Across multiple parishes of Barbados, chronic water service disruptions and persistently low water pressure are pushing more residents to invest in private water storage tanks as a safeguard against unexpected supply interruptions. Complaints of extended outages have surged in parishes including St George, St John, St Philip, St James, St Andrew and St Thomas, prompting households to take personal responsibility for securing their own access to potable water.
In response to growing public pressure around water insecurity, the Barbadian government introduced targeted tax relief to encourage residential water storage investment. First announced in the 2024 March Budget, the policy eliminated value-added tax (VAT) on the sale and installation of water tanks, septic tanks, electric pumps and pressure tanks for residential properties, effective April 1 2024 for an initial two-year period. Just one year later, in the 2025 March Budget, officials extended the concession, expanding it to include customs duty waivers alongside existing VAT exemptions, with the policy now set to remain in place through March 31, 2028.
Local industry leaders report a clear uptick in consumer interest, even as immediate sales growth remains moderate. Leon Layne, operations and sales manager at Rotoplastics Barbados Limited — the island’s leading manufacturer of water storage solutions — told local outlet Barbados TODAY that inquiries about residential water storage systems have climbed steadily in recent months. Layne attributed this rising interest to two key factors: growing frustration with more frequent widespread outages, and increasing preparation ahead of the annual Atlantic hurricane season, when reliable water access becomes especially critical.
“We have not seen any dramatic change in uptake of water tanks year on year or the water pumps that go with them; however, we have seen an increase in inquiries about these water storage systems, and it might be attributed to increases in outages or people being conscious that they need to have a secure source of potable water at their home,” Layne explained. “I wouldn’t be able to tell you now whether it is one group over the other, but people inquire because they want to shore up their property in terms of secured potable water storage; people inquire because they have just experienced an outage and would not like to experience it any further; and people inquire because it is hurricane season.”
Layne added that public awareness of water vulnerability spikes sharply whenever a new outage hits a community: “Generally around this time, the thought is more in the public mind that you need to secure water for the hurricane season. Once there’s an outage in one area, people become conscious of their vulnerability of not having a water storage system at home, and they start to inquire about what it would take to have that water system in place.”
Rotoplastics currently offers six tank sizes ranging from 200 gallons up to 1,200 gallons to fit varying household needs. According to Layne, the 650-gallon and 1,000-gallon models are the most popular among consumers, while the 450-gallon option is a close third, favored by smaller households of two to three people. While some customers opt to purchase only a tank to cut costs, Layne noted that a standalone tank cannot deliver consistent access to water at home taps. The company advises customers to invest in a full system that includes a pump, filtration, valves and connecting PVC piping to ensure functionality.
“People generally stress on the water storage tank, but that alone would not satisfy because you need to get the water delivered from the tank to the tap,” Layne said. “That also requires a pump, filters and the necessary connecting pipes to make it function properly, because you want the customer to turn the tap in the home and receive water from the tank, and the only way that can happen with any consistency is if they have a pumping system.”
The trend of growing interest is echoed by major local hardware retailers. Michael Cummins, hardware manager at ACE H&B Hardware in Warrens, confirmed that both inquiries and sales of water storage tanks have seen steady growth at his location. Like at Rotoplastics, the 650-gallon tank is the best-selling option for customers, who typically select models that fit their budget. Unlike manufacturers, ACE H&B does not provide in-house installation services, so customers arrange for independent plumbers to complete setup.
“Bajans are starting to prepare a little better now, so people are not waiting until something happens to get their tanks, and it’s better to equip yourself now,” Cummins said. “It doesn’t make sense to wait until something happens to find yourself scrambling, and since we have a reduction in the VAT on tanks, it would make sense to take them now.”
Beyond tax concessions to encourage private investment, the government has also launched a broader public support initiative to boost household water resilience. As part of the 2025 Budget, officials unveiled the Household Water Resilience Programme, which will fund the installation of 600-gallon water storage tanks and all associated infrastructure for low-income qualifying households. The initiative draws financing from the national Resilience and Regeneration Fund, which supports long-term infrastructure and preparedness projects across the island.