Amid ongoing severe drought conditions that have strained water resources across the islands, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis is pouring more than EC$60 million into a historic overhaul of the nation’s water infrastructure to deliver reliable round-the-clock water access for all residents.Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew laid out the scope of the ambitious initiative during an address to the National Assembly on June 11, framing universal 24/7 water access as a core political promise and a top national priority tied to the administration’s long-term national development strategy.“Everyone will have access to 24/7 water, which is our political objective,” Drew confirmed to lawmakers. He stressed that the multi-million-dollar investments are far more than short-term emergency fixes: they are designed as long-term, system-changing upgrades that will build national climate resilience and guarantee water security for generations to come.The six-figure investment pool – the largest single investment in water infrastructure in the country’s history – is allocated across a range of critical projects: new well drilling operations, construction of a new desalination plant, upgrades to aging existing infrastructure, expansion of distribution networks, and procurement of new pumps, motors and other essential equipment to boost system reliability.Drew highlighted early progress already visible in communities like Cayon, where a newly completed well has dramatically boosted water availability even amid ongoing drought. “We invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to secure a well in Cayon, and today Cayon is one of those communities where 90 plus percent of the members of that community have access to 24/7 water, even under the drought situation at this time,” he said.Work is already underway on additional infrastructure improvements, including new transmission connections that link untapped water sources to the community of St. Peter’s and surrounding neighborhoods. Installation of new high-capacity pumps is on track to improve distribution efficiency across the region in the coming weeks.The prime minister acknowledged that persistent drought conditions continue to create hardships for some residents, and that the full rollout of universal access will take time, particularly given the outdated state of water infrastructure inherited by the current administration when it took office in 2022.“While some citizens continue to experience difficulties because of the severity of the drought, we want the nation to know that we are working every day to provide both immediate relief and permanent solutions,” Drew said. Despite the challenges, he offered confident reassurance that the ongoing infrastructure investments will continue to deliver measurable, steady improvements to water access across the country.The initiative underscores the government’s commitment to delivering tangible quality-of-life improvements while building the Federation’s capacity to withstand growing climate-related pressures, including more frequent and intense drought events linked to global climate shifts.
St. Kitts and Nevis invests over EC$60M to achieve 24/7 water access – WIC News
