There is a big sigh of relief across Anguilla with the commissioning of the new Sea Water Reverse Osmosis Plant at Crocus Bay.
The steady flow of water has at last eliminated a system of rationing in the east and west extremities of Anguilla where, for some three years, residents have endured the full impact of the water shortage. The rationing came about when the previous Aqua Design plant, operated by General Electric, was closed down in 2012 and the equipment was later shipped out of the island following an unpaid debt by the Water Corporation of Anguilla.
The new plant, officially commissioned on Saturday, November 7, 2015, has been provided by Caribbean Water Treatment Ltd., based in Antigua, under a ten-year contract with the Water Corporation of Anguilla, facilitated and sanctioned by the island’s Government. The water provider has as its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mario Brento, with whom the contract was signed in January 2015 by the previous Water Board with the concurrence of the former AUM Government of Anguilla.
The present AUF Government, with the appointment of Mr. Curtis Richardson, as Minister of Infrastructure, and a new Water Board, chaired by Mr. Christopher Richardson, undertook to honour the contract with Caribbean Water Treatment Ltd. After several months of negotiating and planning, the contract has finally been fulfilled with the provision and installation of equipment for the commissioning of the reverse osmosis plant.
Speaking at the November 7 official commissioning, Mr. Curtis Richardson said in part: “We look forwa
rd to moving our customer base from 1,750 to 4,800 over an 18-month period. We will do everything in the purview of the Act to ensure connections and reconnections are done expediently. We want to sit with those who have outstanding bills and bring speedy redress to them. It’s time for a new start. Together we will aspire and we will achieve. Our desire is to make the Water Corporation great as we intend to institute a new model that will exceed expectations.”
CEO of the Water Corporation of Anguilla, Mrs. Evelyne Apire-Hodge, said that an ever-increasing demand for water, coupled with low rainfall, had slowed down the recharge of the aquifer thus resulting in the rationing of water. “Having this plant here [at Crocus Bay], where there is almost an infinite source of water, was a long time coming and is a very memorable occasion,” she stated. “I am very happy to celebrate this day because we are going to have a full-time supply of water. We invite our customers – those who are disconnected and even prospective ones – to join the source of life and to take up our service.”
She explained, among other things, some of the short-term goals of the Water Corporation. “We will be working towards establishing a climate resilient water distribution [system] in the wake of climate change,” she continued. “As sea levels are rising, that would affect things like the brackish water plant – so we have to put measures in place to ensure that once climate change is at its height, at least the Corporation would be one of those in the Caribbean that has beefed up its technology to survive, and strive, irrespective of the changes.
“We are also going to be introducing a public awareness programme. It will be to educate our customers on water use and conservation. This will be done
in schools and the communities next year. We will be encouraging persons to conserve water because it is a precious resource, but is also one that is finite. We will be teaching you how to monitor your usage and to read your meters. We are also rebranding our image to be a more customer oriented and customer friendly service provider.”
Mrs. Apire-Hodge added: “Some of the new programmes and initiatives that have been introduced include online payments and online billing, and soon we will be establishing a website where … you can just log on and pay your bills. We are trying to make our customers as comfortable as possible.”
Mr. Mario Bento said among other things: “Despite some challenges along the way, we are happy to have this new desalination facility operational and to start the supply of much-needed water to the people of Anguilla…The facility we are opening today has a current installed capacity of 500,000 US gallons per day, consisting of two trains of 250,000 gallons a day. There is expansion capacity to add another two trains to bring the total capacity up to one million gallons per day in the future.”
He disclosed that two critical designs of the reverse osmosis plant were set, agreed and fulfilled. One was for the plant to be as energy efficient as possible. This was taken into account in the selection of the high pressure pumps, the reverse osmosis membranes and the energy recovery system, among other equipment. The next design requirement was to reduce the level of noise in order not to disturb the neighbouring CeBlue Boutique Resort, DaVida Restaurant and residents.
Mr. Bento explained: “We have taken several steps to reduce noise including the housing of the plant in insulated 40-foot containers; the erect
ion of masonry walls in the building and the blocking off of all openings on the east, north and south of the building. Further noise abatement strategies will be installed as needed to ensure that the plant is not a nuisance to our neighbours.”
Minister Curtis Richardson spoke about his pleasure to see the commissioning of the plant and the island-wide supply of running water. He was grateful in particular for the work of the former Water Board, but credited the new Board, for actually brin
ging about the desalination plant. He praised his Permanent Secretary, Mr. Larry Franklin, the new Chairman, Mr. Christopher Richardson; and members of the new Board for their hard work – and Mr. Bento for fulfilling the requirements of the contract. He joined in expressing delight that the noise level had been addressed, thus ensuring that the neighbouring tourism properties and residents were not disturbed.
The Minister also thanked the people of Anguilla for their patience, saying he was aware that they “had a lot of pain and suffering.” He pledged that the Board would look into providing more water lines, throughout the island, to serve a greater number of consumers. He also thanked CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa for having supplied water to the western area of Anguilla over a period of several months. He noted that such a service had now ended with the provision of the island-wide supply of desalinated water by the Water Corporation of Anguilla and the Caribbean Water Treatment Ltd.
Following Mr. Richardson’s address he cut the ribbon to the building housing the water plant. He was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Susan Best-Richardson; Mr. Christopher Richardson; Parliamentary Secretary, and Mr. Mark Romney, Deputy Chairman of the Water Board, who chaired the ceremony.
Those attending the dedication ceremony were led on a tour of the facility by Mr. Bento.
