solved.”
    Or ‘firmly’ 2023, 24 etc. because maintenance & spare parts will be the next ‘reason’ requiring extended patience of the voting public.

  6. I have extended more that patience at this point!!!!!! Its been 4 WEEKS since McKinnons got WATER!!!!! 4 LONG FRIGGING WEEKS!!!!!! Calling the helplibe does not work. They not giving the service and still act like people are begging instead of PAYING for a SERVICE we are not getting. APUA can do better because there are certain sections in Antigua that get water every blasted day!!!!!!

  7. WORD SALAD people. Thousands of feet of sunshine water lines need replacement. From Bolans to Freetown and all points in between. There is no way in hell this government and its band of marauders can pull this off. This will take years. APUA does not have the manpower. They have the expertise but it takes much more than that.

    Now if governments in the past had been proactive in this now frantic approach to attack this water supply issue. Antigua would be a much better place when it comes to the potable supply of water to homes, businesses, schools, clinics and the main hospital.

    I’m quite certain that the PM’s office is never without water to flush the toilets, urinals and sinks to wash this cast of Deplorables and thier support staff!!!

  8. Father, God, please send plenty rain in Antigua and Barbuda because the 365 beaches are just too salty to reverse into drinking water.

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