There may be some positive changes coming to the Antigua Public Utilities Authority’s (APUA) water conservation schedule which will include increased water supply to some residents.
This is according to APUA Water Manager Ian Lewis who explained that this change will be as a result of the recently commissioned Fort James Reverse Osmosis plant.
“The rationing schedule is something we would have to look at through divisions. This plant will take care of residents living as far south as Point and as far north as Paradise View. This area should now begin to see water on a 24/7 basis, and what that does for the rest of the schedule is that water that was designated for this area will go now to other areas where those schedules can be amended. Meaning that residents should see an increased period that they get water and, in some cases, an increase in the days that they see water.
“At this point in time, we are still trying to collect data so that we can have a more definitive answer some time next week,” Lewis explained.
The schedule was first instituted in 2020, due to drought conditions which caused a severe reduction in the availability of water from surface and ground water sources.
The schedule had been designed to allow for a fair rotation cycle which gives a suitable opportunity for residents to plan and consume the service accordingly.
Since the creation of the schedule, one additional reverse osmosis plant has been added, providing an additional 500,000 gallons of potable water to the previous seven million.
Observer media joined a walkthrough of the facility last Friday, along with Minister of Public Utilities, Sir Robin Yearwood, and other APUA Water officials.
Although the civil work at the plant has not yet been fully completed – along with the construction of the two main water storage units – operations at the plant are already up and running, with villagers in the surrounding communities of Villa, Yorks, Fort Road, McKinnons, Point and other areas expected to be receiving water daily.
When the tanks are completed, they are expected to hold over 200,000 gallons of purified water each.
The Fort James plant is one of three that the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) announced would come on stream to help maintain a constant supply of water year-round, especially during the dry months.
In March of this year, the Ffryes Beach plant came on stream, supplying 400,000 gallons of water, and another plant in Bethesda supplying a further two million gallons daily will be commissioned.
