The Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) has announced ambitious plans to improve the island’s water production and distribution systems, aiming to produce an additional 7.5 million gallons of water daily by September 2025. This is part of its broader strategy to tackle long standing water issues exacerbated by droughts and outdated infrastructure.

To achieve this, APUA is investing in modern well-drilling equipment, upgrading groundwater resources, and implementing advanced technologies such as the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems. The authority is also collaborating with private entities like Seven Seas Water Group and Northsound Water Management Group, along with Cuba Hydraulica, to analyze and enhance the use of surface and groundwater resources.

A management consulting group is scheduled to arrive next week to provide additional support. Minister Melford Nicholas says they will review the authority’s strategic challenges with a view to restructure the organization.

Hydrologist Veronica Yearwood also confirmed that Cuban engineers will assess PotWorks Dam, Antigua’s largest reservoir, to address leaks and optimize the dam’s watershed management.

“You can appreciate the Potworks Dam was built quite some years ago. And so, it is now time to revamp the fixing of these things.”

Antigua & Barbuda has faced significant water stress, exacerbated by severe droughts from 2018-2020. Historical underfunding of APUA’s Water Unit and subsidised water rates led to outdated infrastructure and insufficient production capacity.

APUA General Manager John Bradshaw said 15 months of rain took APUA out of very challenging situations, as APUA reached the peak of 8.5 million daily gallons this year.

Potworks Dam reservoir in its entirety photo by Wayne Mariette October 2024
Potworks Dam reservoir in its entirety photo by Wayne Mariette October 2024

Ongoing Challenges

Antigua’s water sector faces several hurdles, including:

  • Aging infrastructure like the Crabbs desalination plant, nearing the end of its economic life.
  • Production constraints at Fort James and Fryres plants due to environmental factors.
  • Growing water demand driven by tourism, housing developments, and events.

But APUA says it wants to improve water reliability next year by providing water on a near-24/7 basis, barring scheduled maintenance. It also aims to enhance communication with consumers about planned disruptions and expected restoration times through digitized notifications, and introduce redundancy systems, ensuring backup water plants are operational if one fails.

Planned Future Upgrades and Projects include:

  • Relocation of a planned Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant from Bethesda to Crabbs to optimize costs and leverage existing infrastructure.
  • Expansion of water production capacity by 7.7 million gallons by the end of next year.
  • Digitization of water distribution systems to improve efficiency and customer response.
  • Introduction of advanced metering systems for remote readings and management.
  • Expansion of water storage capacity to meet peak demand, with a goal of having reserves for three days (27 million gallons). Current storage is approximately 13–14 million gallons.
  • Construction of new storage tanks in strategic locations (e.g., Friars Hill, Santa Maria Hill, and Old Road).
  • Futuristic upgrades to the water distribution network, including the installation of new mains and pump systems.

Changes also mean that a 3.2 million gallon RO plant originally forecasted for Bethesda will now be installed at Crabbs. Bradshaw says it makes more economic and operational sense.

He said the government would save approximately $20 million by erecting the Crabbs site.

“Between now and the end of next year, we intend to have all the construction, or most of it will be completed, if not all – about 7.7 million gallons more in the system.”

For the planned expansion, APUA has secured funding of approximately 70 per cent and a promise of remaining funding. “We have funding for most of that expansion, but we don’t have 100 per cent funding. And if we don’t have 100 per cent funding, we may have a delay.”

Minister Nicholas reiterated that improved water production will result in an adjustment of the rates for consumers with consideration for vulnerable residents. However, with the AMI system residents will be able to see their own consumption online so that they can moderate the use of the water. Water for domestic consumers is currently subsidied by the government.

Long-Term Vision:

  • Replacement of outdated pipelines and integration of sewage and utility systems in St. John’s.
  • Emphasis on improving storage, expanding distribution networks, and building resilience in the water supply system.
  • Adoption of best practices from global models, modeling the water management system in Aruba.

Water Business Unit Manager Ian Lewis expressed optimism about the turnaround. “By 2025, we aim to not only meet demand but also restore consumer confidence in tap water quality,” he said.

APUA estimates daily demand during peak periods, such as droughts and tourist seasons, to range between 8.5 and 9 million gallons. Meeting this demand requires significant investments in storage and infrastructure, with additional storage alone projected to cost $15 million.

“We need to have storage of about 27 million gallons to ensure that we have a three-day supply. Presently, we are at about maybe 13-14 million. So we require another 15 million gallons of storage and that comes at a cost of maybe USD$1.50 per gallon,” Lewis explained. 

In partnership with the Ministry of Works, APUA is addressing the issue of road damage caused by utility work. Minister Nicholas announced plans to establish dedicated teams for road rehabilitation before Public Works undertakes final surfacing. He says teams will be set up to deal with the rehabilitation of roads and road surfacing before Public Works can complete roads.