Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): Minister of Public Infrastructure, the Honourable Konris Maynard, proudly announced the completion of the Cayon Well project during its commissioning on Friday, May 10, 2024. This milestone signifies a crucial step in addressing the long-standing water scarcity issues in the Cayon community and surrounding areas.
“I would like to extend gratitude to and commendation to BEAD (Bedrock Exploration and Drilling Company) on its use of modern geophysical exploration techniques to identify this site,” said Minister Maynard.
Over the past decade, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has seen a 20 per cent decrease in rainfall, with a 40 per cent reduction from the previous year alone. Consequently, the Labour-led government has raised its water budget by more than 400 per cent since assuming office as part of its efforts to address this issue.
Minister Maynard indicated that the initial tests showed the water was potable. BEAD conducted a final round of tests a few weeks ago, which confirmed that the water meets all World Health Organization (WHO) standards for drinking water.
This was echoed by the Manager of the St. Kitts Water Services Department and Water Engineer, Cromwell Williams who stated that, “The public can have full confidence in the safety and quality of our water supplies.”
Mr. Williams also mentioned that if there are any concerns regarding water quality, individuals can reach out to the Ministry of Health experts responsible for monthly water testing.
Meanwhile, Minister Maynard stated that the addition of the Cayon water well is just one part of the government’s plan to tackle the long-standing water security issue. He added that the government is exploring the redevelopment of a well in the Shadwell area to determine if it can produce drinkable water, along with the construction of a two-million-gallon desalination plant in Basseterre. Work on a smaller desalination plant has already commenced at Canada Estate.
Additionally, the minister highlighted that a helicopter geophysical survey will be conducted in the upcoming weeks to identify more potential wells in St. Kitts.