On June 25, 2026, St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew shared a major milestone in the federation’s ongoing effort to build national water security during a media roundtable: approximately 70% of the country now has access to consistent, round-the-clock piped water, a dramatic jump from just over 20% coverage when his administration took office in 2022.
Drew, a native of the St. Peters community, highlighted that the neighborhood is the latest to gain full-time water access after decades of unreliable service. He outlined the cascading threats that pushed the country to the brink of widespread water scarcity when his government assumed power, driven by dual pressures of climate change and environmental degradation. Rising sea levels have amplified the risk of saltwater intrusion into the Basseterre Valley aquifer, the country’s primary natural groundwater source, and over-extraction of groundwater only worsens this risk. Compounding this challenge, shifting global weather patterns driven by climate change have led to reduced and increasingly erratic rainfall, leaving St. Kitts and Nevis currently grappling with its worst drought since the 1920s, tied to the El Niño weather cycle.
To address these systemic threats, the Drew administration invested roughly $50 million in large-scale water infrastructure upgrades, anchored by a new 2-million-gallon-per-day desalination plant. The facility now meets a large share of the country’s water demand, allowing the overtaxed Basseterre aquifer to recover and reducing the risk of irreversible saltwater contamination. The government also completed a new pipeline project that runs from the Basseterre Valley aquifer through Taylors to St. Peters, creating a segmented distribution network that delivers consistent water to both lower and elevated areas of the community: lower St. Peters receives groundwater from the aquifer, while upper portions get water from Green Hill surface runoff managed through the new infrastructure.
To date, the upgrades have delivered uninterrupted 24-hour water to the entire capital city of Basseterre and dozens of other communities across the federation, pushing national coverage to 70% in less than four years. Drew publicly thanked Water Minister Konris Maynard, the entire water department staff, and key stakeholders including Cromwell Williams and Kurt Caddy for their work delivering the project.
Looking ahead, the prime minister reassured residents that the government continues rolling out infrastructure work for remaining communities. While some less severely water-scarce areas will not immediately gain 24/7 service, Drew confirmed all communities will be guaranteed daily water access as drilling and infrastructure expansion continues across the country.
