St. Kitts and Nevis invests over EC$60M to achieve 24/7 water access

St. Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to achieving reliable 24-hour water access across St. Kitts. He announced his administration’s continued multi-million-dollar investments in water infrastructure aimed at strengthening supply capacity and improving resilience during drought conditions.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, June 11, Prime Minister Drew described universal access to water as a national priority and a key component of the administration's long-term development agenda.

"Everyone will have access to 24/7 water, which is our political objective," the Prime Minister stated.

He further explained the extensive investments being made to modernize the Federation’s water infrastructure and strengthen the country’s capacity to survive drought conditions in the nation.

“These are not temporary measures, these are transformational investments designed to build long-term resilience and ensure water security for future generations,” the PM stated.

He mentioned that the Drew-led Government has invested more than EC$60 million in the projects aimed at improving production, storage and distribution of the most ambitious water infrastructure program in the nation’s history.

The investments have gone in drilling initiatives, the construction of a desalination plant, upgrades to critical infrastructure, expansion of water distribution networks, and the procurement of pumps, motors and other equipment in order to increase the reliability of the system.

Prime Minister Drew then outlined the success of investments in communities like Cayon, where the water availability has significantly improved amid the drought conditions because of a newly developed well.

“We invested 10s of 100s of 1000s of dollars to secure a well in Cayon, and today Cayon is one of those communities where 90 plus percent of the members of that community have access to 24/7 water, even under the drought situation at this time,” he said.

The Prime Minister also expressed that additional infrastructure improvements are ongoing, including new connections linking water sources to St. Peter’s and nearby communities.

The installation of new pumps is expected to improve water distribution in the coming days.

The PM stated that the government’s focus has always been on delivering results that improve lives and secure the future of the Federation as the current drought conditions continue to present challenges.

Dr. Drew noted, “While some citizens continue to experience difficulties because of the severity of the drought, we want the nation to know that we are working every day to provide both immediate relief and permanent solutions.”

Prime Minister Drew further emphasised that achieving universal 24-hour water access cannot be accomplished overnight, particularly given the state of the infrastructure inherited in 2022.

However, he reassured confidently that the ongoing investments will continue to deliver measurable improvements.