The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has initiated the construction of a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant at the C.A. Paul Southwell Industrial Site in Basseterre, reports St Kitts & Nevis Observer. This facility is set to produce two million gallons of potable water daily.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held on July 17, 2024, saw the participation of key government figures including Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew and Water Services Minister Konris Maynard. Minister Maynard emphasized the government's commitment to securing a consistent 24-hour water supply for its citizens.
“While it may be new for us there are many established and developed places around the world that have to depend solely on the desalination of water. The science is well understood, the aspects of how it affects the environment are well understood, and so I just want to give the comfort that we have looked at all of these things to ensure that the water quality coming from the desalination plant is par excellence,” Minister Maynard assured.
The EC$50 million project, undertaken by Royal Utilities, is slated for completion by June 2025, with testing and commissioning expected in July 2025. Despite the substantial cost, Prime Minister Dr. Drew highlighted the necessity of such investments to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
“When we speak of climate change and we speak of adaptation, this is what we are speaking about. When we speak about prioritising and shifting resources into areas that are needed because of climate change, this is what I am talking about. This is a $50 million plant just to deliver essential water to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis,” the Prime Minister said.
This new plant complements another project commenced on March 18, 2024—a solar-powered desalination facility at Canada Estate, nearing completion, which will produce approximately 76,000 gallons of water daily.
The government continues to explore additional measures to ensure an uninterrupted water supply. These include drilling new wells, constructing and expanding storage reservoirs, and integrating modern technologies to enhance water resource efficiency.
