NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (NOVEMBER 26, 2020) — Water consumers on Nevis are benefitting from an additional 300,000 gallons of water due to the installation and commissioning of a state-of-the-art water filtration system and water well at the Hamilton Estate Reservoir on November 13, 2020.
Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, made the announcement at his monthly press conference in the Cabinet room at Pinney’s Estate on November 26, 2020.
“I can proudly announce, that we are now with this plant putting an additional 300,000 gallons of water per day into the water system here in Nevis… Our total production of water, therefore, with the addition of this new water stands at 2.3 million gallons per day…
“I’m advised by [Dr. Ernie Stapleton], the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works with responsibility for Water, that our average daily consumption is 1.6 million gallons per day…that is of course in normal circumstances and so, with this addition of water, some 300,000 gallons per day, we have moved our supply by some 15 percent up to 2.3 million gallons a day when compared to an average consumption pattern of 1.6 million gallons per day,” he said.
On completion of the upgrade at the Hamilton site the property will be fenced, and the old water tank which was built in 1904 will be re-commissioned after a new steel framed roof is installed.
The operation at the site entails water harnessed from the newly commissioned water well which flows at 230 gallons of water per minute through the filtration system. The water then flows into the new 400,000 Aqua-store water tank on the site before it is gravity fed into the water system for consumers.
The plant was installed by two experts from Lakeshore Engineering and two from the vendor Adedge Technologies, who tested and commissioned the water treatment plant and also trained the Nevis team in the operations, maintenance and monitoring of the plant. Both are USA companies in Georgia. The experts were assisted locally by the Production Team from Nevis Water Department and the Nevis Water Resources Management Unit.
The Premier used the opportunity to applaud all who were instrumental in the project from its inception to commissioning.
“We would want…to congratulate profusely the Hon. Spencer Brand, Minister with responsibility for Water and his team at the Ministry of Water Services, the Nevis Water Department and the Water Resources Management Unit for a successful installation and commissioning of this all-important state-of-the-art-plant.
“Ms. Tonya Bartlett, our Manager of the Nevis Water Department, a young woman that we are very proud of her Production Team – young Clychawn Wilson, Gavin Walters, Erim Herbert and Glen Joseph; Mr. Roger Hanley, Operations Manager of the Nevis Water Department; and Mr. Floyd Robinson, Water Resources Manager must all be commended for their hard work and dedication in ensuring a successful commissioning of the water treatment plant.
Mr. Brantley who is also the Minister of Finance in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), said the accomplishment augurs well for the efforts of water security on Nevis.
“I am extremely proud of the efforts that this government has made in relation to water security for the island of Nevis…
“It suggests that we are moving in the right direction in terms of greater water security on the island of Nevis. I think that commissioning of that well and the treatment plant that we invested significantly in, and were able to deliver despite the challenges of COVID, is a quantum leap forward for water production here on the island of Nevis,” he said.