As the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda pursues comprehensive upgrades to its aging water infrastructure to achieve a consistent 24-hour water supply for all residents, Public Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas is urging households across the country to add personal water storage tanks as a practical short-term mitigation for unavoidable service disruptions. Speaking on Pointe FM’s current affairs program *Taking Stock* Tuesday evening, Nicholas outlined that storing at least three days of personal water reserve can shield homeowners from the temporary interruptions that come hand-in-hand with large-scale public works projects across the island. In a memorable framing of the guidance, Nicholas noted that every resident – from remote hamlets to major towns across both islands – can effectively “inoculate” themselves against the inconvenience of sudden supply cuts while the government overhauls the national network. Most ongoing service interruptions stem from the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA)’s ongoing work to replace outmoded, rupture-prone legacy pipeline infrastructure with new high-density polyethylene pipes across the island’s transmission and distribution networks, Nicholas explained. Contrary to a common misconception, the minister emphasized that household storage does not require a high-cost, elaborate custom system. Standard rubber storage tanks ranging from 600 to 850 gallons provide enough reserve to cover a typical household’s needs for a full three-day outage, he noted. Even simple, low-cost plumbing modifications can be added to automatically refill the personal tank once mainline service is restored, creating an uninterrupted supply that automatically switches to stored water during mainline cuts. Nicholas added that dozens of households have already adopted this solution, with many reporting they no longer notice when mainline service is interrupted. He shared an anecdote from a constituent who told him she “doesn’t know when the water is off” because her automated refill tank system keeps her household supplied continuously without disruption. The public utilities chief acknowledged that periodic outages, especially those occurring on weekends, have sparked widespread frustration among residents across the nation. But he emphasized the government’s long-term commitment to stabilizing the entire national water network through a multi-pronged strategy that includes expanded water production capacity, upgraded transmission infrastructure, and new large-scale public storage facilities. Under current national plans, Antigua and Barbuda will add 16 million gallons of new public storage capacity, while continuing to replace leaky, broken legacy pipelines and roll out a cutting-edge SCADA digital monitoring system that gives utility managers far greater precision and control over water distribution across the islands. Nicholas also issued a clear note of realism: the full infrastructure transformation will take years to complete, slowed by ongoing challenges including tight financing constraints, global supply chain delays that have pushed back delivery of specialized materials and equipment, and the need for custom technical work that cannot be rushed. Even as long-term upgrades progress, Nicholas reaffirmed that personal household water storage remains the most accessible, practical short-term solution for residents to avoid the inconvenience of temporary service disruptions.“
Nicholas Urges Residents to Install Water Tanks as Antigua Pushes Toward 24/7 Supply
