The replacement of Anguilla’s ageing water distribution infrastructure will cost about EC$50 million, according to water and natural resources minister Kyle Hodge.
“It’s a massive project, a massive undertaking that needs to happen immediately,” he told media at a government press conference on 25 August.
According to earlier reports, 80% of the island’s water supply is being lost to leaks and to unauthorised connections – a situation Hodge described as “very stressful”.
At Anguilla Focus we keep our core content free for everyone – but our members get access to even more! Click here to join from just $3 per month.
“It’s one of those frustrating areas, because we know that the fix for water, it involves a complete overhaul of the network,” he said.
“Just digging up throughout Anguilla and repiping – putting in new, better quality pipe from Island Harbour to West End.”
The minister said he is awaiting the finalisation of the company appointment to carry out the project, but was unable to provide a timeframe.
“I’m getting impatient – and I understand the frustrations of of the general public. Some areas have not gotten water since April and that’s unacceptable,” he added.
In the meantime the Department of Water Services will continue to detect and fix leaks and blockages across the island.
“We’ll continue to find the leaks, we’ll continue to find the areas where we are blocked while we await the major transformational work to take place.”
Hodge also spoke of unauthorised connections to the public water supply that the department “continues to struggle to get a handle on”.
He said staff occasionally notice the tampering of pipelines and these cases are reported to the Royal Anguilla Police Force.
“We are looking to get a better system in place, to be able to penalise and to have corrective action as it relates to unauthorised connections – but it continues to be a problem.”
Anguilla’s water distribution network was managed by statutory body, Water Corporation of Anguilla, from 2009 until 2024 when it was replaced by the Department of Water Services.
The Department of Water Services can be contacted at (264) 497-1270 between 8am and 4pm or 584-1297 outside of normal working hours.
