Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance M. Drew, has assured the public that the much-anticipated desalination plant at the Canada Estate will be commissioned within the next few weeks. This announcement was made during his remarks in the National Assembly on September 18, 2024.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew addressed growing concerns over water security, a critical issue that has plagued the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in recent years. He expressed confidence in the swift action taken by the government over the past two years to address this challenge.
“I want to thank the minister who is leading this, the Honourable Konris Maynard, for his quick action on this water matter, and he has assured me that in short order, we would have the commissioning of the plant at Canada within the next few weeks that would produce around seventy thousand (70,000) gallons per day,” said Dr Drew.
The desalination plant, capable of producing 70,000 gallons of water daily, is part of a larger $50 million initiative led by the government.
The government is also in the process of building out a two-million-gallon capacity plant in the C. A. Paul Southwell Industrial Site. The plant is critical to safeguarding the nation’s water supply, particularly to protect the aquifers from saltwater infiltration, which was caused by overuse.
“That would be able to give the withdrawals from the aquifer in Basseterre a break so that they can recharge and to prevent, as far as possible, the infiltration of salt water, which will signal the end of the potable water we get from there,” Prime Minister Dr Drew explained.
This project follows a previous round of initiatives aimed at addressing the water crisis that has affected the Federation, with the drilling of the Cayon water well serving as the first step.