The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has commenced construction on a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant at the C.A. Paul Southwell Industrial Site in Basseterre, reports the St. Kitts & Nevis Observer. This facility will produce two million gallons of potable water daily.
The groundbreaking ceremony on July 17, 2024, featured key government officials, including Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew and Water Services Minister Konris Maynard. Minister Maynard emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring 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 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, led by Royal Utilities, is scheduled for completion by June 2025, with testing and commissioning anticipated in July 2025. Despite the significant cost, Prime Minister Dr. Drew underscored the necessity of such investments to address the impacts of climate change.