Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Water demand expected to increase

Water demand expected to increase

The Ministry of Works & Utilities is expecting the demand for water to increase locally.

Utilities Minister Kye Rymer gave that indication in the House of Assembly last Thursday while noting the already big demand from the local farming community.

“On average, agriculture at Paraquita Bay currently accounts for 150 gallons per minute or over 300,000 gallons of water being withdrawn from our distribution network in the span of just four hours. And might I add that water use or demand is also expected to increase from other programmes that irrigate food production in the area in the near future,” the minister stated.

His statement comes at a time when unreliable water supply and water interruptions continue to affect several communities in the territory.

But according to the minister, water production is not the underlying reason for these problems.

“The territory does not have a water production problem. We are producing more than enough potable water to supply the entire population. Our challenges lay in the storage capacities and the distribution networks,” Rymer said, adding that his ministry is making progress in rectifying the issue.

“We have been making steady strides to upgrade the water network distribution system. Specifically, the installation of new water reservoirs in the Long Bush and Carrot Bay communities. These tanks have been substantially completed, and the Recovery & Development Agency — which is the executing agency — is in collaboration with the ministry, is in final preparations for the Carrot Bay Reservoir’s handover ceremony, which is slated for the week of 26th April,” the minister added.

He continued: “In the Road Town area, works continue to progress to commission the Long Bush Reservoir. This has caused many inconveniences to residents, to businesses, and motorists. During the latter part of last month, the contractor commenced installing District Metered Area (DMAs) — bulk meters. As these meters enable hydraulic isolation and complete water usage recording in sections of the general network, and we will have better water usage accountability by communities. We will further provide more precise data in executing efficient leak detention exercises. This phase of the water improvement project will also help us to reduce the amount of non-revenue water.”

Another project


Rymer said his ministry is now embarking on another project in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture to further improve water availability to local farmers.

This project involves upgrading specific existing segments of the main distribution pipelines Rymer said are “much past their useful life” and suspected of having leaks which “may be contributing to low pressure or no water pressure to some farm lots at higher elevations”.

The legislator further reassured residents his ministry will continue to invest in improving the territory’s water infrastructure and building it’s capacity for resilience and sustainability.

“Please allow me this opportunity to extend sincere apologies for the frequent water interruptions and traffic disruptions during this time. These inconveniences are necessary though, to facilitate the works to progress to a more reliable and efficient water supply,” Rymer stated.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
×