Antigua’s Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas has publicly recognized mounting citizen frustration over persistent water disruptions while simultaneously defending his administration’s handling of the crisis. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony for the new Barnacle Point reverse osmosis water plant, Nicholas acknowledged that public anger reflects water’s essential role in daily life, though he contends criticism frequently overlooks complex technical challenges.
The minister articulated that current water production levels now adequately meet national demand, with ongoing outages primarily stemming from transmission and distribution deficiencies rather than insufficient supply. Nicholas emphasized that decades of infrastructure neglect and underinvestment have created systemic weaknesses that cannot be immediately resolved.
Nicholas identified public expectation management as particularly challenging during infrastructure transitions, noting that criticism often intensifies even amid measurable progress. He referenced the newly operational Barnacle Point facility—contributing two million imperial gallons daily—and the earlier Fryes Beach plant as evidence of production improvements achieved through collaboration between Antigua Public Utilities Authority and Seven Seas Water Group.
Looking forward, Nicholas outlined upcoming modernization efforts focusing on automated distribution systems and large-scale pipeline replacements. While acknowledging these projects won’t yield instantaneous results, he characterized them as essential for achieving islandwide service consistency. The minister concluded that government must simultaneously advance infrastructure improvements while maintaining transparent communication about achievements and ongoing challenges, cautioning against dismissing progress merely because transformation remains incomplete.