For years, residents of Pomona Village in Belize’s Stann Creek District and surrounding communities have faced crippling water shortages during the annual dry season, a persistent public health and livelihood challenge that disrupted daily life and limited local development. On Saturday, that long-running issue moved one step closer to permanent resolution, as Belize’s Ministry of Rural Transformation officially inaugurated an expanded, off-grid solar-powered water system built exclusively to address seasonal water scarcity.
The upgraded project, backed by private sponsor RF&G Insurance Ltd., delivers far more than just a renewable energy source for water pumping. It adds a robust 40,000-litre ground-level storage reservoir, purpose-built pump house, and a backup diesel generator that guarantees uninterrupted water access even during extended grid outages or periods of low sunlight. The new infrastructure works in tandem with Pomona Village’s aging existing water network, which has for decades failed to meet rising demand from local households when rainfall slows to a stop in the dry months.
Beyond the core construction work, the initiative also equipped Pomona’s local water management board with a full stock of new pipes, fittings, and essential plumbing materials to support future network expansion as the village’s population grows. In an official statement following the commissioning, the Ministry of Rural Transformation highlighted that the integrated system cuts operational pressure on the old network, locking in a consistent, dependable water supply for residential users even at the height of the dry season.
Officials added that the additional materials and upgraded infrastructure do more than solve an immediate shortage: they empower the local water board to take long-term control of the village’s water resources, supporting planned growth and sustainable development for the community for years to come.